Each year the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds report on the current and projected financial status of the two programs. Last month, the Board of Trustees released its 2019 Social Security Trustees Report, which is summarized below. SOCIAL SECURITY The report provides an annual assessment of the financial health of the.. read more →
Question: My mother deeded her house to my sister and me more than seven years ago, meaning that the transfer is beyond Medicaid’s 5-year look-back period and should not affect my mother’s eligibility for Medicaid benefits. My family moved into her home (which is now owned by my sister and me) approximately 4 years ago.. read more →
Free Seminar “Planning For The Catastrophic Costs Of Long-Term Care” Wednesday, April 3, 2019 4:00 PM Free Seminar Law Office of Vanarelli & Li, LLC 242 St. Paul Street Westfield, NJ 07090 Health care issues increase as we age, and become more complex. Please join Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq., Certified Elder Law.. read more →
One-third of Medicare beneficiaries experienced harm or adverse events during a nursing facility stay, and about 60% of those instances were preventable, according to reports from the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Resources. A new 60-page report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) delves into the steps nursing homes.. read more →
Top Rated New Jersey Lawyers In 2019 Donald D. Vanarelli has been selected by the New Jersey Law Journal as a Top Rated New Jersey Lawyer in 2019. Mr. Vanarelli, and the other attorneys featured in the list of Top Rated NJ Lawyers, have all achieved the peer reviewed rating of “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell,.. read more →
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has released a report on financial exploitation of the elderly. The report compiles information from Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) submitted by banks, credit unions, casinos, and other financial services providers. Based upon the SARs, financial institutions have reported that financial exploitation of older adults by scammers, family members, caregivers,.. read more →
John E. Travers, Jr. died unexpectedly in 2017 at the age of twenty-two. He was unmarried and died without any children, without a will, and without any written directive regarding his funeral or the disposition of his remains. Decedent’s parents, who are divorced, differed on how their son’s remains should be disposed of, and each.. read more →
This blog post discusses recent changes in how the Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates disbursements from trusts, particularly special needs trusts. SSA regulations are published by the agency and compiled in the Program Operations Manual System (POMS). The POMS is a primary source of information used by Social Security employees to process claims for Social.. read more →
In a recent decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the presumption of service-connection for certain diseases suffered by Vietnam War era veterans applied to so-called “blue water” veterans – those who served on ships in seas off the coast of Vietnam, but did not set foot on land. Procopio.. read more →
MyMobility Plan, a new tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, helps older adults plan for future mobility and independence when driving a car is no longer an option. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the MyMobility Plan app to help older adults take action to maintain optimal mobility, avoid falls, and.. read more →
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is one of the major federal programs that provides monetary assistance to people with disabilities. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program that helps people with disabilities and very low income and assets pay for food and shelter. SSDI is often confused with SSI. Although both programs pay benefits to.. read more →
Is your medical item or service covered by Medicare Part A and/or Part B? Now there’s a quick way to check! Medicare’s free “What’s Covered” app delivers accurate cost and coverage information right on your smartphone. Now you can quickly see whether Medicare covers your service in the doctor’s office, the hospital, or anywhere else.. read more →
What is Elder Law? Elder Law is broad legal practice area involving the complex problems of older and disabled persons. The clients served by Elder Law attorneys can be among society’s most vulnerable people, often seeking help when they are most in need of wise counsel and advice. Elder Law attorneys deal “holistically” with their.. read more →
Shared with permission of Veterans Information Services, Inc. and the Creators of VisPro. Copyright: Veterans Information Services, Inc. Website: www.info4vets.com For additional information concerning VA compensation and pension benefits, visit: VA Compensation and Pension Benefits Vanarelli & Li, LLC website: Home read more →
On December 18, 2018, I presented at the 2018 Elder Law College given by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education at the Crowne Plaza, located at 690 Route 46 East, Fairfield, New Jersey. Basically, my presentation was an overview of the laws governing Medicaid Planning by Guardians in New Jersey. (I first wrote about the.. read more →
The Handbook for Helping People Living Alone with Dementia Who Have No Known Support provides practical guidance as well as tools for helping a person living alone who does not have informal supports, including people with dementia who have a caregiver that cannot provide support. The handbook includes practical strategies for identifying people who are.. read more →
Kansas’s highest court suspended for six months an attorney who, among other things, charged a couple three times the going rate to qualify for public benefits based upon financial need from the Veterans Administration (VA) and Medicaid. In the Matter of Crandall (Kan., No. 117,910, Nov. 30, 2018). A couple hired David Crandall to update their.. read more →
Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. (http://VanarelliLaw.com/) will present at the 2018 Elder Law College given by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education on December 18, 2018 at the Crowne Plaza, located at 690 Route 46 East, Fairfield, New Jersey. Mr. Vanarelli will provide an overview of the laws governing Medicaid Planning by Guardians in.. read more →
The New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Attorney Advertising previously prohibited lawyers licensed in New Jersey from stating that they are “experts,” have “expertise,” are “specialists,” or “specialize” in an area of law unless they are certified by the Supreme Court or an organization approved by the American Bar Association. Use of these terms by lawyers who are.. read more →
We are please to announce that Donald D. Vanarelli has been named to the 2019 New Jersey Super Lawyers list for Elder Law. This is the 13th consecutive year in which Mr. Vanarelli has been named to New Jersey’s Super Lawyers list. Of over 85,000 attorneys licensed to practice law in New Jersey in 70.. read more →
(This post was prepared by guest bloggers, Beth Manes and Jessica Weinberg, attorneys whose practice is focused on special education law. Their law firm is located in Westfield, NJ: Manes & Weinberg | Special Needs Lawyers, LLC.) Once the first marking period in the new school year is over, it is time to assess the.. 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 page.. read more →
It’s not always easy to recognize elder abuse when it happens to someone you love or care for. There are several types of elder abuse: Physical Abuse – An act, rough treatment or punishment that may result in injury, pain or impairment Psychological Abuse – Psychological, verbal or emotional abuse causing suffering, emotional pain, or distress.. read more →
With the aging population becoming increasingly tech savvy, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has moved a lot of services online. From applying for Social Security benefits to replacing a card, the SSA has online tools to help. To access most of the online services, you need to create a my Social Security account. This account allows you to.. read more →
To improve advance health care planning, the American Bar Association’s Commission on Law and Aging developed advance care planning principles for attorneys as set forth in the publication found below, entitled “Advance Directives: Counseling Guide for Lawyers.” The advance care planning principles in the guide provide a conceptual framework and guidelines for lawyers and health.. read more →
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