2021 Elder Law College Format/Skill Level: ZOOM Webinar Location: Online Date: June 15, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM ET Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. (http://VanarelliLaw.com/) will present at the 2021 Elder Law College given by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education on June 15, 2021 via ZOOM videoconference webinar. Mr. Vanarelli will.. read more →
No, it’s not a topic you usually talk about. Death is not a topic most people want to discuss, but funerals, cremations, and end-of-life medical costs today are surprisingly expensive and can result in a large bill for survivors. Thanks to the researchers at Self. Inc., we have data about the average cost of dying.. read more →
Increase in Medicaid’s penalty divisor announced. Last month, the New Jersey Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS), the State Medicaid agency, announced an increase in the state penalty divisor. Effective April 1, 2021, the penalty divisor has increased from $357.67 to $361.20 per day, amounting to $10,986.50 per month and $131,838 per year… read more →
The Caregiver Support Program available to Veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) consists of 2 sub-programs: the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) and the Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS). Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is for.. read more →
People receiving support through New Jersey’s Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) are able to choose the agency through which they will receive support coordination services. A Support Coordination Agency assigns a Support Coordinator to work with the disabled individual and his/her family. The Support Coordinator works closely with clients to identify their needs, and then,.. read more →
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published new guidance for day centers and the people with disabilities they serve during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance comes in two documents — one aimed at administrators and staff and another for participants and their caregivers — that were issued in March 2021. The new guidance indicates.. read more →
Are you an Older Adult in New Jersey? Make Your Voice Heard! The Department of Human Services’ Division of Aging Services will hold a listening session on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 10 AM to allow New Jersey residents to provide input into the state’s plans for services to older residents for 2021-2025.The informational flyer is.. read more →
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that the tax deduction for medical expenses includes amounts spent on face masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and related equipment, as long as the primary purpose for the purchase was to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Specially, the IRS announcement states that: [A]mounts paid for personal protective equipment,.. read more →
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, millions of professionals and other workers, including lawyers, went from working in offices to working remotely, from their homes, in spare bedrooms, or on dining room tables. Rather than appearing personally at client conferences and court hearings, during the pandemic lawyers met with clients via telephone conferences, deposed adversaries remotely.. read more →
Below, in chronological order, is the annual roundup of the top 10 elder law decisions across the nation for the past year, as measured by the number of “unique page views” of the summary of the decision received on the ElderLawAnswers website. ElderLawAnswers is a web-based resource available for those in the public seeking information on legal and.. read more →
All Veterans, their spouses and caregivers can get COVID-19 vaccinations from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under Public Law No: 117-4 (03/24/2021), also known as the Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize All Veterans and Every Spouse Act or the “SAVE LIVES Act.” The SAVE LIVES Act was signed into law by.. read more →
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published revised guidelines for nursing home visits during the pandemic. The new recommendations are the first revision to the federal government’s nursing home guidance since September 2020. They are effective immediately. The new recommendations allow indoor and outdoor visits for all residents, except in limited.. read more →
Top Ten Most Popular Blog Posts on the VanarelliLaw Blog in 2020
Listed below are the top ten (10) thirteen (13) posts on the Vanarelli Law Office blog with the highest readership in 2020, 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 accessible.. read more →
Under Section 728 of Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (TURCA), federal tax refunds received after December 31, 2009 are not treated as income or resources (for a period of 12 months after receipt) for purposes of determining eligibility for all federal or federally-assisted programs, including Medicaid and the Children’s.. read more →
A webinar on financial protection of older adults during the COVID pandemic was held on February 23, 2021. The webinar provided tips to avoid vaccine-related scams and information on resources available to older adults. A recording of the webinar is now available for on-demand viewing, and can be accessed on this blog below. The webinar.. read more →
The New Jersey Caregiver Task Force was created in 2018. The purpose of the Task Force is to determine the availability of caregiver support services in the State, and provide recommendations for the improvement and expansion of such services. Family caregivers play a vital role in the lives of many New Jerseyans including older adults.. read more →
If you are injured because of someone else’s negligence, you may have to resort to a personal injury lawsuit in order to obtain payment for the medical care you will need in the future and to compensate you for your pain and suffering. If your injury falls under the workers’ compensation system, or if you.. read more →
In New Jersey, services for the intellectually and developmentally disabled are provided by the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), a division of the state Department of Human Services. DDD funds services and supports for eligible disabled individuals. These services are offered in the community by more than 200 agencies or by more than 600 individuals.. read more →
Under COVID-19 legislation, a one-time direct payment of $1,200 was paid to individuals earning less than $75,000 per year ($150,000 for couples who file jointly), including beneficiaries of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, Medicaid benefits and other public benefits based upon financial need. Individuals earning up to $99,000 ($198,000 for joint filers).. read more →
Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. (http://VanarelliLaw.com/) will present at a ZOOM Webinar on February 10, 2021 at 7:00 PM along with Spectrum Care Management and Counseling, LLC, a support coordination agency. Mr. Vanarelli will speak on planning to attain eligibility for Medicaid benefits from New Jersey’s Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, and how Medicaid.. read more →
On December 1, 2020, Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. (http://VanarelliLaw.com/) presented at the 22nd Annual Elder and Disability Law Symposium held via ZOOM Webinar by the New Jersey State Bar Association Elder and Disability Law Section and the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Mr. Vanarelli spoke on planning to attain eligibility for pension benefits.. read more →
According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 1 in 10 Americans aged 60 and older have experienced some form of elder abuse. Some estimates range as high as 5 million elders who are abused each year. One study estimated that many cases go unreported – only 1 in 14 cases of abuse are reported.. read more →
Lawyers who claimed that former clients posted false, misleading, and/or inaccurate statements about the lawyer on online reviews asked the Attorney Ethics Board, formally known as the New Jersey Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics (NJACPE), whether they may publicly respond to these negative online reviews. In response, the Attorney Ethics Board stated that lawyers are.. read more →
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 →
(The BiFocal e-newsletter is a publication of the ABA Commission on Law and Aging. In a recent BiFocal e-newsletter, the ABA Commission published the following guidance on defensive practices that may be used to prevent misuse of a power of attorney, such as careful selection of agents, drafting in oversight and accounting, and limiting powers… read more →
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