Is a Disabled Person with Savings Eligible for Medicaid?

October 1, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Long-Term Care Planning

I am a social worker at a state facility for people with developmental disabilities. Most of the men I work with function at about 12 to 14 years of age. I am working with a gentleman who makes minimum wage and works six hours a day. He can’t have more than $1,800 in the bank or he will not be eligible for health benefits, so he has to spend his money. Otherwise, the state will take it.

Will We See a Bump in the COLA for Social Security Next Year?

September 29, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Long-Term Care Planning

Thanks in part to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, don't bank on a big cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for your Social Security benefits in 2021.

How Do I Find a Great Elder Law Attorney?

Finding and elder law attorney is as easy as googling, “elder law attorney near me.” Anyone can find an elderly law attorney but finding the right one is where things get a tad difficult. If you want your elder law case to be in the right hands, then you might have to do a bit of digging.

How Do I Keep My Spendthrift Son-in-Law from Getting the Money I Give my Daughter in My Estate?

September 15, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

My daughter, my only child, recently married a nice man. However, he is not responsible with his finances. I don’t want my son-in-law to have any access to her money or through a divorce via equitable distribution.

Why Did Trump Consider Reforming Long-Term Care Insurance?

September 12, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Long-Term Care Planning

Two years ago, the Trump Administration quietly began a review of the nation’s long-term care (LTC) insurance system, focused primarily on ways to enhance private coverage.

What Do I Need besides a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare?

September 5, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

A power of attorney (POA) is a powerful thing. A financial power of attorney document allows an appointed person to make financial, legal and property decisions on another individual’s behalf.

Will the Pandemic Affect My Social Security?

August 31, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning

If you are turning 60 in 2020, the pandemic could do more than interrupt your party plans. It could also lower the amount you’ll receive when you file for Social Security.

Do I Qualify as an Eligible Designated Beneficiary under the SECURE Act?

August 27, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning

What Is an Eligible Designated Beneficiary?

Visiting Grandma at the Nursing Home

August 21, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Elder Care, Elder Law, Elder Law Attorney, Estate Planning, Nursing Home

As nursing homes in many states start to emerge from a four-month lockdown, residents and their loved ones are desperate for in-person visits. The federal government has issued guidelines for reopening nursing homes to visitors, and more than half of the states have authorized limited visitation.

Does Sense of Smell Impact the Onset of Dementia?

Seniors who can identify smells like roses, turpentine, paint-thinner and lemons, and have retained their senses of hearing, vision and touch, may have half the risk of developing dementia as their peers with marked sensory decline.