In Estate Administration, dying without a will can be complicated. Casey Kasem, best known for his time as the "American Top 40" radio host, passed away one June 15, 2014 as a result of complications from dementia. He was 82 years old. Kasem is survived by his second...
A common misconception in Elder Law: "We'll have to sell mom and dad's house to pay for the nursing home." It seems like the first thing everyone wants to do when a loved one needs long-term nursing care is to sell their house. They listen to friends, neighbors...
Estate planning and medicaid. Why Revocable Trusts won't help you qualify for Medicaid.John and Jane Doe executed a revocable trust in January 2004. Both of them were sixty-seven years old and in pretty decent health at the time. They figured, if they moved...
Elder Law issue: Medicare vs. Medicaid: What is the difference?A common issue is Elder Law is medical coverage. Understandably, the difference between Medicare and Medicaid is confusing. The names are remarkably similar, they're both government funded and...
Important Elder Law Issue: Do I Qualify for Medicaid? "My dad is moving into a skilled nursing facility. How are he and mom going to pay for this?" We have heard this question and variations of it time and again. With the average cost of nursing home care around...
Guardianship: Transitioning from State-to-StateRecently, the Supreme Court of Alabama became the first state court to publish an opinion on the Uniform Adult Guardianship & Protective Proceedings Jurisdictional Act ("UAGPPJA"). Could they have given it a more...
Advance Health Care Directives likely would have helped poor Marlise Munoz.Brain Death and Pregnancy - the Marlise Munoz StoryThirty-three year old Texan, Marlise Munoz, who was kept alive by a ventilator for over a month in John Peter Smith Hospital, was taken off of...
Storing Your Estate Planning DocumentsOne question estate planning attorneys are frequently asked is "Where should I keep my original documents?" Generally, the answer to that question is somewhere in your home that is waterproof, fireproof, and secure, yet easily...
Advance Health Care Directives and Living Wills in PennsylvaniaDefining Death: Uniform Determination of Death ActCan a person be simultaneously dead and alive? One would think that it's simple enough to define death. If your heart stops and you do not...
Special Needs Guardianships: Why you must go to court to get control over your own childMany parents of special needs children are shocked to find out that when their disabled child reaches adulthood, they no longer have a legal right to control or decision making for...