Between April 2, 2018 and April 11, 2018, the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, issued six separate opinions involving Medicaid. While this is unusual, what is even more striking is that all six cases involve the same appellate court panel, and the same attorney representing each of the appellants. In these cases, the law.. read more →
After J.C. was admitted to a nursing facility, her son, S.C., submitted an application to the Camden County Board of Social Services for Medicaid benefits on her behalf. The county welfare board notified J.C. that she was eligible for long-term care benefits but her transfer of assets for less than full market value during the.. read more →
A.S.’s nephew and power of attorney designated Senior Planning Services (“SPS”) as A.S.’s authorized representative for establishing Medicaid eligibility. In SPS filed a Medicaid application, which was denied for excess resources on December 10, 2012. After SPS filed a request for a fair hearing but before the fair hearing was scheduled, A.S. died, and SPS.. read more →
There were three Medicaid applications filed on behalf of E.M. The first was filed in 2012 by his daughter, after his admission to a subacute care center. At the time, E.M. was suffering from dementia and was on a ventilator and feeding tube. This Medicaid application was denied for failure to provide documents to Medicaid,.. read more →
D.G. was declared legally incapacitated, and her son was appointed as her guardian. Her son designated an attorney from the firm of Peluso, Castelluci & Weintraub as D.G.’s representative for purposes of a Medicaid application. The attorney filed a Medicaid application in April 2013. In July 2013, D.G.’s son (her guardian) died unexpectedly. D.G.’s daughter.. read more →
After A.S. entered a nursing home, her son T.S. applied for Medicaid benefits on her behalf, listing A.S.’s sister’s address on the application. In June 2013, because the necessary financial information was not provided, Medicaid notified T.S. that the application was dismissed, and that T.S. had a right to request a fair hearing. However, T.S… read more →
On February 1, 2016, a Medicaid application was filed on behalf of W.S. by Hammonton Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare as his authorized representative. On June 21, 2016, the application was denied for failure to provide information necessary to make an eligibility determination. The information outstanding consisted of bank statements from an ING Direct account… read more →
Our law firm has created a number of Legal Guides for our clients and website guests to provide a better understanding of important and often complex legal subjects. The Legal Guides are offered free of charge. One of the Legal Guides available to the public discusses The Basic Rules of Medicaid Eligibility. For practical purposes, in.. read more →
Because K.K. was a legal permanent resident (LPR) of the United States before August 22, 1996, the Superior Court, Appellate Division, reversed a Medical denial based on the agency’s error in finding that the applicant “had not been a permanent resident for five years or more.” K.K. v. Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services,.. read more →
A New York end-of-life agency, named End Of Life Choices New York, has approved a new form of advance directive document that allows people to stipulate, in advance, that they don’t want food or water if they develop severe dementia. The new advance directive is called the “Advance Directive for Receiving Oral Food and Fluids in.. read more →
A New Jersey appellate court ruled that a court can alter the plain and unambiguous language of a trust when extrinsic evidence suggests that the trust language is not what the settlor intended. In the Matter of the Trust of Violet Nelson, Deceased, Docket No. A-4004-15T1 (App. Div. March 28, 2018). Violet and Joseph Nelson had.. read more →
A New Jersey appeals court vacated an order approving a settlement and placing it in a special needs trust (SNT), ruling that there was no “meeting of the minds” between the parties. V.M. v. Jersey Shore University Medical Center, (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div., A-0781-16T1, Nov. 3, 2017). LaTanya Murphy and her adult son V.M… read more →
For additional information concerning special needs trusts and disability planning, visit: NJ Special Needs Trusts and Disability Planning read more →
Join us, at our Law Office at 242 St. Paul Street, Westfield, NJ Free Seminar on Paying for Long-Term Care Friday, April 20th, at two (2) convenient times: 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., or 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. Many factors — illness, incapacity and the need for long-term care — can leave a family’s finances in disarray. Fortunately,.. read more →
The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging has released the 2018 Fraud Book, listing the Top 10 Elder Scams Of 2018 based on reports to the Senate hotline. The report is entitled “Fighting Fraud: Senate Aging Committee Identifies Top 10 Scams Targeting Our Nation’s Seniors.” From January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2017, the Senate.. read more →
A judge in Los Angeles ruled that a spouse in California is the presumptive healthcare decision-maker when there is no advance directive and the partner is in a persistent vegetative state. In re the Matter of Juan Fernando Romero, Patient, Case No. 16STPB06815 (Superior Ct., March 2, 2018). The case involved Juan Fernando Romero, who suffered.. read more →
Our law firm has created a number of Legal Guides for our clients and website guests to provide a better understanding of important and oftentimes complex legal subjects. The Legal Guides are offered free of charge. One of the Legal Guides available to the public discusses Special Needs Trusts and Special Needs Planning. Parents of children.. read more →
The defendant, who was the agent under his aunt’s power of attorney and executor of her estate, was sued by beneficiaries of the decedent’s estate for breach of fiduciary duty as her agent and executor. The power of attorney and will were executed in 1998. The plaintiffs alleged that, beginning in 2001, the defendant wrongfully.. read more →
Upcoming Presentation on Special Needs Planning and Special Needs Trusts for Community Access Unlimited
Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. (http://VanarelliLaw.com/) will provide an overview of the use of Special Needs Trusts (SNTs) by disabled persons so as to prevent an applicant’s financial assets and income from impacting eligibility for needs-based public benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, services from the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), Section 8 Housing and.. read more →
Some states make it harder for those caring for an aging parent, according to a new survey by Caring.com. While some states were praised for providing an affordable and helpful environment for caregivers, other states ended up at the bottom of the affordability list. “It hasn’t always been so expensive, but the cost of caring.. read more →
Edna M. Fone, a widow, had two children, Richard J. Fone, Jr. and Katherine Fone. Following Edna’s death, Richard sought to probate a 2009 Will allegedly signed by Edna which omitted Katherine as a beneficiary. In response, Katherine filed a lawsuit, seeking to invalidate the purported Will, alleging Richard had exerted undue influence over their.. read more →
I came across the 2018 version of a Social Security Administration (SSA) publication below. Not only has the agency updated the publication to include Special Needs Trusts, but SSA added information about Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts as well. And the agency included hyperlinks to other helpful information. This may assist applicants with.. read more →
What is Elder Law? Elder Law is broad legal practice area involving the problems of older and disabled persons. Elder Law includes counseling and dispute resolution in a variety of areas including health and long-term care planning, identifying and accessing sources of financing for long-term medical care, nursing home issues, qualifying for Medicare, Medicaid and.. read more →
A.M. appealed a gift penalty imposed by the Medicaid agency based on a transfer of assets. The penalty was imposed based on $100,000 in distributions to beneficiaries of an irrevocable trust established by A.M. with her assets. A.M. asserted that the transfer penalty was inappropriate because she established the trust and transferred assets into the.. read more →
Following two days of trial in a probate litigation among the decedent’s children, the parties notified the trial court that it had settled the case. They placed the settlement terms on the record. Those terms included a provision that the parties’ legal fees would be paid by the Estate “following the submission of certifications of.. read more →
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