Anchorage Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Suffering an injury at work can be devastating. Whether you sustained an injury out on a fishing boat on Alaskan waters, at a construction site in Anchorage or more, you may feel unsure of where to go from here. Most importantly, you may worry about how to make ends meet while you recover.

Most employers across Alaska provide injured employees with access to workers’ compensation. After suffering an injury, it is critical to report your injury as soon as possible and file a claim to gain access to the compensation you need. However, the process to pursue financial relief can become complicated, especially when social media is involved.

Anchorage residents who decide to make plans to provide for their families after their deaths may believe their job is done once the documents are signed. That could be true in some cases, but if an individual's estate planning included a trust, more work needs to be done. An empty trust does not accomplish his or her goals.

It is necessary to transfer assets into the trust that a person intends for the beneficiaries of the trust. This is most often done three ways. The title of an asset can be changed, the beneficiary designation of an asset can be changed or ownership rights could be transferred to the trust. Which avenue is taken depends on the asset in question.

The population of the country as a whole is getting older, and Alaska is no exception. As part of that process, the needs of those individuals change. Many people assume that elder law focuses solely on estate planning for older people with different needs than their younger counterparts have, but that is not necessarily the case.

Of course, estate planning is a large part of this area of law. Even if you do not think you will need Medicaid in order to get the care you need as you age, preparing for that eventuality does not hurt. There are different avenues you can take to make sure you can pursue government benefits should you need them.

Like other Alaska residents, you may be considering taking steps to care for your family in the event of your death and you in the event of your incapacitation. You may know that estate planning could accomplish these goals, but you may not be familiar with the documents that make it happen. Below is a brief description of the documents that make up a good estate plan.

A last will and testament represents the cornerstone of an estate plan. This document outlines who receives what portion of your estate. You can also include specific bequests (gifts) of certain items to certain individuals. It also appoints someone to handle the administration of your estate, including probate proceedings.