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 →
(The following article is reprinted from NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) A once prominent Ocean County attorney known for his work representing senior citizens was sentenced Friday to 10 years in state prison after he admitted to stealing millions of dollars from his clients, according to New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal. Robert Novy, 67, of Brick, pleaded guilty on.. read more →
Nursing home care is growing ever more expensive. Contact your elder law attorney to learn how you can protect some or all of your family’s assets. For the first time, the median cost of a private nursing home room in the United States increased to $100,375 a year in 2018, up 3 percent from 2017,.. read more →
The following article appeared in the October 18, 2018 edition of the Star-Ledger newspaper: STUDY Caregivers Neglect Their Own Health Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press Skipping your checkup but not grandma’s? Caring for an older loved one is a balancing act, and a new poll shows that too often it’s the caregivers’ health that’s neglected. The survey,.. read more →
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced the 2019 cost-of-living increases for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. SSA announced a 2.8% benefit increase in 2019, and an increase in the SSA taxable maximum amount to $132,900. The federal benefit amount for an individual eligible for SSI in 2019 will increase to $771 per month. The information.. read more →
For additional information concerning nursing home law and litigation, visit: Nursing Home Law and Litigation read more →
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) needs-based pension program is available to compensate veterans for non-service-connected disabilities. Like the VA compensation program, eligibility for the pension program is based upon disability. Unlike the VA compensation program, however, the pension program is also based on income and financial need. To be eligible for benefits, the veteran’s.. read more →
Caring for a loved one who is sick or disabled? Learn more about obtaining a New Jersey state identification card for your loved one from this article published in the August 13, 2018 edition of the Star-Ledger newspaper. The article is reproduced in full below. If you do not have a driver’s license, a New.. read more →
Almost every year for the past 10 years, since 2008, reporters from the “60 Minutes” television show interviewed Mike and Carol Daly. Mike and Carol have been married for 54 years. Carol was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, and Mike is her full-time caregiver husband. Laughter, love and duty still hold the couple together as Carol’s world.. read more →
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides two (2) types of monetary benefit programs for veterans. These monetary benefit programs are separated into benefits for (1) service-connected disabilities and (2) non-service-connected disabilities. The primary benefit for service-connected disabilities is the VA “compensation” benefit; the primary benefit for non-service- connected disabilities is the VA “pension” benefit… read more →
Reversing decisions of trial and appellate courts, a divided California Supreme Court ruled that judges can’t order Yelp Inc., the online ratings site, to remove unflattering, one-star reviews of a San Francisco lawyer and her law firm posted by a user of the Yelp website who was an angry former client of the law firm… read more →
Nursing homes operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) serve 46,000 veterans annually in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For years, the VA has monitored care at its nursing facilities through quality indicators and unannounced inspections, and, since 2016, through star rankings based on 11 key indicators, including rates of.. read more →
Westfield, NJ – June 19, 2018 — Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. (https://vanarellilaw.com/) will participate in the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s 2018 Elder Law in a Day Seminar held on July 11, 2018 at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick, NJ. Mr. Vanarelli will provide the “Case Law Update: The Year.. read more →
Public Law 113–295, also known as The Stephen Beck, Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act), was enacted December 19, 2014. The ABLE Act provides individuals with special needs and disabilities to save money for disability related expenses in tax-free savings accounts while preserving their needs-based government benefits. Modeled on 529 college savings plans, ABLE.. read more →
(“The ElderLaw Report: Including Special Needs Planning” is the premier newsletter covering elder law and special needs planning issues. This monthly newsletter keeps legal professionals current with critical developments in elder law and special needs planning, and supplies real-world solutions to the unique legal problems facing senior and disabled clients. The most recent article I prepared for The.. read more →
On his HBO show, Last Week Tonight, John Oliver provided a scary and funny explanation of how guardianship works, ending with a public service announcement by William Shatner, Lily Tomlin and others explaining steps you can take to avoid the guardianship. The video is embedded above. The show focused on the abuses of a professional.. read more →
Trustees of special needs trusts are increasingly relying on “administrator-managed prepaid debit cards,” such as True Link cards, when disbursing funds to beneficiaries. These cards offer trust beneficiaries greater independence and the ability to get what they need more quickly. But such cards existed in a regulatory gray area as far as the Social Security.. read more →
My law office presents this Peace of Mind Checklist as a tool readers can use to organize their thoughts about and plans for the future, and to identify the vital estate documents readers need to reach their goals. The law office staff encourages you to share this checklist with others and discuss it with your close.. read more →
On May 8, 2018, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017. The bill would restore benefits to thousands of Vietnam veterans; expand inclusive dates to those who served along the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ); and, benefit children born with.. read more →
Elder Law, Estate/Trust Planning and Special Needs Law Firm REVEALED In New YouTube Video … All In 34 Seconds
New YouTube Video about the Law Office of Vanarelli & Li, LLC Vanarelli & Li, LLC is committed to protecting the legal rights and financial resources of seniors, the disabled and their families, and families in conflict. We provide legal services in the areas of elder law, estate planning, trust administration, special education, trial.. read more →
The video posted above informs viewers of the legal issues facing seniors, and the importance of seeking assistance with these issues from a Certified Elder Law Attorney. The video also describes the role of the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF) in the certification process. The video that will be aired nationally on PBS affiliates. NELF, a.. 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 →
The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act allows people with disabilities who became disabled before they turned 26 to set aside up to $15,000 per year in tax-free savings accounts without affecting his or her eligibility for government benefits like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). This money can come from the disabled individual.. read more →
When it comes to uploading videos online, YouTube and Vimeo are the two most popular platforms in the market. YouTube is the leading video sharing website on the web today. YouTube is so popular that many professionals, including many attorneys, have established their own YouTube channel. The Vanarelli Law Office has a YouTube channel too. However,.. read more →
Recently, the Social Security Administration (SSA) published Transmittal No. 74, revising Part 05 of SSA’s Program Operations Manual System (POMS) covering Resource Exclusions in the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program pertaining to Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Accounts. In the introduction to the new ABLE POMS, SSA said: Background This transmittal includes the current published guidance.. read more →
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