Category Archives for 2016
Clinton v. Trump – A Brief Policy Review
Until now I have managed to steer clear of commenting on the Presidential campaign season hoping, I suppose, for an opportunity to discover more about policy positions of the candidates. That hope seems naïve considering the amount of time consumed by television and, for that matter, Facebook, Twitter and social media generally on such topics […]
Continue readingParents and Children – the Money Dynamic
Much of the furor over parent-adult child relations when it comes to money has focused on the adult child who receives funds from his or her parent. Just as important is the reverse situation, parents who run out of funds. It is not hard to see the causes. As parents live longer and some of […]
Continue readingToday’s Trends to Improve Charitable Giving
Just as I was delving through an excellent article by Karen Simmons, President and CEO of the Chester County Community Foundation in the Summer, 2016 Edition of the Chester County Bar Association magazine, “New Matter,” I happened upon another related column in the on-line version of Money on a similar subject. Both discussed what is […]
Continue readingBanks, Your Power of Attorney and Act 95
If you find it more difficult in recent years to have your Power of Attorney recognized by banks and financial institutions than previously, it might help to know some of the history behind both changes in the law and in attitude. As one example, where documents designate your children as agents, the difference of one […]
Continue readingFamily Caregiver or Hire – What Are the Considerations?
Deciding when or whether to give up doing tasks on your own or hiring someone or an agency employing someone to do it for you is one of the most unrecognized stressful activities that we are called upon to accomplish on an almost daily basis. According to Canby assisted living and memory care senior living […]
Continue readingEvery Second Marriage Needs An Estate Plan
If you have followed my columns, you know that I rarely use the expressions “always” or “never.” My usual expression is “it depends.” However, I might break that rule in one circumstance and that is regarding second (or subsequent) marriages and the need for an estate plan instead of just Wills. Wills affect only probate […]
Continue readingWhat Happens to Your Debts When You Die?
You might have sizeable debt when you die or you might be totally debt free. In either case your heirs and the Executor of your Will need to know what to do. Here are some guidelines to help. Your debts do not die with you. We all might wish that our credit card debt or […]
Continue readingHow To Protect Yourself From Investment Fraud
Last week I had the opportunity to attend a program conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities where the subject, interestingly, was Recognizing and Reporting Elder Investment Fraud and Financial Exploitation Prevention. While the speaker, who is Assistant Counsel for the Department, limited herself primarily to those aspects of investment fraud as handled […]
Continue readingSeniors Still Have Time For Tax Breaks For 2015
As tax time rolls around, we tend to begin looking for tax breaks, deductions and exemptions that eluded us all year round. As one practitioner stated in a recent meeting “at this point I have finished with 2015 and am beginning the new year.” For those of us who are not so inclined to give […]
Continue readingSerious and Funky March National Holidays
Lawyers are typically seen as some fairly serious people so I noted with interest a recent posting on Faceboook from a fellow elder law attorney in a Pennsylvania county to the north and west of us. The posting celebrated March as National Craft Month and displayed a photo of a client of the firm presenting […]
Continue readingSteps Are Proposed To Re-balance Long Term Care
A little over a week ago I was away from the office for a second time in two months at an Elder Law Conference – this one at the statewide level, the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA for short). The conference in January known as the Summit was for the National Academy of […]
Continue readingCreative Uses Of Real Estate Can Pay For Care
When seniors need help for care, they may be cash poor but living in a home with substantial equity. One common reaction when dealing with care is to transfer the house to the children and then, if moving to a nursing home, immediately apply for Medicaid. This is usually a mistake unless there is a […]
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