Comprehensive Elder Law Services Addressing a Full Range of Legal Issues
Why do estate planning? Many people do not think it is necessary. One person may say, "I only have a house and a bank account, so I do not need to prepare a Will." Not true, a Will helps to make sure that your assets go where you want them to go after you pass away....
When planning for Medicaid or Medical Assistance eligibility, it is important to consider the issue of gifting. Gifts made within 60 months or 5 years of applying for Medicaid may cause issues with eligibility. This is known as the Transfer of Assets Rule (or the...
Powers of Attorney are important documents that you should have your children over 18 prepare and sign before leaving for college, trade school or the military. Why should they have Powers of Attorney at 18? So that, you, as their parents, would be able to handle...
Long term care planning may start with a discussion of what Medicare covers when it comes to nursing home care. Usually, Medicare pays for up to 100 days of skilled nursing home care which is restorative in nature and which follows a 3-day hospital stay to a...
Medicare, which is not the same as Medicaid or Medical Assistance, is now celebrating 50 years of providing affordable medical coverage to U.S. citizens or a permanent (5 years or more) residents. Medicare provides medical coverage to individuals 65 or older who are...
Long term care planning should be done with an elder law attorney since only an elder law attorney can give legal advice and best represent your interests. Sometimes, a nursing home may recommend an organization or service to help you with such a Medicaid plan; but...
The preparation of Living Wills is part of estate planning, along with preparation of Last Wills and Testaments and Powers of Attorney. Living Wills indicate what medical treatment patients want or do not want when patients have end-stage medical conditions or are...
After a Will has been probated and estate administration is proceeding for a decedent, it is a good idea to check out the Unclaimed Property Website of the Pennsylvania Treasury Department at www.patreasury.gov. It is one of the jobs of the Executor or Administrator...
Your estate planning might include the preparation of a HIPAA Authorization, which document would permit someone to have access to your medical information. A HIPAA Authorization which complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and...
Last week's blog discussed the need to include Social Security Retirement benefit planning when engaging in estate planning or long term care planning with an elder law attorney since income is an important consideration in determining how much money you will have to...