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 to readers. The posting date of each article is included after each hyperlinked title. Check out the list to see this year’s highlights. Our sincere thanks for taking the time to read our blog!

1. New Law Permits Documents To Be Notarized Remotely In New Jersey – April 15, 2020. New law (Assembly Bill, No. 3903 / Senate Bill, No. 2336) allows notaries public, attorneys and other officials to notarize documents remotely by audio-video transmission during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
2. Elder Law COVID-19 Fact Sheet: Helping You Navigate During This Time Of Uncertainty – April 5. 2021. At the Law Office of Donald Vanarelli, we understand that the coronavirus COVID-19 has resulted in a period of uncertainty for us all. Our law office is here to help, and the answers to frequently asked questions set forth in this blog post will get you started.
3. Under New Law, Medicaid Cannot Be Terminated During The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency – April 23, 2020. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“CV Response Act”) was signed into law on March 18, 2020.  The CV Response Act bars all Medicaid terminations during the course of the public health emergency caused by COVID-19.
4. Court Identifies Correct Method Of Calculating Fair Market Value Of Real Estate For Medicaid Penalty Determinations – May 12, 2020. In this case, the Director of Medicaid issued a final agency decision adopting the ALJ’s decision but modifying the fair market value of petitioner’s property by applying the “tax assessed value times the equalization ratio” approach.
5. Increase in the Medicaid Penalty Divisor – Effective April 1, 2020 – May 6, 2020.The penalty divisor is the average daily cost of nursing home care in New Jersey. The penalty divisor is used to determine the penalty period for an individual applying for Medicaid when that individual transfers resources/assets for less than fair market value within the “look-back” period, i.e., the five (5) year period prior to the date of the Medicaid application.
6. PowerPoint Slides of the Case Law Update Presentation Given at the “Elder Law in a Day” Seminar – February 2, 2020. I presented at the 2020 ““Elder Law in a Day” seminar, presenting the case law update, summarizing the most significant legal developments over the past year in the areas of elder and disability law. I also provided attendees with a PowerPoint presentation, which is attached to this blog post.
7. Your Stimulus Check Won’t Affect Medicaid Or SSI Eligibility – May 3, 2020. Coronavirus relief bills include a direct payment to most Americans. New Jersey’s Medicaid agency issued new regulations set forth in Medicaid Communication No. 20-04 which provided that federal stimulus payments received by Medicaid beneficiaries will not be included in countable income and resource calculations in determining eligibility.
8. 2021 Elder Law Fact Sheet – December 13, 2020. 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.
9. How To Conduct A Signing Ceremony For Wills And Other Estate Documents During A Pandemic: Drive By Signings – May 6, 2020. “Drive-by signings” ensure that clients have an opportunity to sign their Last Wills and Testaments, Powers of Attorneys, Special Needs Trusts, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) forms, Advance Medical Directives and the myriad of other estate documents we typically prepare for clients during a coronavirus pandemic when social distancing is mandatory.
10. New Jersey Supreme Court Notice – Changes To Guardianship Requirements During COVID-19 Crisis – April 9, 2020. The New Jersey Supreme Court has approved temporary adjustments to the process for seeking an adjudication of incapacity of an adult and the appointment of a guardian of the person and/or estate based on social distancing requirements.
11. NJ Admonishes Attorney Who Gathered Information About Adverse Party With Counsel By “Friending” Him On Facebook – May 21, 2020. The Office of Attorney Ethics held that accessing and viewing publicly available information on someone’s social media page should be permissible. However, any attempt by an attorney, their subordinates or agents, including the client, to gain access to a represented party’s private social media constitutes improper communication, in violation of the ethics rules.
12. What Is An Advance Designation For A Representative Payee? – September 9, 2020.The Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2018 amended the Social Security Act to allow for the advance designation of representative payees for recipients of Social Security and other governmental benefits.
13. COVID-19 Update from Vanarelli & Li, LLC – Vanarelli & Li, LLC is working hard to continue serving you during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

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