As the population of senior citizens in the United States continues to grow, so does the number of fraud complaints. The United States Justice Department has taken a hard stance against those who specifically target the elderly for fraud, but unfortunately hundreds of arrests and charges have not completely eradicated the problem. Not only does the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) continue to report a rise in financial Read More
Financial Scam Safeguards: Protecting Our Seniors
Elder abuse and neglect has been a sad topic in the news for many years now, from nursing homes that do not provide protections for elders in their care to scammers who often successfully financially drain vulnerable seniors. Because of the financial scams, in April 2015, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the organization in charge of regulating U.S. professionals and firms that sell securities, Read More
Top Three Benefits of Establishing an Asset Protection Trust
Qualifying for Medi-Cal is one of the only ways some California residents can pay for their long-term health care needs. Unfortunately, if you apply for assistance while owning certain types of property the state of California has the right to seize these assets to pay for your care. Sacrificing the property and money you have built a lifetime accumulating in return for medical care or assistance when you are Read More
How to Protect Your Assets From Medi-Cal
Medi-Cal is a program that provides medical insurance and income assistance to individuals who meet certain income requirements. These programs are especially important to those who are elderly and have mental or physical disabilities. Unfortunately, if a person who is receiving Medi-Cal has, or receives, assets such as cash, property, life insurance policies, or retirement funds, it is possible that some or all Read More
Elder Abuse Warning Signs
Friday June 15, 2018 was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The day was created to bring attention to the thousands of older people who are exploited, neglected, or otherwise abused by those entrusted to their care. Elder abuse can happen to anyone and is often inflicted by the ones closest to the most vulnerable in our lives. Recently, Stan Lee, the famed publisher and former editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, was Read More
Understanding Medi-Cal Costs and Resource Allowances
Medi-Cal is a state and federal assistance program that provides medical care for low income California residents. While the program does have income requirements, anyone who is considered “medically needy” based on his or her financial resources can qualify. Though the program does make allowances for those with limited resources, it is possible for a person who was previously found to qualify for Medi-Cal to lose Read More
Tips for Choosing an Elder Law Attorney
As the population of the world begins to age, unique legal problems have started to occur on a large scale. Elderly and disabled individuals are often targeted for various forms of fraud or are victims of different types of caregiver abuse. Elder law has become more important than ever, as the more vulnerable members of our society find themselves in need of age-specific protections along with assistance planning for Read More
How to Avoid a Conservatorship Nightmare
As the nation’s generation of baby boomers begins to grow old and suffer from debilitating disease, many families face a unique problem. Over one sixth of all working adults in the United States report that they assist with the care of a disabled or elderly adult family member. This shift in family dynamics has led to unique concerns such as how will an incapacitated family member be provided for after his or her Read More
Why Your Estate Planning Attorney Must Know About Your Prenup
On November 8, 2017, the three adult children of a property developer discovered that their late father’s prenuptial agreement was not considered valid. The ruling came after a three-year dispute over their father’s multimillion-dollar estate initiated by his 36-year-old widow. Before marrying his young wife, the property developer insisted on having a prenuptial agreement signed solely to protect his estate so that Read More
Do Not Overlook These Key Beneficiary Designations
In January 2008 director and Academy Award winning actor and Heath Ledger passed away at the age of 28. Unlike the majority of young adults, the actor did have a will, but he failed to update beneficiary designations after the birth of his only child in 2005. While Ledger’s family did eventually gift the estate to his young daughter, their actions are not as common as one would hope. Often a failure to update Read More
