Recent Blog Posts
Inherited Financial Security A Blessing, If Handled Correctly
Money does not equal happiness. Let that sink in. It can be hard to believe, but it’s true. Sure, it’s easier to be unhappy when poor, but family wealth, if not handled correctly, can also be a source of grief. In recent stories for Forbes magazine, author Thayer Willis, herself the descendant of the… Read More »
Case Illustrates Hidden Danger Of Fund Transfers
It’s a cautionary tale, and proof that it’s rarely possible to have your cake and eat it, too. A recent court ruling taught a Virginia woman a harsh lesson about trying, basically, to scam the system. The woman sought to be able to qualify for Medicaid by transferring a large sum of money to… Read More »
Death Is Inevitable, But Financial Hassles Can Be Avoided
When a spouse dies is not the time to find out proper steps haven’t been taken to deal with new financial realities. According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, even people who feel they are properly prepared can find themselves facing more than grief at the loss of a loved one…. Read More »
Legal Specialty Evolved Over Time
Society has always, to some extent, realized its older members were special, for their institutional memory, for the wisdom acquired over the years and for many other traits. That older Americans have special legal needs has been recognized relatively recently. “Much has been written of late about the aging of America, and indeed of… Read More »
Among Needs Of Homeless Veterans: Legal Assistance
They came home, but they have no home. Although homelessness is a sad thing in any segment of the population, from children to families to people with mental health problems, it is especially sad to see it among military veterans, and depressingly prevalent among returning soldiers, sailors and Marines. Fortunately, the Veterans Administration, not… Read More »
Elder Law Practitioners Help In 10 Specific Areas
Attorneys who devote all or a substantial part of their practices to helping older Americans, whether they are certified in elder law or not, provide valuable services to people who need it the most. According to an article on the website ehow.com by contributor Helen Harvey, this assistance tends to be concentrated in 10… Read More »
Investment Scams Increasingly Target Veterans
There is no free lunch. “There are thousands of ‘free lunch’ seminars that attract large audiences,” Elliot Raphaelson of Tribune Media Services wrote in a story published Dec. 19. “In 2007, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority scrutinized 110 securities firms that presented free lunch seminars. Their report found… Read More »
Older Unmarried Couples Must Get Estate Planning Done
Young people who decide to live together without benefit of clergy, as the old expression had it, may not have any pressing need to figure out the complexities they face in estate planning, but seasoned citizens who choose to forego the formalities face some very real time pressure. While it is important for people… Read More »
Veterans With Disabilities Have Several Legal Protections
Serving one’s country sometimes comes at a heavy price. “In recent years, the percentage of veterans who report having service-connected disabilities, i.e., disabilities that were incurred in, or aggravated during, military service, has risen,” according to the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. “About 25 percent of recent veterans report having a service-connected disability, as compared… Read More »
Unmarried Couples Face Estate Planning Hurdles
People who choose to live together rather than get married, whatever their reasons, don’t love each other any less. But the law tends to think they do. “Unmarried couples do not have legal protections enjoyed by married couples, such as automatic inheritance rights and the ability to make decisions should a spouse become incapacitated,”… Read More »