On May 18, 2023, Vanarelli & Li, LLC partners, attorneys Donald D. Vanarelli and Chen Li, presented a webinar entitled “Planning for Your Child with Special Needs.” Attorneys Vanarelli and Li showed the webinar attendees how to utilize Special Needs Trusts and accounts established under the “Achieving a Better Life Experience” Act (better known as.. read more →
I had a great time at the 25th annual New Jersey State Bar Association Elder and Disability Law Retreat, held in Bethlehem, PA this year. I reconnected with friends and made new connections. Also, I enjoyed presenting with my colleague Beth Manes, Esq. on the topic of “Supporting and Protecting People with Mental Illness.” ____________________________.. read more →
Six years ago, New Jersey Family launched Best NJ Lawyers for Families campaign. The website asks parents about “the lawyers who’ve made a difference in their family’s lives at the most stressful of times.” According to the website, nominations result in a list of professionals who’ve “gone above and beyond” to advocate for their clients. From.. read more →
Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. (http://VanarelliLaw.com/) will present at the 25th Annual Elder and Disability Law Retreat to be held at the Wind Creek Casino and Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on April 20 – 21 by the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Elder and Disability Law Section and the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education… read more →
Upcoming Webinar: Planning for Your Child With Special Needs
Upcoming FREE Webinar: REGISTER TODAY Date: Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 4:00 PM EST (Approximately 2 hours, depending on Q & A) Learn to Utilize Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts to Access Medicaid, SSI, DDD Services and Other Public Benefits to Plan for the Future of Your Child With Special Needs Attorneys Donald D… read more →
Upcoming FREE Webinar: REGISTER TODAY Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 4:00 PM EST (approximately 2 hours, depending on Q & A) Learn to Utilize Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Veterans Benefits, and Long-Term Care Insurance to Protect Your Family from Catastrophic Long-Term Care Expenses and Nursing Home Costs. Attorneys Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. Chen Li,.. read more →
This latest edition of Law Points for Senior Citizens, the 4th edition, is published by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation as a public service to explain laws in New Jersey of special interest to senior citizens. The booklet explains laws governing a variety of topics, such as Social Security retirement benefits, Medicaid and nursing.. read more →
Special needs trusts (SNTs), also referred to as supplemental benefits trusts, often play an important role in helping families plan for children with special needs. SNTs allow assets to be left to a disabled or chronically ill person without disqualifying them for public benefits based on financial need, such as Medicaid. A common asset often left.. read more →
When former teen idol Aaron Carter died last month at the young age of 34, it came as shock to the entertainment world. Some say his death is a reminder of the importance of mental health. His death can also be a reminder to us all about the consequences of not having a Last Will.. read more →
In 2009, Petitioner executed a power of attorney (POA) in favor of her daughter, Vera. Ten years later, petitioner became a nursing home resident because she suffered from dementia and was no longer capable of managing her affairs. In January 2019, a social worker at the facility filed an initial Medicaid application on petitioner’s behalf… read more →
10 Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Planning for a Loved One with Special Needs 1. Doing nothing. The most popular estate plan in the Unites States is doing nothing. While not a good idea for anyone, it is particularly troubling when there is a loved one with special needs. If someone does nothing and then.. read more →
If a person declared to be incapacitated wishes to execute a Last Will and Testament, there a judgment must first be entered by a court declaring that the proposed testator has regained capacity to do so. See N.J.S.A. 3B:12-27; In re Estate of Frisch, 250 N.J. Super. 438 (Law Div. Probate Part 1991); In re.. read more →
Court Dismisses Daughter’s Lawsuit Against Mother’s Estate Lawyer
Before she died, Dorothy Dreher (“Dorothy”) had her attorney prepare a power of attorney naming her son David as her agent. Dorothy later had that same attorney prepare a Last Will and Testament, which favored her son David over her daughter Rebecca. Rebecca became concerned about David’s actions under Dorothy’s power of attorney, and had.. read more →
After their father’s death, one of the decedent’s sons filed litigation against his siblings in their capacities as co-executors of the estate. The plaintiff did not challenge the validity of the will; he sought to compel an accounting of the estate. In response to plaintiff’s lawsuit,.. read more →
Top Ten Most Popular Blog Posts on the VanarelliLaw Website in 2021
Listed below are the top ten (10) posts on the Vanarelli Law Office blog and website articles with the highest readership in 2021, as measured by the number of “unique page views” of each blog post. The title of each article is hyperlinked to the original posting on the blog so that each article is.. read more →
The maximum amount that can be contributed each year to an ABLE account for a person with disabilities rose $1,000 to $16,000 on January 1, 2022. The figure, which is tied to the inflation-adjusted value of the IRS’s gift tax exclusion, had been stuck at $15,000 since 2018. Meanwhile, all but four states now offer ABLE programs. Congress.. read more →
2022 Elder Law Fact Sheet
Every year we release the key dollar amounts that are frequently used in elder law, estate administration and special needs trust planning, including Medicaid figures, Medicare premiums, Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income. Be sure to check back often, as we will add any information that has not yet been released and update the.. read more →
Being able to make health care decisions for ourselves is very important, but what happens if you become incapacitated and are unable to voice an opinion concerning your medical care? If you don’t have a health care proxy or guardian in place, state law chooses who can make those decisions. A few states, such as.. read more →
Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. to Present on “End-of-Life” Issues at the 2021 Elder Law College–Second Semester
2021 Elder Law College–Second Semester Format/Skill Level: Webinar Location: Online Date: December 1, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. (http://VanarelliLaw.com/) will present at the 2021 Elder Law College–Second Semester given by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education on December 1, 2021 via ZOOM videoconference webinar. Mr. Vanarelli.. read more →
Today, the IRS announced that the annual gift exclusion will rise to $16,000 for calendar year 2022. The amount an individual can gift to any person without filing a gift tax return has remained at $15,000 since 2018. In addition, the basic estate tax exclusion amount for the estates of decedents dying during calendar year.. read more →
Long-term care comes at a tremendous financial price, especially around-the-clock nursing home care. The cost of a private room in a nursing home in New Jersey is at least $12,000 per month, and may be more. Most people end up paying for long-term care and/or nursing home care out of their savings until they spend.. read more →
Ralph Sandor died on January 20, 2018, at the age of 107. The Court appointed an Administrator Pendente Lite of the decedent’s estate (the “Administrator”). The Administrator filed an action seeking to set-aside gifts made by decedent’s grand-nephew, Anthony Russo, Jr. (“Russo”), by and through a power of attorney. The Administrator alleged that the transfers.. read more →
New Jersey appeals court affirmed denial of Medicaid application for failure to verify recurring bank transactions on applicant’s bank statements even though the transactions may have been part of a scam. G.M. v. Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (N.J. Super. Ct., App. Div., No. A-0433-19, June 16, 2021). G.M. was eighty-three years old, suffered.. read more →
The decedent and his wife had no children, and were close to the wife’s family. The decedent’s wife had predeceased him, and had left him her entire estate. In his Last Will and Testament, the decedent directed that his wife’s relatives were to receive “the total sum of moneys” that he had received from his.. read more →
Guardianships and Medicaid Planning – Video 3 On June 15, 2021, I participated in the 2021 Elder Law College given by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education via ZOOM videoconference webinar. I presented a paper and discussed Medicaid planning in the contest of guardianships in New Jersey. Medicaid planning involves the strategic transfer.. read more →
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