The Godfrey’s were shocked when they found themselves “homeless” and living in a shelter. What had happened and how would they grow and learn from this experience? Meet Esther, a mother who held her family together, and meet her very…
What would you think if you saw a six year old child wearing a tie everyday? Would you think he was different? or just crazy in love with ties? Well for James Funaro of Suffolk County, New York, the answer…
So, what happens with all of my digital information? In today’s digital world many of us save time, energy, and paper by managing our finances and personal property online. Where we once had to actually take a trip to the…
Houston waiter Michael Garcia has received much praise and attention lately for standing up for a child with special needs. Garcia, a waiter at a steak house in Houston, refused to serve patrons who complained that they had been seated…
A common misunderstanding in the world of Elder Law and Special Needs Planning is the distinction between a Health Care Proxy and Living Will in New York – or whether there is any distinction at all. Both documents are essential…
It’s remarkable how much trouble one document can prevent. A Durable Power of Attorney, if drafted properly, allows the person whom you designate (your agent) broad powers to manage your property during your lifetime without any approval by you or…
An investigation of the state of Florida’s service system for children with disabilities found that the state fails to meet its obligation under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act by unnecessarily institutionalizing hundreds of children with disabilities in…
As the Social Security Administration (SSA) continues to scrutinize distributions from special needs trusts, its interpretation of what is allowable and what is not is evolving. During a NAELA National Aging and Law Institute session held at the end of…
Most parents (even parents of adult children) want to provide for their children—but not necessarily right away, and maybe not all at once. Recent studies have shown that more and more parents are choosing not to hand big inheritances to…
Many people feel estate planning is too private or even morbid to discuss but having this conversation is crucial. Each family has unique circumstances and unique estate planning needs—this is especially true of families in which one member has a chronic…