The elderly often face mental and physical declines that make them increasingly vulnerable to financial exploitation. Exploitation can include fraudulent investment schemes, scams, identity fraud, and outright theft. Forms of theft can include forged signatures on checks, credit card misuse, fraudulent withdrawals, and theft of valuables from the home.
The information discussed and/or provided is not intended as legal advice and persons should not rely on anything posted on this blog. Please also be advised that no attorney-client relationship is established until the firm has been contacted by telephone and an appointment made to discuss your situation with us.
Disabled Children and Medicaid Planning
August 18, 2020
When individuals with disabled children consider how to pay for a potential nursing home stay for themselves, they not only have to worry about their own financial situation, but their disabled child(ren)’s as well.
Medicare and Nursing Home Coverage
July 14, 2020
The vast majority of nursing home stays are paid for either through Medicaid or through private means that may include long term care insurance or paying directly out of pocket.
A distant third in paying for nursing home coverage is Medicare. Medicare pays for nursing home coverage in very limited circumstances. These limited circumstances mean that people should not expect that Medicare will pay for a potential nursing home stay.
Collectibles, Antiques, and Medicaid Planning
July 7, 2020
A stay in a nursing home can potentially wipe out the life savings of all but the wealthiest families. Medicaid does cover nursing home stays, but since Medicaid is a needs based program, individuals must be below relatively strict financial limits to qualify for Medicaid nursing home coverage.
Estate Planning for the Medicaid Community Spouse
June 11, 2020
When planning Medicaid eligibility for someone who may need a nursing home stay, the focus is typically on making the spouse who needs care eligible for Medicaid nursing home coverage through shifting assets to the spouse who does not need nursing home care. In this scenario the spouse who does not need care is referred to as the community spouse. After the spouse no longer needs nursing home care, the couple’s assets remain in the name of the community spouse instead of being recovered by the state Medicaid agency.
Coronavirus Response and New Drive by Signings
May 27, 2020
In response to the coronavirus, Martha C. Brown & Associates is now conducting business remotely. For the time being, our physical office is closed, but the firm is still open for business, over the phone, during our normal business hours of 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
New Social Security Advance Designation of Representative Payees
May 5, 2020
Social Security now allows for the advance designation of representative payees for beneficiaries. The advance designation is available for current beneficiaries of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Special Veterans benefits. An advance designation can also be made when applying to begin receiving the above benefits.
SSI Recipients to Receive Stimulus Payments from CARES Act
April 20, 2020
Due to the passage of the CARES Act to help mitigate the economic effects of the COVID-19 virus, SSI recipients are eligible to receive payments of $1,200 per adult and $500 per dependent child.
If an SSI recipient has no dependent children, no additional action is required to receive their money.
Medicaid Beds and Nursing Home Care
April 6, 2020
Paying for care in a nursing home can be a major expense that can drain the savings of almost any family. Due to this potential expense, it is advised that individuals plan for the possibility of a nursing home stay with a local, experienced elder law attorney to minimize their out-of-pocket costs.
New Coronavirus Nursing Home Guidelines
March 21, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, has issued new guidelines to protect nursing home residents from the threat of the coronavirus.
The new guidelines encourage nursing homes to restrict all visitors except for compassionate care situations, such as end-of-life visits. When these visits do occur, nursing homes are encouraged to make sure that visitors, staff, and residents follow safety protocols. These protocols include the use of masks, sanitizers, and restricting the visits to a single room. The guidelines also encourage nursing homes to end visits from people performing nonessential services, such as barbers and stylists.
Martha C. Brown & Associates, LLC assist clients with Estate Planning, Elder Law and Probate in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Franklin County and the surrounding areas including Arnold, Ballwin, Barnhart, Bellefontaine Neighbors, Black Jack, Bonne Terre, Brentwood, Bridgeton, Cedar Hill, Chesterfield, Clayton, Crestwood, Creve Coeur, Crystal City, Des Peres, DeSoto, Ellisville, Farmington, Fenton, Festus, Ferguson, Florissant, Fredericktown, Frontenac, Hazelwood, Herculaneum, High Ridge, Hillsboro, House Springs, Imperial, Kirkwood, Ladue, Lake St. Louis, Manchester, Maplewood, Maryland Heights, Mehlville, Normandy, O'Fallon, Olivette, Pacific, Pevely, Richmond Heights, St. Ann, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Peters, Ste. Genevieve, Sunset Hills, Town & Country, University City, Union, Valley Park, Washington, Webster Groves, Wentzville , Wildwood.