Ft. Lauderdale Florida Estate Planning

New Medicaid Qualification Numbers

As we have explained before, in order to qualify to receive Medicaid benefits (long term care benefits), an applicant's assets and income must fall within certain legal limits.  Periodically, these limits are updated by the government.  For 2012 the numbers are:

• Divestment Penalty Divisor                                        $5,000
• Income Cap                                                               $2,094
• Individual Resource Allowance                                    $2,000
• Monthly Personal Needs Allowance                              $35
• Community Spouse Resource Allowance                       $113,640
• Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance          $1,839
• Maximum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance         $2,841
• Shelter Standard                                                        $552
• Standard Utility Allowance                                          $343
• Resource Allowance for a Couple                                 $3,000

These numbers affect an applicant in different ways.  In order to evaluate your particular concern, an experienced elder law attorney must review your financial information and inquire about transfers made in the past.  We will have a workshop on January 26 in Weston where we will explain these and other important concepts.  Please register for this important and complimentary event!

Estate Planning and Medicaid Qualification Workshop in January 2012

We are happy to announce a new estate planning workshop on January 26, 2012.  Our workshop will be conducted in English and will be at the Hawthorn Suites in Weston.  It will start at 5:30 PM.

The idea of the workshop is to educate the community about estate planning topics and to encourage people to either update their plans or to create a comprehensive estate plan.  A lot of people have estate planning as a resolution for the upcoming year and we thought that we could help fulfill the resolution.

We will cover topics such as the function of wills, trusts, and durable power of attorneys.  We will also discuss probate and how to avoid it.  In addition, we will tell you why it is important to understand the planning options for long term care and how to qualify to receive Medicaid benefits.  This topic is crucial for seniors and their families because it will allow seniors to avoid spending their assets and savings in long term care.

Details about the location, hours, and reservation will be coming soon.  We hope to see you there!

Eventos de Enero 2012 - Nuevo Taller sobre Planificacion Patrimonial y Medicaid

Nos complace anunciar que el 18 de Enero de 2012 tendremos otro taller sobre planificacion patrimonial y beneficios de Medicaid para la tercera edad.  El taller sera en español y sera en el Hawthorn Suites en Weston.  Empezara a las 5:30 PM.

Como habiamos expresado anteriormente, la idea de los talleres es educar a la comunidad sobre topicos de planificacion patrimonial e incentivar a la gente a actualizar sus planes o crear uno desde el cominezo.  Mucha gente tienen como promesa del año nuevo hacer una planificacion patrimonial y nosotros creemos que le podemos ayudar a cumplir esa promesa.

Hablaremos de diversos temas como la funcion del testamento (will), de los fideicomisos (trust), y de los poderes de abogados.  Discutiremos lo que es un juicio sucesorio (probate) y como evitarlo.  Ademas, discutiremos por que es importante entender las opciones para seguros de salud para la tercera edad y como calificar para recibir los beneficios de Medicaid y para Veteranos de Guerra.  Estos temas son de vital importancia para la gente de la tercera edad y sus familias porque le permitira salvar sus ahorros de toda la vida y evitara que se gasten los mismos en sus cuidados y necesidades medicas.

Detalles sobre el lugar, hora, y reservas seran anunciados pronto. Esperamos verlos alla!

Su "chequeo" anual - Aproveche las fiestas para planificar y corregir!

Las fiestas de fin de año aglomeran a las familias, lo cual es fantástico especialmente para aquellas familias separadas geográficamente.  Pero al mismo tiempo estas reuniones familiares pueden resultar alarmantes cuando uno se confronta con la realidad de las cosas.

De una u otra manera, volver a ver a nuestros seres queridos después de un tiempo, ya mas ancianos, nos lleva a otra realidad: en algunos casos, nuestros padres están mas olvidadizos, o nos encontramos que no pagan sus cuentas, o que el asilo de ancianos elegido no es el mas apropiado para sus cuidados. 

A medida que estas fiestas pasan, es un buen momento para prestar mas atención en corregir cosas o empezarlas, antes de que sea demasiado tarde.  Para algunos, esto puede significar una discusión honesta sobre que es lo que tendría que ocurrir en el futuro, tal como elaborar una planificación simple, una planificación para calificar para obtener ayuda, o buscar alternativas de cuidados médicos para nuestros padres.

Cualquiera sea el paso que su familia quiera tomar, considere las fiestas como tiempo para hacer un “chequeo” y empezar a ser proactivo sobre los temas que atañen a su familia, en lugar de ser reactivo e ignorar lo que con seguridad va a ocurrir. 

Aproveche y asista a nuestro taller del 14 de Diciembre en el Hawthorn Suites en Weston a las 5:30 pm.  LLamenos al (954) 370-2222 o visite nuestra pagina www.medicaidattorneysflorida.com para aprender mas sobre planificación patrimonial y beneficios de Medicaid para la tercera edad.  Les esperamos!!

Taller sobre planificacion patrimonial y sobre beneficios de Medicaid

Nos complace anunciar que a partir del 14 de Diciembre de 2011 empezaremos una serie de talleres sobre planificacion patrimonial.  Nuestro primer taller sera en español y sera en el Hawthorn Suites en Weston.  Empezara a las 5:30 PM.

La idea de los talleres es educar a la comunidad sobre topicos de planificacion patrimonial e incentivar a la gente a actualizar sus planes o crear uno desde el cominezo.  Mucha gente tienen como promesa del año nuevo hacer una planificacion patrimonial y nosotros creemos que le podemos ayudar a cumplir esa promesa.

Hablaremos de diversos temas como la funcion del testamento (will), de los fideicomisos (trust), y de los poderes de abogados.  Discutiremos lo que es un juicio sucesorio (probate) y como evitarlo.  Ademas, discutiremos por que es importante entender las opciones para seguros de salud para la tercera edad y como calificar para recibir los beneficios de Medicaid y para Veteranos de Guerra.  Estos temas son de vital importancia para la gente de la tercera edad y sus familias porque le permitira salvar sus ahorros de toda la vida y evitara que se gasten los mismos en sus cuidados y necesidades medicas.

Detalles sobre el lugar, hora, y reservas seran anunciados pronto. Esperamos verlos alla!

Improper planning results in denial of Medicaid benefits

When dealing with Medicaid qualification rules one must be advised properly in order to avoid a denial of benefits. A recent case in Wisconsin (Hedlund v. Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services) illustrates a case where a senior was denied long-term care benefits because of improper planning.

Lucille Hedlund had been denied Medicaid benefits because she was found to be a beneficiary to a trust set up by her children 17 years ago.  Being a beneficiary of such trust, her assets exceeded the asset limit for medical assistance eligibility, which resulted in the denial.

The problem for the court was the way that the planning was implemented.  Lucille and her husband had transferred all their property, except for one checking account, to their children, and, on the same day in the same document, the children transferred that property to the trust, which was also created on that same day.  The court, thus, questioned whether the trust was established by the children “at the direction or upon the request of” Hedlund.  In the eyes of the court, there was sufficient evidence that the Hedlunds directed their children to create and fund the trust because the plan was implemented on the same day in the same document.  For this reason, the court found that the trust was an available asset, which exceeded her asset limits, resulting in denial of benefits.

Medicaid rules are complicated to navigate.  To ensure qualification, even 17 years after planning, it must be ascertained that the planning, including creation and funding of the trust, was properly implemented.  Before you apply for benefits, make sure that you see competent legal advice.

 

Bloomgarden, Goudreau & Rosen will conduct an estate planning workshop in December

We are happy to announce the beginning of a series of estate planning workshops beginning on December 14, 2011.  Our first workshop will be conducted in Spanish and will be at the Hawthorn Suites in Weston.  It will start at 5:30 PM.

The idea of the workshop is to educate the community about estate planning topics and to encourage people to either update their plans or to create a comprehensive estate plan.  A lot of people have estate planning as a resolution for the upcoming year and we thought that we could help fulfill the resolution.

We will cover topics such as the function of wills, trusts, and durable power of attorneys.  We will also discuss probate and how to avoid it.  In addition, we will tell you why it is important to understand the planning options for long term care and how to qualify to receive Medicaid benefits.  This topic is crucial for seniors and their families because it will allow seniors to avoid spending their assets and savings in long term care.

Details about the location, hours, and reservation will be coming soon.  We hope to see you there!

Bloomgarden, Goudreau & Rosen launches bilingual Medicaid and VA web site

We are proud and happy to announce the launch of a website dedicated to Medicaid and Veterans Affairs benefits.  The website is now up and running.  Please visit us at www.medicaidattorneysflorida.com.

This project is aimed at encouraging the public to seek advice about long term care before it is too late.  It also provides basic information about qualification, general rules, and much more.  The website has a Spanish version, which will allow the Hispanic population of South Florida to access to complex information and counseling in its own language.  Please take a look at the website and let us know your comments.

We look forward to working with you!

Weston is the best-performing city in U.S. real estate market

America's Best and Worst Housing Markets, 2011

A survey of the 1,000 largest cities nationwide by online real estate marketplace Zillow for Businessweek.com identified the markets with the biggest gains and losses in home value, ranking Weston the best-performing city since Obama took office. 

What’s behind Weston’s success? Ines Garcia, an agent for EWM Realtors in Weston, describes the city as “Broward County’s cul-de-sac.” “It’s like driving into a gated community: the landscaping, the manicuring all around the city,” she says. “We were very lucky. Weston was one of the last communities to fall and one of the first to recover.”

Please click on the link above to read the entire report.

Health Care Directives and Health Care Surrogates

Health Care Directives are a set of instructions given by someone about someone’s desires concerning any aspect of his or her health care, and includes, but is not limited to, the designation of a health care surrogate.  

What kind of instructions can be included in these instructions?  The law says that the following decisions can be included in health care directives:

a)  Informed consent, refusal of consent, or withdrawal of consent to any and all health care, including life-prolonging procedures and mental health treatment, unless otherwise stated in the advance directives.

(b)  The decision to apply for private, public, government, or veterans' benefits to defray the cost of health care.

(c)  The right of access to all records of the principal reasonably necessary for a health care surrogate to make decisions involving health care and to apply for benefits.

(d)  The decision to make an anatomical gift.

In simple terms, think if you were in a hospital under the effects of anesthesia and someone has to make a decision for you about certain medical procedures.   You can state your instructions in writing in advanced so your loved ones can make the right decision for you.  These instructions are contained in the health care directive.  And the health care surrogate is the person or agent that you appointed to make that decision for you.

So, it is very important that you state your wishes and instructions clearly and that you appoint the right person to make these important decisions for you.  You also must follow the formalities stated by the statute in order to avoid any refusal of your instructions.  As always, consult with an experienced estate planning attorney for the counseling and preparation of this important document.