How Qualifying for Both Medicare and Medicaid Can Help With Costs Qualifying for Medicare hardly means free health care — there are still premiums and deductibles. However, people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid (called “dual eligibility”) receive help paying their out-of-pocket costs. Medicare is a federal program available to anyone 65 or older.…
Thousands of Elderly and Disabled SSI Recipients Accused of Owning Property That Isn’t Theirs Elderly and Disabled SSI Recipients – In December 2018, the Social Security Administration (SSA) had a nasty surprise for Laura Marshall (not her real name), a 74-year-old woman just scraping by while living in senior citizen housing in New York City’s…
Reverse Mortgage The federal government has expanded access to protections for spouses of reverse mortgage holders who are not named in the loan document, allowing more such spouses the ability to stay in their home if the borrowing spouse dies or moves to a care facility. A reverse mortgage allows homeowners to use the equity…
What is Trust Administration? Trust administration is defined as the trustees’ management of trust property according to the trust document’s requests and for the benefit of the beneficiaries after the settlor’s death. Many steps are required to provide an effective administration. It’s recommended to work with an attorney to help in the process. Trust administration…
California Senate Bills 9 and 10 California Senate Bills – Both SB 9 and SB 10 have detrimental consequences for homeowner associations. SB 9 would allow two homes on every lot zoned for single-family homes. In addition, it will require local jurisdictions to approve duplexes or lot splits administratively. When paired with recent ADU legislation,…
Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorneys Although Elder Law strategies often involve abuse, taxes, and estate planning, the two practices are distinctly different. If you need a nursing facility or long-term home care, your needs will best be met by an Elder Law attorney. One other critical consideration is an Elder Law firm will have…
Before You Buy Is the HOA In Good Financial Shape? An HOA that is well run charges dues that sufficiently cover shared spaces and maintaining amenities, including saving up for future maintenance and issues (a reserve). We encourage potential buyers to review the association’s reserve accounts and financial statements. A reserve account will give a…
Elder Law Attorney to Protect What You Have Worked For All Your Life and for Medicaid / Medi-Cal Elder Law Medicaid – Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) has complex regulations and rules that most people find practically impossible to navigate and understand. Unless the attorney is an Elder Law practitioner, even attorneys are generally not equipped…
Before Buying, Discover Do Members of the HOA Get Along? No one wants to be fighting with their neighbors, but disagreements can get particularly nasty in a neighborhood governed by an HOA. After all, it’s not just a she-said, he-said situation, but there are actual rules and regulations homeowners must follow, with there being financial…
A Will Or A Trust? A Will Or A Trust – If you’ve created a trust, you’ve taken control of your estate plan and your assets. Trust assets are not subject to the probate process and one of the most important benefits of trusts is that they are private. Although notices to creditors may be…