If you have filed a claim for VA Aid and Attendance Pension, be on the lookout for an Eligibility Verification Report (EVR) to be mailed to you each calendar year. This EVR must be completed and sent in to the Veterans Administration to avoid termination of benefits. To complete the EVR, you should gather all…
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How To Discuss Money With Mom & Dad
Do your mom & dad have enough money to last through retirement? Many children are worried that due to market losses over the past few years, their parents may not have enough to live comfortably through their “golden years”. Does this mean that son’s & daughters will need to pitch in to keep them afloat? How…
Be On The Lookout For Financial Fraud Of The Elderly
It seems that calls to my office that paint a picture of financial fraud of the elderly are increasing. Apparently, the statistics show that 1/5th of Americans older than 65 have been the victim of some sort of financial swindle. That’s 7.3 million seniors! Elder financial abuse is becoming the crime of the 21st century as…
Caregiver of 38 Years Loses Home to Medicaid Nursing Home Costs
Will Medicaid take my home if I need to go to a nursing home? How can I protect my house? These are two of the most common questions I hear as an elder law attorney. On Monday, Rita Price of The Columbus Dispatch published a related story entitled “Thanks to Medicaid, Caregiver Faces Eviction –…
Beware of Nursing Home Arbitration Agreements
Nursing Home Arbitration Agreements are something to pay close attention to when entering a nursing home or assisted living facility. Many residents sign these without a second thought, but some commentators characterize these contracts as an “incredible disservice” to nursing home residents and their families. Why are these considered a “disservice”? Well, some would say these arbitration…
Steps To Take When A Loved One Dies
My clients know that if they lose a family member or friend, they can simply call me for help as a Probate and Trust Administration Attorney. Unfortunately, many folks don’t even have a will in place, so their family members don’t have any written guidance to refer to, and may not even know an attorney that…
Combat Veterans Have January 2011 VA Health Care Deadline
If you are a combat veteran (or know someone who was) that was on active duty between 11/11/1989 and 1/28/2003, sign up online for VA veterans health care. By getting it done before the deadline, you’ll get in without having to prove you have a “service connected” disability or health problem. Remember, “once in, always in”…
Elimination of Ohio Estate Tax?
Yesterday Ohio House Bill 1 was unveiled, putting the Ohio Estate Tax on the chopping block. Currently, the Ohio Estate Tax is imposed at a rate between 6-7% on estates valued at more than $338,333 when a person dies. Jim Siegel of Dispatch.com writes that “House Bill 1 [is] usually designated for leadership’s top priority” and later…
Men From The Forgotten War
Mike Harden, retired columnist for the Columbus Dispatch, wrote of a gathering of Korean War veterans at the American Legion post entitled “Men from ‘forgotten war’ recall fateful night“. An excerpt follows: Hunkered over fried bologna sandwiches and Bud Lites, the last men standing from an old Columbus-based Korean War company of Marines assembled on…
Protect Your "Virtual Assets"
USA Weekend highlighted a commonly overlooked piece of estate planning in “Create A Plan Now For Your Virtual Assets“. Jill Golden asked: Millions of Americans use e-mail, blogs and social networking sites to stay connected with friends and relatives. But what happens to your accounts after you die? It seems that we all have online…