Mid-Year Important Summary of Elder Law and Estate Planning
Speaking for myself, I have emerged from the cocoon of pandemic quarantine, with mask on, and with relief that my family did not have to use my health care proxy, nor did I have to use my 90-year-old mother’s proxy, for medical decisions.I emerge and find a stack of reading [...]
Critical Law Change for Medicaid Home Care Starting
The leading nonprofit advocacy group, New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) has released an update on the NYS Department of Health’s ‘guidance’ for applicants of home care/community Medicaid/MLTC.In April, the Governor signed into law a change to the program which provides home health aides (often called personal care aides here, [...]
A Hint and a Heads-up – You Never Know if Nursing Home Care might be needed!
Recently, I have been handling a Medicaid application for a senior who, sadly, must remain in a nursing home. His family includes his wife and an adult developmentally disabled child (both physically and intellectually) since birth. The clients’ disabled son receives services under OPWDD under Self-Direction. An individualized ‘budget’ was [...]
A New Decade, A New Year Update for 2020
A few legal updates for your consideration as we enter our new decade: Retirement The SECURE Act of 2019 makes important changes to retirement accounts. The age at which required distributions must be taken is increased from age 70 ½ to age 72 for persons who turn 70 1/2 after [...]
Lessons from My Mother-in-Law
Each day, I listen to my senior client’s stories. Some of my clients are older than Arlene, my 86-year-old mother-in-law, and some are younger. I am paid to give my clients legal advice, experienced counsel, and quality representation. I also learn from many of those same seniors. Arlene, however, has [...]
Organ and Tissue Donation in NYS
January 2019 Question of the Month: My family has been discussing organ donation. Some of us signed the back of our drivers’ licenses. Others have signed a health care proxy which directs our health proxy to make organ donation. Which is the right way to make sure our wishes [...]