May is the Month to Celebrate Older Americans
The month of May is when our nation celebrates the contributions of Americans aged 65 and older. Americans have been doing this each May since President Kennedy made the official declaration in 1963. To show its support, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys,...
Legal Issues When Moving a Parent Into Your Home
When considering moving a parent into your home, there are many factors to evaluate beyond simply rearranging furniture and making space. While this decision is rooted in love and care, it also involves legal, financial, and logistical considerations that can impact...
How to Keep Your Florida Home Safe
Seasonal residents are starting to plan their trips back north. There are some steps you should consider to help keep your Florida home safe and in good repair during your absence. Security Have your Mail Stopped/Forwarded: Use the USPS online site to have...
Assisted Living Tax Deduction
Now that we are in tax season, many caregivers and clients who are residents of an assisted living facility ask about tax deductions for assisted living costs. The IRS provides rules for deducting certain qualified long-term care costs as medical expenses. Normally,...
Estate Planning Second Mariage
What to Know about Second Marriages and Estate Planning When entering a second marriage, estate planning becomes essential to ensuring everyone you care about is considered. Estate planning is paramount for second marriages, as it requires you to think about how to...
How to Declare Florida Your Domicile
We are often asked how to establish domicile in Florida. Each year it seems that more people move to Florida to enjoy their retirement in our warm weather and low tax rates. Many come from higher-tax states and may hope to be “let go” by their old home state. The...
Diagnosis Dementia
Most patients and their families are not entirely surprised when a diagnosis of dementia is made by a physician. The patient and the family have probably been noticing subtle changes for some time. However, when these suspicions are confirmed by a diagnosis, all the...
How a Florida Durable Power of Attorney Helps in Medicaid Planning
A Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) is a document that gives a trusted person of your choosing, the “Agent”, legal authority to act on your behalf regarding financial matters. A DPOA withstands incapacity and is a very important document for you to have in the event...
Understanding the 5-year Medicaid Lookback
The 5-year Medicaid Lookback Period is a specific provision that is often confusing, but it plays a vital role in determining Medicaid eligibility. What is the 5-Year Medicaid Lookback? The 5-Year Medicaid Lookback Period refers to a five-year timeframe during...
Estate Planning at Any Age – by Daniel A. Burzynski
Many people have the idea that estate planning is only for seniors. Or maybe they think that only very rich people need to worry about estate planning. But the reality is that people can benefit from having a plan in place at any age, regardless of your asset level....
Holiday Stress-Staying Calm
Now that November is here, we are right in the thick of the Holidays again! Ready or not, we are at the time of year filled with family, friends, love and laughter. Everyone looks forward to the holiday season, right? Well, that might not be true in some cases. Some...
Estate Planning Documents Destroyed in a Hurricane? What to Know
Did you or a loved one lose important legal documents in a natural disaster? If you lose original estate planning documents there are a few things to keep in mind. The first thing you should do (after you are safe from the clean-up process) is to contact your estate...
Who Implements a Life Care Plan?
Implementing a Life Care Plan requires a full team of experts. Elder law attorneys lead the team, drafting legal documents such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney and healthcare directives. Their role is to protect the elderly person’s rights and ensure that their...
The Hidden Disadvantages in Medicare Advantage
Soon we will be in Medicare “open enrollment” season. Expect to be overwhelmed with all those ads trying to convince you to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Advantage, also called a Medicare Part C Plan, is an alternate to traditional Medicare. Advantage...
The Importance of Crisis Planning for Seniors
The importance of crisis planning for seniors can be summarized by something Benjamin Franklin once said: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Oftentimes, families contact our Elder Care Law office for crisis planning for seniors in their lives,...
Declare Domicile
Each year it seems that more people move to Florida to enjoy their retirement in our warm weather and low tax rates. Many come from higher-tax states and may hope to be “let go” by their old home state. The question of domiciling has two prongs- based on the rules of...
Should I Try to Avoid Probate?
Many people believe that probate is something that should be avoided in all cases. When asked why probate should be avoided, people often express that probate will be a very expensive and time-consuming process. These perceptions are not necessarily true. The efforts...
Music Therapy
Music therapy offers profound benefits for aging adults, particularly those living with dementia. This therapeutic approach harnesses the power of music to enhance cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. For individuals with dementia, music therapy can trigger...
What to Do When a Loved One is Diagnosed with Dementia
Most patients and their families are not entirely surprised when a diagnosis of dementia is made by a physician. The patient and the family have probably been noticing subtle changes for some time. However, when these suspicions are confirmed by a diagnosis, all the...
Many Benefits of Exercise
It is hard to over-stress the importance of staying active to the healthy aging process. Even moderate amounts of exercise have proven benefits with very limited side effects. Some geriatricians call exercise the true fountain of youth. Any change or increase in...
Senior Driver Safety
In Florida’s car-centric society, it is normal to pick up the car keys and drive somewhere. However, as age progresses, there comes a time in every person’s life when it may no longer be safe to do so. It becomes essential to evaluate when senior drivers should...
Long-Term Care Concerns When Aging Alone
Solo agers, individuals who are aging without a spouse, partner, or children, must take extra steps to ensure their future care needs are met. Addressing key long-term care questions for solo agers can help mitigate the risks associated with aging alone. While there...
The Importance of Crisis Planning for Seniors
The importance of crisis planning for seniors can be summarized by quoting Benjamin Franklin: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Oftentimes, families contact our Elder Care Law office for crisis planning for seniors in their lives, struggling to...
What is Life Care Planning?
Many individuals and families face the challenge of navigating complex personal, legal and financial care needs that they are sometimes unprepared to handle in the later stages of life. Life care planning comes into play when considering how to address these issues...