On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in trusts & trust administration on Friday, November 3, 2017. California residents may have a need to either cancel or make changes to an irrevocable trust. While it may be more difficult to do so compared to a revocable trust, there is a process that allows that to happen. It is called decanting, and it involves creating a second trust and pouring assets into it from the original trust. Once the asses are inside of the sec...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Some Californians suffer from disabling conditions that prevent them from working. These people are able to apply for benefits through the Social Security Administration. Unfortunately, the SSA denies a majority of the claims that it initially receives, forcing people to file appeals of their denials. There is a huge backlog of cases that are waiting for their appe...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in long term care planning on Monday, October 30, 2017. California music fans were shocked to learn of the sudden-death of rocker Tom Petty. After suffering cardiac arrest, the famous musician was treated but then removed from life support. The decision was made by Petty himself in the form of a do-not-resuscitate order that he had signed as part of his long-term care and estate planning.Unfortunately, many people do not ta...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Saturday, October 21, 2017. Many people living in California collect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. The SSDI program provides cash support for qualifying individuals who are limited in their ability to work due to a disability. Some individuals who collect SSDI, over time, begin to wonder whether returning to work might be a good idea for them. They may be reluctant, h...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in long term care planning on Friday, October 20, 2017. Many LGBTQ Californians believe in spending for today instead of saving for tomorrow. Unfortunately, this approach may make it much more difficult when they grow older. If people need long-term care at some point in their lives, their partners may have trouble being able to pay for it.When people need nursing home care, they will often go into a spend-down period until...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in long term care planning on Saturday, October 14, 2017. In a survey conducted by a trade association, 65 percent of those who responded said they thought most people should have disability insurance. Only 48 percent thought they themselves needed it, though, and only 20 percent actually had it. California residents might do well to incorporate a long-term disability insurance policy as part of a comprehensive long term ca...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in estate administration & probate on Friday, October 13, 2017. California residents who are considering how their estates will be managed if they become incapacitated might want to execute a power of attorney. An individual, called the principal, creates this document to designate a trusted party, called the agent, to attend to financial matters if illness or injury prevents the principal from performing the duties. An ind...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in veterans' benefits on Saturday, October 7, 2017. California veterans and their spouses may have unique estate planning considerations. This is particularly true if they have children, who themselves may be entitled to certain benefits based on a parent's military service.The issue of veterans' benefits can be complex, but there are ways of helping to ensure that descendants are provided for after a veteran dies. Part of ...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Friday, October 6, 2017. Millions of people receive Social Security disability benefits. These benefits are given to those who are unable to work because of a medical condition that may result in death or last for at least a year. Family members of a disabled worker may also collect benefits. For California residents who receive them, it may be worth looking into whether or not they can swit...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in trusts & trust administration on Thursday, October 5, 2017. The use of a trust may make it easier for California residents to exercise control over their assets. The use of a marital trust may be appropriate when an individual has children from previous marriages. The use of a bypass trust may ideal for those looking to maximize their lifetime estate tax exemption. Individuals who are looking to donate to charity may als...
