All posts by : Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center

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Estate planning can help protect an inheritance from risks involving divorce, creditor claims, and poor financial decisions. Trusts may allow families to place thoughtful controls around inherited assets while keeping funds available for a beneficiary’s needs. The appropriate approach depends on the beneficiary, the assets involved, and the family’s long-term goals.

You may spend decades building savings, property, or a family business with the hope that it will help your children live with greater security. Estate planning gives you an opportunity to think about what happens after those assets pass to the next generation, including whether an inheritance could become exposed to divorce, creditor claims, or poor financial choices.

For families who want an inheritance to provide lasting support, the way assets pass to beneficiaries can be as important as what they receive.

Why an Outright Inheritance Can Create Exposure

When a beneficiary receives an inheritance outright, the assets become available for that person to manage. That freedom can be appropriate for some families, although it can also introduce risks.

For example, inherited money that becomes mixed with marital assets may create issues during a later divorce. Kentucky generally treats inherited property as separate property, although circumstances such as commingling can complicate how an asset is treated. Credit problems or lawsuits may also place personally owned assets at risk.

Families may have another concern as well: a beneficiary may be responsible and capable while still struggling with spending, addiction, an unstable marriage, or financial pressure from other people.

A Trust Can Provide Greater Control

A trust can allow assets to remain available for a beneficiary without requiring an immediate, unrestricted distribution. The person creating the trust can establish terms governing how the property is managed and distributed. They’re a potential tool for protecting wealth intended for children or grandchildren from divorce proceedings or irresponsible spending.

Depending on the trust and its terms, a trustee may manage investments, approve distributions, and preserve remaining assets for future needs. This structure can help a parent provide financial support while placing thoughtful boundaries around the inheritance.

Protection Should Reflect the Person Receiving the Assets

There is no single inheritance structure that fits every family. A beneficiary with significant financial experience may need a different plan from someone dealing with substantial debt or a difficult marriage. An adult child receiving income from a family business may raise different concerns from a grandchild receiving investments.

The goal is to decide how much control, flexibility, and protection fit the people you love. Estate planning can address all three while keeping your wishes at the center of the plan.

Give Your Family a Plan Built for What Comes Next

If protecting an inheritance is one of your priorities, Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center can help you explore estate planning and asset protection options suited to your family. The firm serves families in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, and surrounding Kentucky communities. Call (270) 982-2883 to schedule a consultation and create a plan designed to support the people you care about for years to come.

FAQ: Protecting a Kentucky Inheritance

Can an inheritance be divided in a Kentucky divorce?

Kentucky generally treats inherited property as separate property, although mixing inherited assets with marital property can create complications. The details of how property is owned and used can influence the analysis.

Can a trust protect an inheritance from creditors?

Certain trust structures may provide creditor protection, depending on how the trust is created, who controls the assets, and applicable law. An estate planning attorney can review which options fit a family’s goals.

Can I keep my child from receiving the entire inheritance at once?

A properly structured trust can permit distributions according to terms established in the estate plan. This can provide ongoing financial support while allowing a trustee to manage assets that remain in the trust.

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Adding an adult child to a Kentucky bank account may make bill payment and financial assistance easier, though joint ownership can create concerns involving withdrawals, creditors, inheritance, and family disputes. A financial power of attorney, payable-on-death designation, trust, or limited banking authorization may provide assistance while preserving the parent’s ownership and control.

Adding an adult child to a bank account seems like a good idea at first. You trust that they’re responsible and care for your best interests. They could pay household bills, handle an emergency, or help if illness makes banking difficult. But that convenience may bring consequences that reach your savings, your estate plan, and your relationships at home.

Before signing new account paperwork, Kentucky families should identify what authority the child will receive, what ownership rights may follow, and how the arrangement fits with the rest of the family plan.

Access Can Create Ownership Confusion

A joint account gives another person direct access to the money. Depending on the account agreement and how funds are deposited or withdrawn, disagreements can arise over whether the child was added only to help or was intended to receive the balance.

Kentucky law addresses ownership during life and rights after death for multiple-party accounts. The bank’s agreement also plays an important role. A parent’s spoken intentions may provide little direction when the paperwork points elsewhere. That gap can place siblings in conflict over withdrawals, ownership, and how the account fits within the estate.

Your Child’s Financial Problems May Reach the Account

Joint ownership can place family savings within reach of financial problems connected to the adult child. A creditor claim, divorce dispute, bankruptcy, or judgment can create complications involving money the parent considers entirely their own.

The arrangement can also reduce privacy and control. A joint owner may have the ability to withdraw funds without separate approval. Even a responsible child can face personal events that bring the account into a dispute neither person expected.

Other Tools May Provide the Needed Help

A financial power of attorney can authorize a trusted person to manage banking and other financial tasks without making that person a joint owner. Kentucky law recognizes durable powers of attorney, which can continue during incapacity when properly prepared.

Families may also consider payable-on-death instructions, trust planning, or bank services that provide limited access. Each option serves a distinct purpose. The appropriate approach depends on whether the goal involves current assistance, incapacity planning, transfer after death, or all three.

Protect Convenience Without Creating New Worries

A small banking change can influence family expectations, creditor exposure, and the distribution of an estate. Reviewing the account arrangement alongside the larger estate plan can help preserve control while giving a trusted person appropriate authority.

Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center helps families in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, and surrounding communities evaluate practical options for aging, incapacity, and transferring assets. Call (270) 982-2883 to schedule a consultation and create an approach that gives your family greater confidence.

Kentucky Bank Accounts and Estate Planning FAQ

• Does adding my child to my account automatically make the money theirs?

The account agreement and Kentucky’s rules for multiple-party accounts help determine ownership and access. Adding a child may give them withdrawal authority and potential rights after your death, even when your primary goal was convenience. Written account terms should match your intentions.

• Can my adult child’s creditors pursue money in our joint account?

A jointly owned account can become involved in a creditor claim, bankruptcy, divorce, or judgment connected to the child. The result depends on the ownership arrangement, source of the funds, and applicable law. This exposure is one reason families may prefer an arrangement that grants authority without ownership.

• How does a financial power of attorney differ from a joint account?

A financial power of attorney gives an appointed agent authority to perform approved financial tasks on your behalf. The agent does not automatically become an owner of your money. The document can also explain when authority applies and which actions the agent may take.

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Family farm estate planning in Kentucky can help families address acreage, heirs with different goals, tax concerns, succession planning, and the desire to keep rural property within the family.

For many Kentucky families, a farm is not only real estate on a deed. It may include fields worked by parents and grandparents, barns with family history, timber, rental acreage, cattle operations, crop ground, equipment, mineral interests, and a home place that carries deep personal value. Those details can make planning emotional, especially when adult children have different ideas about what should happen next.

One heir may want to farm. Another may live out of state. Someone else may need cash, while another wants the property kept together. Without a written plan, those different expectations can create pressure at probate, during trust administration, or after a parent’s health changes.

Heirs May Want Different Outcomes

A fair plan doesn’t always divide every acre equally. In some families, equal ownership can place people with very different goals into the same decision-making role. That can create disputes over selling, leasing, refinancing, maintaining buildings, paying taxes, or buying out a sibling.

A farm-focused estate plan can address who receives ownership, who has management authority, how expenses may be handled, and whether a buyout option may fit the family’s goals. The right structure depends on the property, the family, and the long-term plan for keeping the acreage productive.

Taxes, Titles, and Transfer Decisions

Rural property can raise tax questions that deserve early attention. Estate tax, gift tax, income tax, property tax, and capital gains concerns may all affect the planning conversation in different ways. Families may also need to review deeds, beneficiary designations, trusts, leases, business entities, and debt tied to the property.

These decisions should be handled with care because a simple transfer during life may create consequences that weren’t obvious at the time. A professional legal review can help families see how the paperwork fits together before a health event or death limits available options.

Succession Planning for Farm-Based Businesses

When the farm supports a working operation, succession planning deserves a place in the estate plan. The next operator may need authority to make decisions, access financing, manage leases, maintain equipment, and work with vendors. The plan can also address how non-farming heirs may be treated while giving the operation a practical path forward.

Preserve Your Legacy

Whether you want to keep Kentucky farm property in the family or sell it, Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center can help you talk through estate planning, elder law, probate, trust administration, and asset protection considerations. We serve Elizabethtown, Hardin County, and surrounding counties with all their estate planning needs. Call (270) 982-2883 to schedule a conversation.

Including Kentucky Farmland and Acreage in Estate Planning FAQ

• Can a family farm be placed in a trust?

Possibly. A trust may help with management, privacy, probate concerns, and future transfers, depending on the family’s goals and the property involved.

• What if one child wants to farm and the others do not?

The plan can address management authority, buyout options, lease terms, or different inheritance structures so the family isn’t forced to sort everything out after a death.

• Should farm succession planning be separate from estate planning?

They can work together. Estate planning addresses ownership and decision-making, while succession planning can address who operates the farm and how the business side may continue.

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Giving assets away before applying for Medicaid can create eligibility problems, especially for long-term care benefits. Kentucky Medicaid uses a 60-month, or 5-year, lookback period for certain transfers, and gifts made during that window may cause a penalty period. Early Medicaid planning can give families better options before a care crisis limits choices.

Many families hear a familiar suggestion when nursing home care enters the conversation: “Give the house to the kids” or “move the money out of Mom’s name.” It’s efficient, especially when a parent worked for decades and wants to leave something behind. The problem is that Medicaid doesn’t treat every transfer as harmless, and a well-intended gift can delay eligibility for long-term care coverage.

For Kentucky families, the timing of a transfer deserves careful attention. Kentucky’s Medicaid has a 60-month lookback period for transfers connected to long-term care, and federal Medicaid uses the same five-year review period for long-term care applications.

What the 5-Year Lookback Reviews

The lookback period gives Medicaid a window into prior financial activity. During that review, gifts, property transfers, account changes, or sales for less than fair market value may raise questions. A transfer to a child, a deed change, or a large withdrawal may need documentation, even when the family had loving reasons for the decision.

A transfer during the lookback period may create a penalty period. That penalty can delay when Medicaid will pay for long-term care services, which may leave the family searching for funds at the exact time care bills are already arriving. Transfers for less than fair market value can delay qualification for Medicaid long-term care coverage.

Crisis Planning Leaves Fewer Choices

Medicaid planning works best when the family has time to review assets, income, care needs, legal documents, and the health of both spouses when applicable. A rushed plan made after a hospital stay or nursing home admission can be harder to shape, because prior transfers, missing records, and outdated estate planning documents can limit available options.

Planning ahead also gives families space to talk about goals. Some families want to preserve a home. Some want care funds organized. Some need clarity around a spouse who will remain at home. Each goal needs careful review before assets are moved.

Plan Before the Care Bill Arrives

Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center helps families review estate planning, elder law, Medicaid planning, asset protection, probate, and trust administration concerns with care and clarity. Our firm serves Elizabethtown, Hardin County, and surrounding communities, including Larue, Hart, Grayson, Breckinridge, Meade, Bullitt, and Nelson counties. Reach out by calling (270) 982-2883 to schedule a conversation.

Kentucky Medicare FAQ

• Can I give my home to my children and then apply for Medicaid?

Possibly, but that transfer may be reviewed if it occurred within the 5-year lookback period and could create an eligibility delay.

• Does every gift cause a Medicaid penalty?

No. The analysis depends on the type of transfer, timing, value, documentation, and applicable rules.

• When should Medicaid planning be discussed?

Earlier conversations can preserve options. Families can raise the topic when a loved one receives a diagnosis, care needs increase, or long-term care costs start coming into view.

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Equal inheritances can create tension when siblings had different roles, financial support, caregiving duties, or family ties during life. Clear estate planning can address lifetime gifts, blended family concerns, family businesses, and caregiver contributions in writing, reducing confusion and resentment after a death.

Leaving each child the same amount makes sense on paper. Families often assume that equal numbers will prevent arguments, especially when parents want every child to feel loved and remembered. After a death, though, the documentation can open wounds after years of private history: one child drove to every appointment, one child worked in the family business, one child received help buying a house, and one child may have had little contact for years.

Those details can shape how an inheritance is emotionally received. A plan that divides everything evenly may still leave someone feeling unseen, while an uneven plan may raise questions unless the reasoning is clear. Estate planning gives families a chance to address those pressure points before grief, memory, and money impact otherwise healthy relationships.

Caregiving, Business Interests, and Family Roles

Children in caregiving roles sometimes experience inheritance discussions differently because they may have spent years managing medications, coordinating care, paying expenses, or missing work. Parents may want to recognize that effort, reimburse certain costs, or name a caregiver as decision-maker. Each choice can affect family dynamics, so careful wording and a clear record can reduce confusion later.

Family businesses bring another layer. A child who works in the business may need voting control, ownership, or a buyout structure, while siblings outside the business may need other assets to create balance. Without planning, business decisions can place grieving relatives into financial discussions they aren’t prepared to handle.

Blended Families and Lifetime Support

Blended families can create sensitive inheritance questions because spouses, children, stepchildren, and prior commitments may all be part of the picture. A parent may want to provide for a spouse while also preserving assets for children from a prior relationship. Clear documents can reduce assumptions and give loved ones a written plan to follow.

Lifetime loans and gifts deserve the same attention. If one child received help with a down payment, tuition, debt, or business funding, the estate plan can address whether that support should count against an inheritance.

Put the Reasoning in Writing

A thoughtful estate plan can do far more than naming who receives what. It can document intent, assign decision-making authority, address unequal gifts, and reduce the chance that family members fill in the blanks on their own.

Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center helps families in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, and surrounding areas plan with care, clarity, and respect for family history. For a discussion on how to handle such a sensitive estate planning matter, call (270) 982-2883 to schedule a consultation.

Kentucky Inheritance FAQ

• Should parents always leave equal inheritances to children?

Every family is different. Equal shares may fit some families, while others may need to account for caregiving, prior gifts, business ownership, or blended family commitments.

• Can lifetime gifts be addressed in an estate plan?

Yes. A plan can state whether certain lifetime gifts or loans should affect what a person receives later, which can reduce confusion among beneficiaries.

• How can parents reduce resentment over inheritance decisions?

Clear documents and careful records during planning can make the parent’s intent easier to follow and harder to misread after death.

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After a loved one passes in Kentucky, families can reduce confusion by taking early steps in the right order: secure key documents, notify the right people, pause major decisions, and seek probate or trust administration guidance before moving assets.

The first few days after a death are a whirlwind of emotions and unrelenting administrative tasks. Calls, document requests, family questions, and decisions arrive before anyone feels ready. In Kentucky, some tasks need prompt attention, while others can wait until the family has a clearer picture of the estate, the documents, and who has legal authority to act.

A simple checklist can lower the pressure. Order certified death certificates, secure the home and personal property, and look for estate planning documents such as a will, trust, power of attorney, deed, vehicle title, insurance policy, and account statements. Keep mail, bills, tax records, and medical invoices together in one place so nothing gets missed or paid twice.

Find the Documents Before Moving Property

Families can run into trouble when assets are moved too early. A will may name an executor, a trust may name a successor trustee, and some accounts may have beneficiary designations that control where the funds go. Those details should be reviewed before anyone distributes personal property, closes accounts, sells a vehicle, or pays a large debt.

A power of attorney ends at death, so the person who handled finances during life may no longer have authority afterward. Depending on how assets were titled, Kentucky probate may be needed, or a trust administration may handle some property outside of probate. The answer depends on the documents and the asset list.

Notify the Right People, Then Pause

The funeral home can help with certain death notifications, and families may also need to contact Social Security, pension providers, life insurance companies, banks, mortgage companies, and creditors. It’s a good idea to keep a written log of who was contacted, the date, and what was requested.

Some decisions should take extra time. Avoid cashing checks, emptying accounts, giving away keepsakes, paying every bill immediately, or signing forms from creditors before the estate picture is clearer. Good intentions can still create tax issues, family conflict, or even personal liability concerns in some cases.

Keep Family Communication Simple

A short update to close relatives can prevent confusion: the documents are being gathered, no property will be distributed yet, and the family will review the next steps before decisions are made. This type of message can reduce pressure on the person handling calls and give everyone the same baseline information.

Get Professional Guidance Before the Estate Moves Forward

Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center helps families in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, and surrounding counties, including Larue, Hart, Grayson, Breckinridge, Meade, Bullitt, and Nelson, with probate and trust administration after a loved one’s death. For guidance on what to do next, call (270) 982-2883 for a consultation.

Death of a Loved One in Kentucky FAQ

• Do all estates go through probate in Kentucky?

No. Probate may depend on how assets were titled, whether beneficiary designations exist, and whether a trust was used.

• How many death certificates should a family order?

Several certified copies can be needed for banks, insurance companies, retirement accounts, and other institutions.

• Should bills be paid right away after death?

Some expenses may need attention, but families should be cautious before paying debts from personal funds or distributing estate money.

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Kentucky parents with college-bound 18-year-olds can review key estate planning documents before move-in day, including HIPAA authorization, health care decision-making papers, and financial authority documents for emergencies.

College planning can fill a family calendar with housing forms, meal plans, tuition deadlines, parking passes, and last-minute trips for towels, chargers, and laundry supplies. In the middle of that rush, one legal change can go unnoticed: once a child reaches 18, parents may no longer have automatic access to medical information or decision-making authority in an emergency.

That can surprise families during a hospital visit, a serious illness, or a call from an out-of-state clinic. A parent who has handled every appointment, prescription, and insurance card for years may suddenly face privacy rules and paperwork requirements before receiving details or speaking on a child’s behalf.

Medical Access Needs Written Permission

A HIPAA authorization can allow medical providers to share certain health information with the people your child names. Without it, parents may have difficulty getting updates, even when they are paying the insurance premium or tuition bill. This document can be especially helpful when a student is away from home and needs care near campus.

A health care directive or similar decision-making document may also deserve attention. Depending on the situation, it can identify who may make medical decisions if the student can’t communicate. Families should avoid pulling forms from random websites and assuming they fit Kentucky requirements or the student’s campus location. 

Financial Authority Can Matter During a Crisis

Parents may also consider whether a financial power of attorney is appropriate. This document can allow a trusted person to handle certain financial tasks if the student is unavailable or incapacitated. That might include dealing with a bank, contacting a landlord, addressing insurance paperwork, or managing time-sensitive bills.

This does not give parents a license to run a young adult’s life. It creates a defined backup plan for specific situations where delay could create added problems. The document should reflect the student’s wishes, and the student should be part of the conversation.

Peace of Mind Before Move-In Day

Before your child leaves for college, set aside time for the paperwork that supports medical access and emergency decision-making. Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center helps families in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, Larue, Hart, Grayson, Breckinridge, Meade, Bullitt, Nelson, and nearby counties address these decisions with care. Call (270) 982-2883 to set up a time to discuss estate planning options for your college-bound child.

Estate Planning for College Students in Kentucky FAQ

• Do parents need estate planning documents for an 18-year-old college student?

They may. Once a child reaches 18, parents can lose automatic access to medical information and decision-making authority, even in stressful situations.

• What document helps parents receive medical information?

A HIPAA authorization can permit health care providers to share certain medical information with named people, such as parents or another trusted adult.

• Should every college student have a financial power of attorney?

It depends on the student’s circumstances and comfort level. For some families, it can provide a practical backup plan for banking, leases, insurance, and urgent financial tasks.

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Choosing a trustee involves far more than family birth order. The right choice can depend on reliability, financial judgment, communication style, and whether that person can manage pressure without creating added conflict. In some families, a neutral third party may offer a calmer path.

Many parents name the oldest child as trustee because it feels quite traditional and simple. In close families, that choice may seem settled before anyone pauses to ask what the job will actually require. However, when a trust becomes active, paperwork arrives, money needs to be managed, and beneficiaries have questions, the person with authority is expected to respond with accuracy and good judgment.

That role can be difficult for someone who is loving and loyal but disorganized, uncomfortable with financial records, or already stretched thin by work, parenting, or caregiving. A trustee doesn’t need to be perfect, though the person should be dependable and able to follow the terms of the trust.

Responsibility Is Not the Same as Seniority

Serving as trustee can involve collecting assets, keeping records, communicating with beneficiaries, working with advisors, handling deadlines, and making distribution decisions. In some families, the child with the temperament for that work is not the oldest. It may be the one who keeps clear records, returns calls, stays calm in tense conversations, and can handle details without taking every disagreement personally.

Parents can also assume that choosing the oldest child is the fairest option because it avoids hurt feelings. Fairness, though, can look different in practice. A trustee has power, access to information, and administrative duties that other family members don’t share. If siblings already have tension, appointing one child over the others can increase suspicion and strain, especially when they’re experiencing mutual grief. 

A Neutral Third Party Can Bring Relief

In some situations, a neutral third party such as a professional fiduciary or trust company may be a better fit. That choice can help when siblings don’t get along, when the estate is sizable, or when no family member has the time or temperament for the role. An outside trustee can bring structure and consistency to decisions that might otherwise reopen old family disputes.

Choose the Role With Care

Choosing a trustee should include a careful conversation long before a crisis puts pressure on the family. Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center helps clients in Elizabethtown and across Hardin, Larue, Hart, Grayson, Breckinridge, Meade, Bullitt, and Nelson counties think through trustee selection and related planning decisions with clarity and care. To discuss your family’s options, call (270) 982-2883 to schedule a conversation.

Choosing the Right Trustee in Kentucky FAQ

• Does a trustee need financial experience?

A trustee doesn’t need to be a financial professional, though comfort with records, deadlines, and decision-making can be very helpful.

• Can co-trustees be a good solution?

They can be, though shared authority can also slow decisions or create friction if the co-trustees communicate poorly.

• When should a family consider a professional trustee?

That option can make sense when family dynamics are tense, the trust administration is expected to be demanding, or no relative is well suited for the role.

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A dementia diagnosis can affect whether someone still has the legal capacity to update a will, trust, power of attorney, or health care directive. Professional review can help families address decision-making documents, reduce caregiver strain, and preserve planning options before the window for action narrows.

A dementia diagnosis can shift an estate plan from something a family planned to handle later into something that needs prompt attention. Capacity can change gradually, and that change doesn’t always follow a neat schedule. A person may have clear periods, uncertain periods, and days when basic tasks seem impossible. That is why timing is so essential to this conversation. Waiting can leave families with fewer choices and more pressure at the exact moment they already have medical appointments, care decisions, and emotional strain filling the calendar.

Capacity Shapes What Can Be Updated

Estate planning documents depend on the person signing them having the ability to understand what they’re doing and the effect of those choices. After a dementia diagnosis, that question can become central. In some situations, a person may still be able to create or revise a will, trust, or power of attorney. In other situations, the opportunity may be limited or gone. Families are sometimes tempted to guess, push through, or put paperwork in front of a loved one and hope for the best. However, that approach can later lead to disputes, especially if relatives disagree about whether the person truly understood the document.

Decision-Making Documents Deserve a Fresh Review

Powers of attorney, health care directives, trusts, beneficiary designations, and related papers deserve a careful look after a diagnosis. Families should know who has authority to handle finances, who can speak with doctors, and whether the current plan still fits the person’s care needs and asset picture. Medicaid planning, probate concerns, and trust administration issues can also move into view much earlier than expected. A review at this stage can bring clarity and reduce the risk of scrambling during a hospital stay, a decline in memory, or a conflict within the family.

Caregiver Stress Intensifies When the Plan Is Unclear

Caregivers already have a full plate. When legal documents are outdated, missing, or inconsistent, everyday tasks can become harder than they need to be. Paying bills, speaking with financial institutions, arranging care, and coordinating with siblings can all become more stressful. A clear plan made ahead of time can give families a path forward and create a little more room to focus on the person at the center of it all.

Give Your Family a Clearer Path

If your family is facing a dementia diagnosis, Kentucky Estate Planning Law Center can help you review planning documents and talk through next steps with compassion. Our firm serves Elizabethtown and families across Hardin, Larue, Hart, Grayson, Breckinridge, Meade, Bullitt, and Nelson counties. Reach out by calling (270) 982-2883 to schedule a consultation.

Estate Planning and Dementia Diagnosis FAQ

• Can someone with dementia still sign estate planning documents?

Possibly. The key issue is capacity at the time of signing, and that can vary from person to person and day to day. A lawyer can assess whether planning updates may still be appropriate.

• Which documents should a family review first after a diagnosis?

Families can start by reviewing powers of attorney, health care directives, wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations. The goal is to confirm who has authority and whether the current plan still fits the situation.

• What happens if there is no power of attorney in place?

That gap can create delays and added stress. In some situations, family members may need court involvement before they can manage finances or make certain decisions.