When a loved one passes away, most people will seek out an estate and probate attorney to help them easily go through the probate process. However, not everyone thinks to seek out a probate lawyer. A lot of people have friends or even family that practice law, and then they wonder can those lawyers represent […]
Living with Alzheimer’s can be a challenge for the entire family. Whether your family has professional Alzheimer’s care assistance or if you are caring for your loved one alone, it can seem as if each day is full of new challenges and developments. One of the things that makes Alzheimer’s care so challenging is that […]
Making sure your end-of-life wishes are followed no matter where you happen to be is important. If you move to a different state or split your time between one or more states, you should make sure your advance directive is valid in all the states you frequent. An advance directive gives instructions on the kind […]
My snowbird friends and neighbors are no doubt enjoying their southern Florida break even more this week, as Long Island remains in a deep freeze. But there’s more that separates the two states than temperature. I represent clients who live in New York, others who live in Florida and snowbirds who travel back and forth […]
In the past, to avoid exceeding Medicaid’s income and asset limits, many individuals transferred their assets into the name of other relatives, particularly when nursing home care was immediately needed. Now, Medicaid takes into account all asset transfers made in the preceding five years prior to an application for Medicaid benefits (this period is called […]
As helpful as it would be, nobody can predict the future. Life can change in an instant, and in some cases, circumstances can impact a person’s life dramatically. For instance, a car accident can leave an occupant with severe and debilitating injuries. An incident like that can render someone unable to work and provide for […]
Excluding someone from your will, particularly if it’s your spouse or your child, can be complicated. In some states, it’s not even allowed. Leaving out people who wouldn’t automatically receive any of your estate is usually as simple as just not including them. However, if you do want to be specific about excluding someone to […]
WHAT IS ELDER LAW? Among lawyers, there really is no clear definition for the term Elder Law. Why? Because it encompasses so many areas. Such as, estate planning, Medicaid eligibility, Medicare law, Social Security law, wills, trusts, probate, retirement planning, health care planning, disability, incapacity, dementia, Alzheimer’s; and the list goes on. Perhaps the best […]
As we age, changes to our body, our health, our financial picture, and our family is ever-evolving. When we were young, we didn’t worry about infirmity, incapacity, or how we want our estates managed. But time marches on and those issues become the forefront of our lives. Being an elder law attorney means using our […]
Do you take care of someone in your family with a chronic medical illness or dementia? Have you felt depression, anger or guilt? Has your health deteriorated since taking on the responsibility of caregiving? If your answer is yes to any one of these, you may be suffering from caregiver stress. This condition is increasingly […]
Approximately 20% of adults in the United States provide care to their parents or other adult family members. These caregivers provide an astonishing 34 billion hours of unpaid care. Unfortunately, many family caregivers have a lack of knowledge about Medicaid, and this lack of knowledge can affect them financially. The economic value of this care […]
Happy Stress Less Holidays! When the girls started receiving Chanukah gelt (money/coins in various denominations) we asked them to pick a day that they wanted to give that gelt back to a charity of their choice (with no influence from us) — it could be a food bank, a homeless shelter, a shelter for […]
As we are now in December, many of us are beginning to think about giving gifts to those we love. Although retail stores have bombarded us with holiday decorations since October, once December rolls around it’s time to get serious. Many of my clients consider gifts of cash to their adult children taking advantage of […]
It is not uncommon for aging parents to want to pay an adult child or other relative to provide care, run errands, or even move into the relative’s home rather than having to move into an assisted living facility or nursing home. Even when family members promise they will never allow the aging parent to […]
We’ve all heard the horror stories about working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, affectionately known as the VA, especially when it comes to VA pension applications. You send in your paperwork and it either drops into a black hole never to be seen again or you end up in an infuriating back-and-forth game of […]
Some Missouri residents may not put much stock in estate planning. After all, they may not have a considerable amount of wealth or feel like anyone needs specific instructions about what to do with their remaining affairs after their passing. However, those ideas could cause serious problems for surviving loved ones. Instead of leaving matters […]
If you help families plan for or deal with Elder Care Matters, then you should be listed on ElderCareMatters.com. America’s National Directory of Elder Care / Senior Care Resources for Families Let families across America know about your expertise in Elder Law, Estate Planning, Home Care, Medicaid Planning, Senior Living, Veterans Benefits, Aging in Place, […]
It is Friday at 11 am and the hospital tells you that your mom is being discharged at 4 pm. They hand you a list of rehab facilities. While trying to help your mom settle in, you are asked to sign a pile of paperwork. You may be inclined to just sign where ever requested. […]
The following are the 2019 rates and the New 2020 Rates for Medicare Part A deductibles & co-insurance: Medicare Part A 2019 […]
One of the questions we ask our Estate Planning clients is what documents they have already signed that might dictate how an asset is treated upon their death. The answer we usually get is, “Uhhhhh… I don’t know.” If this would be your response, don’t fret. It is really common to forget or not realize that […]
Many individuals are unaware that if they require long-term care, such care is only covered by Medicare or other primary health insurance for a short time. For example, Medicare may cover up to 100 days of nursing home care so long as the patient needs skilled care. However, if that patient requires care beyond Medicare’s […]
What would you do if you thought a family heirloom was being misused? Or your grandmother’s deathbed wishes disrespected? A distraught letter writer asked the Slate advice columnist, “Dear Prudence,” for some advice on this topic, which many families have to deal with. Her answer is a good reminder that sometimes the law offers unsatisfying solutions to real-life […]
IRS ANNOUNCEMENT: Estates of decedents who die during 2020 have a basic exclusion amount of $11.58 million, up from a total of $11.4 million for estates of decedents who died in 2019. An individual taxpayer may leave $11.58 million to heirs with no federal or gift taxes due. A married couple will be able to […]
Probate court is a court that deals with the administration of a person’s estate. In New York, probate cases take place in the “Surrogate’s Court” in the county where a person was living at the time he or she died. If the deceased made a will, the will is presented to the court in a […]