In this blog article, we will address the issue of living trusts as they apply to married couples and what happens to the trust upon the passing of the first spouse. First, we will review the value of living trusts in general. Many people assume that a last will is the best choice when they are planning their estates. They believe that trusts are only useful for those who are very wealthy. However, this is not entirely true. While there are trusts that are utilized to meet the objectives … [Read more...] about What Happens to a Living Trust when a Spouse Passes Away?
Should I Purchase Long-Term Care Insurance?
When you think about retirement planning, you naturally focus on the positive times that you can have as a senior when you put your working years behind you. This is fantastic, and everyone should make the most of their golden years. However, there are the twilight years that will follow, and you should be aware of the potential long-term care costs that you could face as a senior. The majority of Americans will qualify for Medicare at the age of 65 under currently existing laws. This would … [Read more...] about Should I Purchase Long-Term Care Insurance?
Protecting Your Family in a Digital World
By: Justin M. Kennedy, Associate Attorney Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law While at a national conference, I heard a seminar on how to protect your family in a digital world. What follows are some of the tips and strategies provided by the speaker, Jeff Lanza, a Retired FBI Agent, on how to better protect yourself and your family: 1. Do no click on links in emails from unknown senders. 2. Even if you know the sender, you should be cautious before clicking links, as … [Read more...] about Protecting Your Family in a Digital World
Commonly Asked Medi-Cal Questions (An Elder Law Today Blog)
Q: Once I qualify for Medi-Cal, will the quality of long term care I receive be sub-standard? A: No. It is illegal for a long term care facility to discriminate against someone receiving Medi-Cal benefits. By law, Medi-Cal patients are to receive the same level of care as private pay residents. Q: Is a married couple always required to spend down one-half of their assets before qualifying for Medi-Cal? A: Not always. In fact, often times couples have over $100,000 and qualify … [Read more...] about Commonly Asked Medi-Cal Questions (An Elder Law Today Blog)
Preventing Identity Theft
By: Justin M. Kennedy, Associate Attorney Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law While at a national conference, I attended a seminar on how to prevent identity theft. What follows are some of the tips and strategies provided by the speaker, Jeff Lanza, a Retired FBI Agent, on how to better protect yourself: Social Security Number Do not carry your social security card with you. Mr. Lanza recommended only providing your social security number for the following … [Read more...] about Preventing Identity Theft
Successful Planning (An Elder Law Today Blog)
Elder law attorneys assist individuals and families in developing estate plans to avoid depleting their assets should they become ill and need long term care. For those individuals who are already in a nursing home, elder law attorneys help them qualify for Medi-Cal benefits while maximizing the amount of money they are able to keep. Here is an example of a family my office was able to assist: Planning for someone to take residence in a skilled nursing home and being able to qualify them … [Read more...] about Successful Planning (An Elder Law Today Blog)
A “Goodbye” Message from Our Director of Geriatric Care Management
On May 12th I, Lois Tager, will be retiring from this wonderful Law Firm. I wanted to take this opportunity to say “Goodbye” to all our exceptional clients. Together with Roy and his superb staff, building our Geriatric Division has been one of the most rewarding endeavors of my career. Helping to service the needs of our clients has been most rewarding and I shall miss you all. The field of Geriatric Care (also known as Elder Care) associated with a Law firm was unheard of just a short … [Read more...] about A “Goodbye” Message from Our Director of Geriatric Care Management
Three Benefits of a Living Trust
There are a number of legal devices that are used in the field of estate planning. Depending on your unique circumstances, various different courses of action may be appropriate. Many people assume that they should use a last will to direct future asset transfers, but in fact a revocable living trust may be a better alternative. You may have heard about the numerous benefits of living trusts. In this blog post, we will address three of those benefits. Avoiding Probate One of the … [Read more...] about Three Benefits of a Living Trust
Register for our Upcoming Free Medi-Cal Planning Workshop, Thursday, April 21
The Medi-Cal program is a jointly administered federal/state government health insurance program. In California, it is called Medi-Cal. Most senior citizens who worked throughout their lives will qualify for Medicare coverage. This is also a government run health insurance program. If you qualify for Medicare, you won't need Medi-Cal at first, and you probably wouldn't be eligible, because Medi-Cal is a need-based program. People who have a reasonable store of assets cannot qualify. In … [Read more...] about Register for our Upcoming Free Medi-Cal Planning Workshop, Thursday, April 21
End-of-Life Options Expanding in California
The following is an Article written by Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M., Associate Director of Education, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys. California passed a new law permitting a physician to prescribe a life-ending drug for a terminal patient. The California End of Life Option Act is effective this June. It dramatically increases the number of people in the United States who live in a state allowing someone to choose to end their life with the assistance of a … [Read more...] about End-of-Life Options Expanding in California
