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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

Moving forward after an SSD benefits denial

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Applying for Social Security Disability can be an arduous process for many people in California, especially since a large portion of applicants receive denials at the initial level. After receiving a denial, people can either file a new disability application or seek a disability appeal. A new claim generally involves significantly more work or time than filing ...

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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

The duties of a trust executor

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in trusts & trust administration on Thursday, December 6, 2018. Trusts are estate planning documents that allow for the distribution of assets after the death of the trust maker. In most cases, trusts have provisions calling for assets to be distributed to specific people, but the trust cannot do the distributing itself. Rather, that is the realm of the trust's executor. People who make trusts in California will appoint an ...

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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

A deteriorating mental condition can be disabling

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Wednesday, December 5, 2018. The Social Security Disability list of impairments sets forth medical conditions that, if met by a disability claimant, generally qualify that person for disability benefits. Categorized by bodily system or function, the list includes mental disorders among the disabling conditions. One problem is that most California claimants suffer from conditions that do not ...

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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

High court to hear SSDI arguments

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Saturday, December 1, 2018. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in a case that addresses an important part of the Social Security Disability Insurance hearing process. The issue in the case, which is relevant in Social Security actions in California and across the U.S., is whether a vocational expert's opinion can be relied upon if the expert does not provide the data that led to his ...

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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

Serving as executor can be a big job

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in estate administration & probate on Friday, November 30, 2018. When someone is named as executor of a California estate, the tasks they are faced with may be confusing and substantial. The executor, who is named in the will, must file and pay remaining taxes from the estate, handle creditors, value assets and distribute property to the named beneficiaries. Being named executor is often an honor and an expression of trust ...

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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

A medical source statement can assist a disability application

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Wednesday, November 28, 2018. People in California applying for Social Security disability benefits may want to do everything they can to bolster their applications. A medical source statement is a document created by a physician that helps to show an applicant's medical condition. It includes a number of factors, including the person's diagnosis and his or her capabilities and functional de...

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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

Common misconceptions about powers of attorney

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Tuesday, November 27, 2018. People sometimes delay their estate planning because they are unsure of what that entails. There typically may be confusion over what authorities the signed documents give to others.One often misunderstood document is a power of attorney (POA). Below are some common misconceptions about POAs: You just need to download a form off the internet.On the surface, this is true -- powers of attorney forms ar...

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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

Lessons to be learned from Stan Lee's estate issues

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in estate administration & probate on Monday, November 19, 2018. Stan Lee, the man behind many of the superheroes that entertain both kids and adults in California and around the world, passed away in November, 2018 at the age of 95. But the end of Lee's life has led to an entirely new saga involving the comic book writer, editor, and publisher's estate. Hints of possible issues came even before Lee's death. In early 2018, ...

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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

Handling absent or uncommunicative trustees

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in trusts & trust administration on Thursday, November 15, 2018. For many California residents, trusts can be an optimal method to achieve their estate planning goals while preserving privacy, as trusts transfer property outside the probate system. Settlors can develop a range of innovative methods to pass wealth to their beneficiaries. However, when creating a trust, it can be important to select the right fiduciary. The t...

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The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC

Approval for Social Security disability without a hearing

On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. Many Americans living in California apply for Social Security disability when they become unable to work. There are several stages of the application process. Most applications are approved after a hearing with an administrative law judge, but some are approved right away without a hearing.Approximately 30 percent of disability applicants are approved after their ...

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