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My son has developmental disabilities and, as a result, is unable to make enough money to support himself. He only has a savings account with $25,000 in it; is there any government assistance available for him to receive some income?

I keep hearing that if I apply for Medicaid I will need five years’ worth of financial documents. Could you tell me what are the documents I should be keeping?

Question: I have heard there will increased costs for Medicare in 2016. Is this true?

In honor of National Caregivers Month, Nancy Burner & Associates, P.C. would like to share the recent adventures embarked upon by  our attorney Britt Burner, Esq. and our estate planning paralegal, Jessika Lombardo. 

While I am familiar with Last Wills and Testaments, I keep hearing my friends talk about completing an “Estate Plan.” What is typically included in an “Estate Plan” and do I need one?

“What does look-back mean? What is spousal refusal? Will Medicaid take my house if my husband has to go to a Nursing Home?” All too often these are the questions we hear from our clients who are faced with navigating the Medicaid landscape once a crisis occurs.

Making end of life decisions are crucial components of any estate plan. As Elder Law attorneys, we deal with these issues every day. Some advance directives are signed in an attorney’s office and some are executed with a health care provider.

Advance directives are documents that are usually signed with an estate planning attorney while the client still has capacity and are meant to give direction as to how the client’s healthcare and financial decisions should be handled in case of incapacity. Advance directives traditionally include a health care proxy, living will, and durable power of attorney.

In practicing Elder Law, it is common for clients to come in to discuss applying for Medicaid to cover the cost of long term care for an ailing parent who has lost the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. Before we even begin to discuss what transfers would need to be made to make the parent eligible for Medicaid, I ask if their parent has a power of attorney.

My friends used an online service to prepare their Wills. They signed them at in the presence of their neighbors. They said it was much less expensive than going to an attorney to have a Will prepared. I am planning to disinherit one of my children but I am hesitant to have my Will prepared by an online service. Can you give me some advice?