Blog: Elder Law

As a Board Certified Elder Law Attorney I understand that when a loved one falls their life may forever change and it can be extremely frightening.  Falls can lead to fractures and result in the need for rehabilitation and long-term care services.  A person’s mobility can be reduced and there can be a loss of…

Do you have an aging relative who needs long-term medical care for a  chronic illness? Is your loved one living at home, in an assisted living facility or a skilled nursing home? Are you concerned about how to pay for their medical expenses? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions you need to…

There’s no better time than summertime – rest, relaxation and seeing the world. You’ve waited all year for your vacation. You’ve got your passport, the pet sitter is confirmed but wait- do you have your estate & incapacity plan in place? If you do is it so old it needs to be updated to meet…

What happened at * nursing home never should have happened. It is a tragedy that could have and should have been avoided.  Placing a loved one outside of their private home for care can be unsettling for both the elder and their family.  In order to make the best informed decision on placement there are…

Do it right from the beginning. Powers of attorney need to be tailored to your needs to address all of your assets and income sources. If you believe a durable power of attorney is just a “form”, you may find this to be an incorrect and expensive assumption. An improperly drafted durable power of attorney…

People diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, at any age, are affected by the disease on many different levels: physically, possibly cognitively in the later stage of the disease, in their close relationships and potentially their employment ability. The earlier that people create a legal plan the greater likelihood they can remain independent and autonomous in their decision-making. Individuals…

I was disheartened to learn that a Florida elder law attorney was arrested and disbarred in December 2015 for financially exploiting vulnerable clients, and for not fulfilling his responsibilities to clients who hired him to preserve their government benefits and protect their lawsuit proceeds. One bad apple (or in Florida we’ll say bad orange) does…

Florida Designation of Healthcare Surrogate Law You may know that this document allows you to name a trusted person to make your healthcare decisions if you are temporarily or permanently incapacitated and unable to give informed medical consent. It allows your medical decisions to be made privately without court involvement. Now you have the following…

In the past ten to fifteen years medical technology has changed in leaps and bounds.  The law has not necessarily kept pace with new technological developments.  No clearer example can be found than the inheritance rights of children conceived through in vitro fertilization. More people are conceiving children with medical assistance than ever before, thanks…

Retired and active military are entitled to designate their surviving spouse to receive the pension upon the veteran’s death.  This is called the ‘survivor benefit plan.’ This benefit plan provides up to 55% of the veteran’s pension and helps many widows and widowers avoid financial hardship.  As a result of the United States Supreme Court’s…