Author: Nolan Elder Law

How the Grinch (Medicaid) Stole Christmas (and Hanukkah and birthdays and weddings and everything else!)

Tis the season for gift-giving! One of a parent’s (or grandparent’s) greatest sources of pleasure is to make a gift to a child or grandchild. Whether the gifts are holiday gifts or wedding or birthday gifts, “helping out” is something seniors take great pride in. Even if their world is growing smaller due to health…
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So, you think you (or your parent) have a good Power of Attorney?

Not so fast! You probably already know what a Power of Attorney is designed to accomplish. It will allow a named person, called the Agent, to conduct financial transactions for someone else, called the Principal. This includes buying and selling cars, real property and investment assets. It also includes the ability to open safe deposit…
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My Mom is acting CRAZY! What Can I do??

Imagine this scenario: Your mother, who is 80 years old and a widow, has suddenly started spending money recklessly. She is paranoid of you and your efforts to rein in her behavior. She is not taking the medicine that her doctor has prescribed or she won’t go to the doctor at all.  She is, in…
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Back to Basics

In an effort to delay the ravages of aging, I have recently started taking tennis lessons. While I did play some tennis back in college, it has been over 30 years since I picked up a racquet, so I decided that I would start from the beginning and take lessons like I had never played…
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Money can’t buy Happiness

How many times have we heard (or maybe even said) these words? One look at the typical lottery winner will prove that all the money in the world will not make people happy. As an Elder Law attorney, I work with seniors and their adult children to give them peace of mind about their future.…
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What a Swell Graduation Present!

Many of you have children graduating from high school within a month or so. Soon they will be turning 19 and will be considered, under the eyes of the law at least, to be ADULTS. Regardless of how they behave, the law at least considers them to be fully capable of making their own decisions.…
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The Intersection of Dementia and Firearms

Did you know that gun ownership is highest among our elderly population? Did you also know that the incidence of dementia is also highest among our elderly population? It’s not clear exactly how many people with dementia have access to firearms. But based on an AARP study conducted in the late 1990s and more recent…
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MediCAID Planning: What is it?

There comes a time in many middle-aged couple’s lives when one or both of them are faced with “making plans” for their elderly parents. If this hasn’t happened to you yet and your parents are still alive, keep reading! If you have friends who have elderly parents, please read and share this with them! If…
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Is Time Really on Your Side?

I have a hobby. I am a record collector. This past weekend I was playing some old Rolling Stones and the song “Time is on My Side” came on. I am sure you have heard the song- they didn’t write it, by the way, but they did make it famous. I imagine the band members…
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Building your own “Dream Team”!

Lots of folks get into Fantasy Football where they get to build their own team of players based upon each player’s unique skill-set and experience. It can be hours of fun for those who like this sort of thing. Whenever a person or a couple are considering their estate-planning, they need to consider building their…
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