Quality of Life

23 Dec 10 Ways to Make Things Easier for Others In the Event of Your Death or Disability

Posted at 08:40h in Beneficiary, Disability Benefits, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Retirement, Trusts, Wills

No one likes to think about death or disability, but here are a few tips to make things easier for your heirs, beneficiaries, or those you trust. 1. Keep your estate planning documents in a safe place It is generally more difficult to probate a copy of...

19 Nov Special Needs Trust Trustee Roles

Posted at 12:10h in Beneficiary, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Probate Administration, Public Benefits Protection, Quality of Life, Special Needs, Special Needs Trust, Trusts

Special needs trusts are often established for the benefit of individuals who are disabled since the assets held in the trust are not countable (if properly drafted) for means-tested Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income programs (which often include drugs and care costs). The goal is...

14 Oct Success Story Of The Month – Spotting The Issues In A Medicaid Planning Case

Posted at 13:26h in 401(k), Business, Dementia, Disability Benefits, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Home Equity, Lady Bird Deed, Long Term Care, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Medicare, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Retirement, Social Security, Success Story of the Month, Taxes, Transfer of Death

Similar to tax planning, where the client often wants to pay as little taxes as possible and plan accordingly, many want to preserve as many resources as possible while obtaining Medicaid assistance so that the government will help pay for the cost of care in...

29 Sep Donanemab – The Next New Drug Likely To Be Approved In Slowing Memory Decline

Posted at 11:17h in Alzheimer’s, Estate Planning, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Probate Administration, Quality of Life

Earlier this year, leqembi (a drug that slows memory decline for those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease by targeting the amyloid protein, usually common with those inflicted with Alzheimer’s as it begins to form) was approved by both FDA and CMS (governmental assistance...

04 Jul Success Story Of The Month: 96-year-old Gambles $ On Medicaid Planning And Wins

Posted at 09:54h in Beneficiary, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Long Term Care, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Medicare, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Nursing Home, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Social Security, Special Needs, Special Needs Trust, Success Story of the Month

Although it is normally not recommended that a 96-year-old buy any type of annuity, the facts below illustrate how a 96-year-old was willing to bet his money on a plan that included the purchase of a Medicaid-compliant annuity that saved him $6000 a month for...

30 May Will Assisted Suicide Tourism Hub Be Vermont Or Oregon?

Posted at 11:09h in Beneficiary, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Lawsuits, Long Term Care, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Success Story of the Month

Oregon was the first state to permit physician-assisted suicide in 1997, but this past month Vermont became the first state to have a law that does not require residency in the state to participate. Vermont previously permitted physician-assisted suicide, but it changed its law to...

29 May Palliative Care VS Hospice Care – 7 Documents to Prepare for End-Of-Life Planning

Posted at 11:15h in Dementia, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Financial Powers of Attorney, Guardianship, Long Term Care, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Medicare, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Nursing Home, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Wills

If you have an illness that is likely to limit your life due to the illness being serious and chronic (such as heart failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, cancer, dementia and Parkinson’s Disease), would you like to improve your quality of life by having: (1)...

04 May Ethical Wills: Passing Your History, Experiences And Hopes From Generation To Generation – 30 Questions To Tell Your Story

Posted at 13:17h in End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Wills

Perhaps the most important will to be written is neither a last will and testament (which determines who is to receive your assets, when it is received and how it is received) nor a living will (an end-of-life directive describing whether you are to be...

06 May ‘TIL DEATH DO US PART – MARRIAGE CAN BE VOIDED AFTER DEATH

Posted at 16:13h in Beneficiary, Divorce, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Quality of Life, Wills

Under Texas law, a surviving spouse has a life estate in the homestead of their deceased souse (see our article entitled “Surviving Spouse Homestead Rights – I Never Want to Fall in Love Again” by clicking here). A life estate gives the surviving spouse the right...

14 Apr PANDEMIC PLANNING IN PERIL: WHERE THERE IS A “WILL”, IS THERE STILL A WAY?

Posted at 15:49h in Beneficiary, Business, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Financial Powers of Attorney, Guardianship, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Notarizations, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Retirement, Transfer of Death, Trusts, Wills

Coronavirus concerns have resulted in an unprecedented demand for Will planning in America. Even younger Americans are realizing that they are not invincible. Most Americans fail to have even a simple Will leaving the risk of their assets being distributed in accordance with the laws...

09 Mar FED PROPOSAL: NEITHER CATS NOR PIGS CAN FLY – ONLY SERVICE DOGS

Posted at 16:46h in Estate Planning, Quality of Life, Texas Bar Today Top 10 Blog Posts

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is proposing new restrictions whereby only trained service dogs (and no emotional support animals) would be allowed to fly on airlines with people who have disabilities. Many consumers have complained about the various emotional support animals (ranging from cats...

28 Oct HOUSE PASSES KEY PROVISIONS OF YOUNGER-ONSET ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE ACT AND PALLIATIVE CARE AND HOSPICE EDUCATION TRAINING ACT

Posted at 09:00h in Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Long Term Care, Quality of Life

The House of Representatives, with bipartisan support, passed two bills on October 28 that are important to those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) increases the availability and quality of care by creating hospice workforce and palliative...

09 Oct FIVE MISCONCEPTIONS ON ESTATE PLANNING

Posted at 09:00h in Asset Protection, Beneficiary, Disability Benefits, Divorce, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Long Term Care, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Retirement

Estate planning is not simply protecting your assets or having a Will and a power of attorney. It is a plan whereby you are in control of your assets during your lifetime when you are well and to protect you if you should become disabled...

10 Jul HORMONE-BLOCKING PROSTATE CANCER COULD LEAD TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Posted at 15:30h in Alzheimer’s, Dementia, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Quality of Life

An analysis from University of Pennsylvania researches of data from a study of 154,000 older patients over an eight year period indicates that patients who are given hormone-blocking prostate cancer treatment have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Although the results are not proof, the...

05 Oct BOLD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ALZHEIMER’S ACT GETTING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT

Posted at 14:56h in Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Quality of Life

In a time of partisan politics, there seems to be at least one issue that Democrats and Republicans agree – something should be done to combat Alzheimer’s Disease. Not only has Congress passed a $425 million increase in Alzheimer’s and Dementia research funding, which has...

11 Jul ONE IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER – STUDIES SHOW FRIENDS AND FAMILY COULD ADD TO LIFE EXPECTANCY

Posted at 19:31h in Alzheimer’s, Medicaid Planning, Medicare, Quality of Life

Recent studies show loneliness can reduce life expectancy by eight years – not to mention quality of life. It is estimated that Medicare spends an extra $6.7 billion annually on seniors as a result of social isolation. Recognizing this problem, a California healthcare provider, Care...

18 Dec SUCCESS STORY OF THE MONTH

Posted at 09:00h in Alzheimer’s, Asset Protection, Business, Disability Benefits, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Long Term Care, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Public Benefits Protection, Quality of Life, Social Security, Special Needs, Special Needs Trust, Success Story of the Month, Transfer of Death, Wills

Last Monday we were requested to do a Will for an 89-year-old married woman who was just put on hospice. Due to her being on hospice, we put her as an immediate priority. Her 90-year-old husband has Alzheimer’s disease and is living in an institutional...

20 Nov SUCCESS STORY OF THE MONTH

Posted at 11:00h in Alzheimer’s, Asset Protection, Business, Disability Benefits, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Long Term Care, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Public Benefits Protection, Quality of Life, Social Security, Special Needs, Special Needs Trust, Success Story of the Month, Transfer of Death, Trusts

26 Aug WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES ACTIONS FOR ELDER JUSTICE & ABUSE PREVENTION

Posted at 06:00h in Elder Justice, Long Term Care, Medicaid Planning, Medicare, Nursing Home, Quality of Life

On July 13, 2015, major efforts for elder justice and prevention of elder abuse were announced at the White House Conference on Aging including: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will update and improve the quality and safety requirements of the nation’s nursing homes...

14 Apr Bill Filed to Implement Able Act in Texas

Posted at 06:00h in Disability Benefits, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Quality of Life, Special Needs Trust

A bill has been proposed to the Texas legislature to implement the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) which allows adults and children with disabilities whose disability occurred before age 26 to shelter up to the annual exclusion (presently $14,000 per year) into an...

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