Don’t do as Celebrites Do – Make an Effective Estate Plan
We are hearing that many recently deceased celebrities, like James Gandolfini, didn’t take the time to make a clear and effective estate plan. The unfortunate results are: Expensive litigation Broken families Loss of privacy Here are some simple tips you can follow so that your estate plan does not become the topic of conversation in the…
LGBT Federal Employee Benefits Deadline – File Today for Your Benefits
Deadline: File Today for Your LGBT Federal Employee Benefits As a result of the United States Supreme Court’s opinion in Windsor, the Office of Personnel Management announced on July 3, 2013 that same-sex spouses and children of married LGBT federal employees and annuitants will now be eligible for federal benefits (if married prior to June 26,…
Protect Yourself From Receiving Bad Medicaid Advice From a Non-Attorney
The Unauthorized Practice Of Law: Don’t Become A Victim Of Medicaid Or Veteran Benefit Planning These days scams are rampant and those who take advantage of unsuspecting consumers are very sleek in their approach. You might receive a flyer in the mail or, see a car wrapped in an patriotic-looking advertisement that says ‘qualify for…
PA Judge Declares LGBT Surviving Spouse Entitled to Pension Death Benefit
Bob Dylan sang ‘the times they are a changing.’ Now is definitely one of those times. Since the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Windsor (holding that the Defense of Marriage Act violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution and is unconstitutional) there has been change afoot to provide federal rights to…
Reverse Mortgages: The Good and the Bad
Full Article available at: https://helpwithaging.com/income-savings/reverse-mortgages-the-good-and-the-bad You want to stay in your house as you grow older, but you need a ready source of cash to pay your bills, now and in the future. With a regular mortgage, you make payments to the lender, whether it is a bank or a credit union or some other…
Personal Care Agreements and Medicaid Planning
Personal Care Agreements: Don’t Try This Without An Elder Law Attorney You might have received a flyer or, seen a newspaper ad advertising Medicaid planning for a very low fee. It catches your eye. You maybe go so far as to meet with the person (a non-attorney) and they tell you “Yes. We can prepare…
The quality gap at elder-care homes
Long-term care options can easily confound families researching facilities for an older loved one. A distinction that’s not always explored among continuing-care retirement communities, assisted-living facilities and nursing homes is the difference between non-profit and for-profit institutions. Each of these three facility types comes in both flavors, and research suggests the distinction could influence the…
United States Supreme Court Rules Doma Unconstitutional!
Hot Off The Press – Scotus Rules – It’s Official At 10:15 a.m. today the United States Supreme Court published its opinion in U.S. v. Windsor ruling that “DOMA is unconstitutional as a deprivation of the equal liberty of persons that is protected by the Fifth Amendment.” It is a historic day in our nation’s…
June is Gay Pride Month
On Thursday June 6, 2013 I presented at The Pride Center in Wilton Manors for National Gay Pride Month. I spoke about important legal developments for the LGBT community. In case you were not able to attend here’s a recap: February 2013 The Department of Defense issues a memo stating that military departments will now…
Lessons Learned About Life Care Planning – An Anecdote
I just returned from three great days at Disney World with my daughter. It’s great to be a kid and see the world through a child’s eyes – ah the wonder and joy. Have you ever noticed how almost every Disney movie begins with something tragic happening but ends happily ever after? If real life…
