More than Money: Josh Hummer’s Innovative Approach to Estate Planning

Joshua Hummer found that he had a passion for helping people with the intricacies of elder law and estate planning. However, he soon noticed a recurring issue among his clients. While his work fulfilled their needs for wills and trusts, it did not address their deeper concerns about family relationships and values. Recognizing this, Josh developed ways to use estate planning to help his clients strengthen their relationships and add extra meaning to their legacies.

Josh’s firm, Relational Estate Planning and Elder Law, is an innovative legal practice with two locations in Northern Virginia. He has co-authored a book and gives popular presentations on relational estate planning and other topics. You can learn more online or call Josh at the office numbers below:  

Relational Estate & Elder Law 

https://relational.law/ 

Winchester, VA: (540) 931-7078 

Ashburn, VA: (571) 498-9009 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

(00:00) Podcast introduction. 

(02:40) While working with clients, Josh realized the need for what he now calls "relational estate planning.”  

(06:13) Discussions of aging, death, and inheritance are about more than just property and taxes—they’re about family and friends and relationships. Estate planning and elder law provides a unique platform to consider and discuss those bigger relationship issues.

(11:28) When estate planning, people learn that some basic actions completed ahead of time (e.g., leaving notes or videos) can have a tremendous impact on the survivors’ well-being and the way they respond to grief.  

(15:04) A financial and/or medical crisis can be particularly challenging and emotional when there is a lack of planning for Medicaid or long-term care. Without pre-planning, people will be forced to make difficult decisions on the fly. That’s a lot to ask of loved ones. The emotional toll and stress between parents and children or among siblings can be devastating. 

(25:57) The cornerstone tool for relational planning is an “ethical will.” The idea is to be intentional about leaving your values and beliefs behind. It’s not just about money and property; it’s about leaving a meaningful legacy.

ABOUT BELLOMO & ASSOCIATES

Jeffrey R. Bellomo, the founder of Bellomo & Associates, is a licensed and certified elder law attorney with a master’s degree in taxation and a certificate in estate planning. He explains complex legal and financial topics in easy-to-understand language.

Bellomo & Associates is committed to providing education so that what happened to the Bellomo family doesn’t happen to your family. We conduct free workshops on estate planning, crisis planning, Medicaid planning, special needs planning, probate administration, and trust administration. Visit our website (https://bellomoassociates.com/) to learn more.

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED

Bellomo & Associates workshops:https://bellomoassociates.com/workshops/

• Life Care Planning
• The Three Secrets of Estate Planning
• Nuts & Bolts of Medicaid

For more information, call us at (717) 845-5390.

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