In our regularly updated blog, we discuss a wide range of topics of interest to Michigan seniors and their families. Learn what estate planning documents are essential in case of incapacity due to illness or injury, why you might benefit from creating a trust, how to use Medicaid benefits to pay for long-term care needs, and much more. To discuss your specific concerns, please contact our office to request a free initial consultation.
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Recent Case Provides Relief For Medicare Patients In Nursing Home RehabThe Center for Medicare Advocacy recently announced that the Medicare Policy Manuals have been revised pursuant to a recent case known as Jimmo vs. Sebelius. If you have ever had a loved one in rehab covered by Medicare, you may have been told that your loved one was being released because he or she has “plateaued”. The Jimmo case... Read More »
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The Health Care Durable Power of Attorney: What You Need to Know.Few of us have not heard the term medical power of attorney. These documents are usually brought up by hospital staff when a loved one or we are about to undergo a medical procedure. While most people are reticent to consider what may go wrong while they are not able to make decisions, these directives... Read More »
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A Poem for my Father. . .So, I posted a blog the other day about dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and about legal planning for these horrible diseases. In the blog, I posted a section of a poem that I wrote for my father. Since I published that blog, I have received a handful of requests to see the entire poem. ... Read More »
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Couple Donates $10 Million Insect CollectionRetired couple has donated their expansive insect collection to Arizona State University's entomology department, along with an endowment of $2 million.
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The Responsibilities of the Personal Representative of Your EstateMany people are named the personal representative of a loved one’s estate by virtue of the fact they are a close relative such as the adult son or daughter of the person making the will. While the person named is most likely someone the person making the will trusts, the named personal representative may not... Read More »
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Burial Policies: What You Need to KnowFuneral expenses are not always something most people want to consider. However, given that the average funeral can cost more than $10,000.00, it is worth taking into account how this expenditure will be paid. There are essentially three options: 1) leave the matter for your family to pay for from your estate or their own... Read More »
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What are you thankful for?“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.” ~ Guillaume Apollinaire Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and friends and give thanks for our many blessings. I think it’s natural sometimes to focus on what we don’t have instead of the things we are grateful... Read More »
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This Dangerous Scam Lost One Man Hundreds of Thousands of DollarsIt all started with a phone call. The 87-year-old man picked up his ringing phone and heard what we’ve all wished to hear: someone announcing that he’d won millions of dollars in a sweepstakes. Fifty million dollars, to be exact. All he had to do, the voice on the phone instructed, was send $23,000 to cover... Read More »
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Gray DivorceWhen a couple who has been married for several years decides to end their marriage, their reasons are usually complex. It may be that after decades together, they have grown apart or because of something as devastating as an affair. While divorce can be one of the most financially and emotionally devastating experiences a person... Read More »
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When it is Time to Change Your Power of AttorneyTwo critical pieces of any estate plan are the powers of attorney for medical care and for finances. These designations are essential because they allow you to name the person you want to make choices about these subjects for you if you become incapacitated. After they are designated, the people in these roles will have... Read More »
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Retirement Plans and Your Medicaid EligibilityWhen applying for Medicaid, the key issue regarding a retirement plan (for example, your IRA or 401(k)) is whether or not it will be a “countable” asset for the purpose of determining Medicaid eligibility. Eligibility is based upon the amount of assets the applicant has available. To be eligible, a single Medicaid applicant generally cannot... Read More »
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What is a Michigan Domestic Asset Protection Trust?A concern of anyone with creditors is that something may happen in their lives or to their business which will leave their personal assets depleted. Until recently, Michigan residents did not have many ways to protect themselves from such an occurrence. However, recently Michigan joined a growing number of states which allows domestic asset protection... Read More »