Can a Health Care Agent Complete a MOLST?
If a patient has been determined to lack capacity, then an agent under a Health Care Proxy can complete a Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) on their behalf.
Understanding Medicaid Coverage When Moving to a New State
A number of my clients have experienced a gap in their Medicaid coverage because they moved from one state to another to be closer to their families. It is important to remember that Medicaid is not portable. You cannot simply…
Incapacitation and Guardianship: Legal Proceedings Explained
In a previous blog, we discussed the important documents—healthcare proxy, living will, and power of attorney—that allow you to appoint people to make healthcare, legal, and financial decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated. If you have not finalized those…
Key Benefits of Long Term Care
Russo Law Group, P.C. is pleased to share this article on behalf of guest author Don Poole. It is becoming more competitive to get access to the best long-term care providers, as 10,000 Baby Boomers turn age 65 every day…
The Importance of Elder Law Planning
Unlike a general practice attorney who may execute wills and trusts, elder law attorneys are versed in the complex issues the elderly face. Elder law attorneys also use a holistic approach to aid their clients. What does this mean? Actions…
How to Deal with a Non-responsive Attorney
The scenarios below can be very frustrating if you hired an attorney to help you, and they are nowhere to be found: I know they are a good attorney, but I hate that my my phone calls and emails are…
Protecting Your Future with a Power of Attorney and a Health Care Proxy
Who will take care of you and your finances and health care decision making if you become incapacitated?
The power of attorney is a financial document that names who will step in and take care of an individual’s finances if he is physically or mentally unable to handle them himself. The health care proxy does the same thing in the medical world. People often do not want to make decisions about naming a power of attorney or a health care proxy, but procrastinating is not the best option.
The Importance of Having a Digital Will
If you take a moment and actually think about it, you are probably registered on several—if not dozens of—websites. You make accounts associated with various websites and sign in with your unique username and password. When I started thinking about…
What You Need to Know About the Medicaid 5-Year Lookback
Many people that I meet have either heard of or think they know something about Medicaid’s 5-year lookback rule, but most people do not know exactly what it means. For example, they may not realize that there are certain transfers…
The ABLE Act and Its Impact on Special Needs Planning
Russo Law Group, P.C. is pleased to share this article on behalf of guest author Robert P. Mascali, Esq.
In December 2014, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act was signed into law, adding to the toolkit for practitioners advising elderly and disabled clients. The ABLE Act allows contributions to be made to tax-advantaged ABLE Act 529A accounts to pay qualified expenses for disabled individuals.