Tag Archives: california estate planning

It Is Difficult Being The Caregiver For Your Older Loved One

Many of our older clients are being taken care of by their spouse, or by one or more of their adult children or another family member. The older person of course appreciates the help, and the caregiver feels gratified in their role. The caregiver may also feel extremely guilty if they don not help. The […]

MY DAD IS IN A NURSING HOME AND KEEPS LOSING HIS GLASSES, WALLET AND “TEETH”

This is a common complaint we receive from clients. My own father, while he was in a nursing home during his late 80’s, would constantly complain about losing his dentures, which he called his “teeth”. He would complain that someone kept stealing his teeth. I would say, “Dad, no one wants to steal your teeth!” […]

BEWARE OF SCAMMERS WHO PREY ON SENIORS

Scammers are consistently targeting older people. An older client of ours in Walnut Creek called us to ask how she could be taken to the airport so that she could give a courier $2,500 for a service fee. The service fee was apparently to ensure that she would receive $25,000 that she was told she […]

The New More Stringent Medi-Cal Qualification Rules Will Be Here Soon

Congress passed the DRA (Deficit Reduction Act) on February 8, 2006. This act makes qualification for Medi-Cal benefits much more difficult. Congress mandated that the various states adopt the DRA into their rules, and Governor Schwarzenegger signed the DRA into law in California on September 27, 2008. We have been informed that the new DRA rules […]

Where are Mom’s Papers?

It is very important to know where your loved one’s papers are! We are always trying to accomplish elder care planning as early as possible, so that we can get all of our ducks in a row before memories fade.   Last week we helped a family whose elderly mother needed long term care planning. The father had died almost two years earlier, […]

VA Aid & Attendance Pension Benefit Changes on the Horizon

We have qualified many of our clients for the VA Aid & Attendance Pension benefit, (A&A) which is available for wartime veterans or their surviving spouses, as part of their long term care plans. This program can pay the veteran over $19,000 per year, or the surviving spouse of the veteran over $12,000 per year.  […]

The Importance of an “Elder Law” Durable Power of Attorney

     Does your Financial Durable Power of Attorney (financial DPA) contain asset protection and government benefits qualification language? It probably does not, unless it was prepared by an elder law attorney. If you lose mental capacity, your spouse or children may be prevented from gifting your assets to themselves, in order to help you qualify for […]

2012 CA Medi-Cal Quick Reference Guide

The following is our 2012 CA Medi-Cal Quick Reference Guide. Please refer to our website, http://www.WalnutCreekElderLaw.com for a further explanation of Medi-Cal qualification requirements. 2012 CA Medi-Cal Quick Reference Guide Community Spouse Resource Allowance $113,640 This is the amount that the community, or (at home) well spouse can retain in liquid assets. This amount does not […]

Life Expectancy and VA Aid & Attendance

The VA Aid and Attendance Improved Pension Benefit can help pay for the costs of in home care, assistant living facilities and board and care homes for the older wartime veteran. A single veteran can receive up to $1,644 per month, or $19,736 per year. A widowed Spouse can receive up to $1,056 per month […]

Elder Abuse – Criminal and Civil – Red Flags

In California, civil and criminal Elder Abuse Laws pertain to persons 65 years of age or older. Under the criminal statutes, elder abuse can occur when someone causes the elder to suffer mentally or physically. Under the civil statutes, abuse can mean neglect, causing financial abuse, abandonment, and physical harm or mental suffering. In addition, under […]