Co-authored by Joanna C. Feldman The truth is that very often, “elder law” attorney is a misnomer as it pertains to many of our clients.  For example, nearly everyone should have a comprehensive Power of Attorney. Some of our youngest clients have just become adults who come to us for a Power of Attorney before…

According to a recent report published by the Alzheimer’s Association, in 2017, approximately 5.5 million individuals have “Alzheimer’s dementia”. If you consider those figures, together with the many other neurological diseases (ALS) and physical ailments (strokes) that impact our physical and cognitive abilities, you can understand why planning should be done to contemplate these matters….

  For 2017, the federal lifetime estate and gift tax exemption have increased to $5,490,000.  This means that you can gift this amount over your lifetime without incurring a federal gift tax and to the extent you haven’t done so, any exemption remaining at death can be applied against the value of your estate for…

At some point, most people experience that enlightening moment when they realize there is a risk of losing their assets if they fall ill and require long-term care. Some will contact an elder law attorney and receive sound advice; others will contact their friends and relatives, who after all, usually know more than most attorneys…

The look-back period is very different from the penalty period and as always the rules are different depending on whether you are seeking Medicaid to cover the cost of homecare or nursing home care. Conceptually, the look-back period is the period where asset transfers may impact your eligibility for Medicaid. The penalty period is the…

If you are reading this article, it is likely that at some point in your lifetime you may have worked through the placement of a loved one in a nursing home. If not, there is a high probability you know of someone who has. With the cost of nursing home care exceeding $150,000.00 per year…

Estate planning documents need to be regularly reviewed. I often tell clients to review their estate plan every three to five years or upon the occurrence of a significant life event such as a birth, marriage, divorce or death. Documents should also be reviewed for changes in the law. One of the benefits to connecting…

If there is one unavoidable consequence of life and relationships, it is that our loved ones may fall ill at some point, whether it be a parent, grandparent, child, aunt or uncle. Sometimes it could be a tragic accident or disease that affects them, and other times it is simply part of the aging process….

Nearly every aspect of estate planning and elder law requires an attorney to assess a client’s legal capacity. As elder law attorneys, we are regularly working with individuals who have some form of cognitive impairment such as dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. A common assumption is that someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s cannot sign a Last…

As the parade route approached, I captured my first glimpse of the Grand Marshal. He was a 93 year-old seasoned World War II veteran who exuded confidence, honor and pride. Accomplished in ways that many of us will never experience; a true hero. It was Memorial Day 2016, and the Grand Marshal was my Uncle….

I recently entered the world of beekeeping. When contemplating this new hobby, I obviously vetted my ideas with friends and family (not the neighbors). Their responses were comical and in all cases, far from the truth. Sitting down to write this piece I thought, this is no different than the practice of elder law. So…

Many people are unsure as to whether a Last Will and Testament (“Will”) is sufficient to accomplish their estate planning goals and objectives or if a Revocable Trust (“Trust”) is the more pertinent planning technique. Adding to the uncertainty is the plethora of propaganda disseminated by attorneys who promote trusts. Both serve a purpose but…

In Yorktown, NY and the surrounding community, I often see the homestead as the single most valuable asset of an estate. The “American Dream” is to own a home, create memories there, and one day, leave it to your children. However, without proper planning, the dream can soon turn into a nightmare if nursing home…

I recently received a frantic telephone call from someone whose sister suffered a stroke and was admitted to a hospital. Upon admission, the facility asked if there was a health care proxy appointing an agent to make medical decisions on the patient’s behalf. The sibling answered in the negative. As a result, the hospital refused…

In a perfect world, everyone would craft an estate and elder care plan well in advance of having to implement it˗ but the world isn’t perfect! I have had the opportunity to work on a fair amount of cases where clients, who had no estate or elder can plan, fell ill or became disabled. In…

Online social media has become commonplace in our society. Simply consider that there are over 1.50 billion Facebook users. Providers such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, Flickr and others offer a medium for socialization and to an equal extent, storage of personal data. For better or worse, digital media has replaced the traditional mailbox,…

Nearly every aspect of estate planning and elder law requires an attorney to assess a client’s legal capacity. As elder law attorneys, we are regularly working with individuals who have some form of cognitive impairment such as dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. A common assumption is that someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s cannot sign a Last…

Over the years, I have found that one of the biggest obstacles preventing clients from pulling the trigger on a Medicaid Trust is the perception that all control is lost over the assets being transferred to the trust. While it is true that legal title to the assets must be transferred to the trustee, a…

Traditionally, Thanksgiving is the one holiday when the entire family is all together in one place and time. It is common for children who have moved away from their parents, for work or financial reasons, to return home during the holiday season. The holidays present a great opportunity for families to discuss sensitive topics which…

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