It's September: Time to Take Care of You!
|
Greetings!
September is finally here. With the kids (or grandchildren) heading back to school and everyone back from summer vacation, it's a great time to take care of tasks around the house, finish (read!) a book, have coffee with a friend or find a free moment just for yourself to breathe and take it all in. According to experts, you shouldn’t feel guilty for taking a little “me” time. Taking time for yourself can help improve concentration, increase productivity, discover (or rediscover) your voice, prevent burnout and have a positive overall effect on your life and relationships. To carve out some time from your busy schedule, consider these tips: Eliminate distractions, put down the electronics, and outsource tasks when and where possible (housecleaning – check!). Simply spend time doing the things you love best with the people you love most, and you can’t go wrong!
When you do find a free moment, take a look at this month’s newsletter below. It’s packed with helpful information about the essential legal documents every adult should have, a new government report on the vulnerabilities of hospice care, Florida and foreign guardianship, and the latest updates from our firm. We’ll be starting up our monthly “Coffee and Conversation” events again soon. Check your inbox for more details.
If you have any questions about something you read about in this issue, please
contact us
.
At Elder Law Associates PA, we give families peace of mind.
Ellen S. Morris, Esq. and Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP
|
|
Elder Law, Yes ... But So Much More!
|
|
By Cassandra Jelincic, Esq., Attorney at Law
Our firm is called Elder Law Associates PA, and a great majority of our clientele is over the age of 60 … but what we do is really applicable to anyone over 18. I have seen horrific cases that involve elder abuse, murders, and crippling illnesses that take the physical freedom of a person away but leave their mind perfectly intact. Many times, this job is not easy, but it is always rewarding. However, the days that always seem to hit hardest are when a decedent or alleged incapacitated person is in their 20s or 30s. They had their whole lives ahead of them only to have it ended too soon due to catastrophic illnesses or injuries. We often think that Advance Directives and Last Wills and Testaments are only needed by our parents’ generation (or grandparents). Unfortunately, people that are in the prime of their lives also have a need for the documents we prepare.
Parents' authority to dictate their child's financial and medical decisions stops the second the child turns 18. This coming of age is a tangible freedom for many young adults. What young people may not realize, though, is that as of that moment, should something happen, they may no longer have anyone who can legally make their financial or medical decisions for them.
Read More Here...
|
|
Essential Legal Documents for All
|
|
By Ellen S. Morris, Esq. and Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP
As Cassandra mentioned above, no matter what your age, there are several essential legal documents that every American adult should have in place, even if you don’t have significant assets. For example, every adult should have a Last Will and Testament or Trust, a Durable Power of Attorney, Beneficiary Designations, a Living Will/Designation of Healthcare Surrogate, and Guardianship Designations for your children. As you get older, it’s even more important to have these documents in place, so that your wishes are memorialized and your heirs receive what you intended after you pass.
Read More Here ...
|
|
Government Benefits and Immigration Status
|
|
By Jami Scott, Medicaid Specialist, Elder Law Associates PA
By now, I am sure many of you have heard that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a final rule in August 2019 that defines and enforces a long-standing law that immigrants seeking to enter and remain in the United States (temporarily or permanently) must be self-sufficient and not rely on government benefits, such as Medicaid, food stamps (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and certain housing programs.
Read More Here.
|
|
Partners Howard S. Krooks and Ellen S. Morris Named as "Super Lawyers" for Past 10 Years
|
|
 |
By Elder Law Associates PA Newsroom Staff
Elder Law Associates PA partners Ellen S. Morris, Esq. and Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP, both have been selected as a Florida Super Lawyer for 2019. Only 5% of the licensed active attorneys in the state receive this designation. What’s even more significant is that both Ellen and Howard have consistently received this honor for the past 10 years.
Read More Here ...
|
|
|
|
Safeguards Must Be Strengthened To Protect Medicare Hospice Beneficiaries From Harm
|
|
By U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General has released two reports which found that from 2012 through 2016, the majority of U.S. hospices that participated in Medicare had one or more deficiencies in the quality of care they provided to their patients. Some Medicare beneficiaries were seriously harmed when hospices provided poor care or failed to take action in cases of abuse. OIG made several recommendations in both reports to strengthen safeguards to protect Medicare hospice beneficiaries from harm and to ensure hospices are held accountable for deficiencies in their programs.
Read More Here...
|
|
Foreign and Florida Guardianships
|
|
By Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP
It is no surprise that many people choose to move from their long-time home in New York to the warmth and sunshine of Florida in their later years. For those placed under guardianship, additional issues arise that are not encountered by people who retain their independence when it comes to the relocation process.
These wards, with their guardians, must transfer their guardianship appointment from one state to another, which can ultimately delay, or in some cases, thwart the ward’s ability to move altogether. While many states are moving toward a uniform system to allow for a quick and simple guardianship transfer, Florida is not one of those states.
A person placed under New York guardianship may only gain control over New York real property, requiring the appointment of an additional guardian to attend to any Florida real property the individual may own.
Read More Here...
|
|
By Elder Law Associates PA Newsroom Staff
Elder Law Associates PA’s partner Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP, recently gave two presentations to different attorney groups: “Sole Benefit Trusts” to members of the New York State Bar Association at the
NYSBA Elder Law Section Summer Meeting
, and “Ethical Issues in Representing a Client with Diminished Capacity,” at WealthCounsel’s
Symposium 2019
to estate and business planning attorneys.
Elder Law Associates PA attorneys will be speaking at the following upcoming events:
- Rochester Estate Planning Council – Sept. 17, Rochester, NY – Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP, presents “New York-Florida Snowbirds.”
- NAELA Oklahoma Chapter Fall Conference – Sept. 27, Oklahoma City, OK – Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP, presents “The Use of Irrevocable Trusts in Medicaid Planning.”
- 2019 NAELA Summit – Nov. 14-16, Washington, D.C. – Ellen S. Morris, Esq., will present case studies on “Mastering Elder Abuse Civil Remedies” in Breakout Session 1; Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP, will present some “Tried and True Marketing Tips to Energize You and Your Practice” in Breakout Session 4.
|
|
Elder Law Associates PA
7284 West Palmetto Park Road, Suite 101
Boca Raton, FL 33433
1-800-ELDERLAW
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
