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KFF Poll Finds Americans Have Serious Problems with Healthcare
The Kaiser Family Foundation came out with poll results recently about Americans problems with finding… -
Is that a good investment decision?
Here’s the problem: scammers are looking for retirees to fleece. They know that retirement life… -
“Estate Planning” The problem and the solution: Elder Law
Here’s the problem with too much of estate planning is about “Death and Taxes. Legacy…. -
Forced to pay for Nursing Home Rehab – Get Your Money Back
Had to pay for a nursing home for rehab? Get your money back. Over the… -
Seniors to Feel the Brunt Shortening the Time to Apply for Medicaid
The impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) on Medicaid services for seniors… -
The Steps of Probate in Michigan
You must go to the probate court, whether online, in person or both, complete and… -
Medicaid Cuts: Mom must Go into a Nursing Home
There is much conversation about the effects of the enormous cuts to the Medicaid program… -
Seniors: A Tax Tip That May Save You Big!
Here’s a little tax tip that might save you big. First off most seniors do… -
Probate in Michigan? Not Bad if You Know What To Do
Many people think that Probate in Michigan is long, difficult and in a word “impossible.” … -
Retirees Home Seminar: “Estate Planning” Documents Inadequate. Here’s the Fix
Yes, “estate planning” is important. But elders need more. We have had number of educational… -
Feb. 2025 Update on Medicaid Estate Recovery
We previously reported on a Bill in Congress introduced in the House of Representatives by… -
How Bad “Medicaid Planning” Backfires. Choose “Crisis Medicaid Planning” Instead
I’ll keep it short. “Medicaid Planning” is sold all over the web. When done poorly… -
Medicaid, Married Senior in Nursing Home. Here’s how to save your money.
If your spouse is in the nursing home we know you are facing financial catastrophe. … -
Call Us 248-356-3500 – We’re Helpful!
Need a referral? Got a question? Please leave a message when you call. I am retired…. -
End of Summer Report — 2024
What has happened over summer of 2024. Repeal of Medicaid Estate Recovery The long-awaited reintroduction… -
Nobody Cares If YOU Lose Your House To The Government
Hello friends, If you review our website you know that for Years I have been… -
What Is Medicaid Estate Recovery?
On March 6, 2024 Representative Jan Schakowsky reintroduced the “Stop Unfair Medicaid Recoveries Act.” That… -
Unhappy with Medicare Advantage? Here’s the fix – before March 31st
Many people fall for the glowing Medicare Advantage ads. They want “all of their benefits.”… -
A brief note on choosing a Medicare plan.
Obvious first step? Go to Medicare.gov if you are just beginning your investigation: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/using-medicare/helpful-tools Want… -
Fall Update
What’s been going on? National advocacy. I am on the National Academy of Elder Law… -
Medicaid: Your Home is Still At Risk
Here we are in April 2023 and we are still working at getting a bill… -
Medicare Advantage Computer, not Doctor, Denying Coverage
Medicare Advantage Plan? Caution! A news post from NAELA states that some MA insurance companies… -
Mom is in a nursing home. Is it true, will Medicaid “take the home”?
Here’s a common situation. Dad has died Mom has been living in the home with… -
What is Elder Law? What isn’t?
Elder law concerns the legal issues that confront seniors because they are elders. We might… -
Medicare Open Enrollment: Key Points to Consider
Choosing a new Medicare plan can be an exhausting investigation. I’m sure you’ve read many,… -
Post-Hospital Rehab – Your Medicare Advantage Plan has Huge Co-pays and Deductibles!
Many healthy seniors choose a low monthly payment for a Medicare Advantage plan. But when… -
Big Problem: Forced Arbitration in Nursing Home Admission Papers
What to do: If you admitted a family member to a nursing home you agreed… -
Mom has Alzheimer’s! Should we hide her assets?
No. When a parent or spouse is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s invariably somebody will give advice:… -
Medicaid Estate Recovery has Failed. A Simple & Better Solution
This is, perhaps, the last in my series of blog posts on Medicaid Estate Recovery… -
We Need to Eliminate Medicaid Estate Recovery to Compete in the Global Economy – We Can Do It Now
House Bill 6698, “Stop Unfair Medicaid Recoveries Act”, Needs to be Enacted Now The Bill… -
Medicare Does Not Mandate Payback. Why Does Medicaid?
This post is the second in a series on Medicaid estate recovery, or “the government… -
Senior Alert: You Can Lose Your Home and Everything You Own to the Government.
If you enter the nursing home for long term care, you will likely need Medicaid… -
There’s Something Wrong Here – Seniors Get Less Help Every Year & Nobody Cares
I have started a new series of posts about problems with our programs for needy… -
Michigan Low Income Seniors Have $1,500 Property Tax Credit, But Some Get Zero
Low-income seniors in Michigan are supposed to get a homestead property tax credit, worth up… -
How much should you save for retirement? The cost of living is often overlooked.
There are zillions of articles on retirement saving, but one point that is always overlooked… -
Mom/Dad paying for help in the home? Look out!
It’s a fact. Everybody knows that many elder seniors can only remain in their homes… -
Why a Childless Senior/Couple Should Have a Trust.
I’ll get right to the point. There are two reasons to have a trust: 1)… -
Medicare Advantage: High out of Pocket Costs, Deductibles and Emergency Visits – Look Out!
Many healthy seniors choose a Medicare Advantage plan with high out of pocket costs and… -
Long Term Care Plans
I’ve updated our website to add information on addressing the need of long term care… -
How Much Should an Attorney Charge for a Medicaid Application in 2025?
Before we get into the nitty gritty of an answer, let’s consider the situation. A… -
Grief: What to Say to a Grieving Person
I came across an article on grief, a subject that’s not often written upon. We… -
Denial of Rehab Based on Provider Policy – Get a New Provider
In the past month alone I have spoken with two clients whose in-home rehab therapy… -
Denials of Coverage Based on Ignorance
Denials of care are getting more common. Suppose you hear about a new treatment and… -
A Pill to Reverse Alzheimer’s?
The dream of the Alzheimer’s patient: reversal of memory loss. There was an enticing report… -
Therapy Can Reduce Agitation of Alzheimer’s Patients
One of the big stressors for mid-stage Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers is the inability… -
Looking for Memory Care? You Need to Consider “Difficult Behaviors”
It is the perennial story: a parent, a widow or widower, can no longer live… -
What the Nursing Home Doesn’t Tell You. 5 Reasons to Get Advice Before You Pay the Nursing Home
Just this past week the clients I saw about applying for Medicaid to hit almost… -
Retirees Home Seminar: “Estate Planning” Documents Inadequate. Here’s the Fix
Yes, “estate planning” is important. But elders need more. We have had number of educational… -
Mom moves into Daughter’s home? Is Mom’s home insured? Maybe not.
A common scenario in my elder law practice is this: a parent cannot safely live… -
Snowbirds: Is your home insured? A recent court decision says “Maybe not.”
Many northern retirees have two addresses: one in their home state, such as Michigan; a… -
How to choose an elder law attorney? Here are 8 Tips
How do you find an elder law attorney? Many tip sheets suggest you get a… -
10 potentially fatal injuries that should not happen in a nursing home or assisted living facility and what to do.
Over the 22 plus years I have been in elder law I have too often… -
VA publishes new rules for Pension program
There is much buzz about the long anticipated VA rule change to the improved Pension… -
DPOA Agent: Don’t sign that contract! Don’t do Medicaid application without an attorney!
I am feeling a bit feisty today because I just read again a case where… -
Retirement Community Residents Have Contractual Rights
Interesting case from the Michigan Court of Appeals brought to our attention by attorney Jeanne… -
How to avoid the two most common serious medical mistakes.
I have written often on the need for an elder to have a patient advocate… -
Great Time at AAA 1B Caregiver Expo 2017
We had a Great! time at the 2017 Caregiver Expo. Great to see “old” friends… -
How to get good care in a nursing home – the role of the LTC Ombudsman
I have written many times before about how the advocate for the nursing home resident-patient… -
Why is Medicaid, for the nursing home, so Complicated?
One might think applying for Medicaid to pay for the nursing home would be pretty… -
10 Common Mistakes that Guarantee Probate
Everybody wants their children to inherit their property and have no problems after they die…. -
10 Common Mistakes That Guarantee Probate
Everybody wants their children to inherit their property and have no problems after they die…. -
Why Settle for Half a Loaf?
What is “half a loaf”? And why not keep the “whole loaf”? First off, “half… -
How to Avoid Court Battles by Your Children After You Die
It may surprise some, but many post-death probate court battles between children begin with the… -
Nursing Home Must Give Hospitalized Resident Notice of Discharge
As a follow up to our May 9th post, we report that a nursing home… -
The End of Trial by a Jury of Your Peers?
Compulsory Pre-Dispute Arbitration is SpreadingSummary: compulsory arbitration is a growing threat to elders and consumers in general. It… -
What to do when the nursing home will not readmit the resident who went to the hospital.
Here is a common problem. A nursing home finds that a resident is a lot… -
Retirement Planning: It’s Not Just About the Money
A short note: I heard a program about retirement planning the other day. I won’t… -
Don’t do Medicaid Pre-planning (till you read this)
I see many attorneys advocating Medicaid pre-planning and in many cases their advice will leave a… -
WHAT IS “CRISIS” MEDICAID PLANNING? And how does it protect Your Independence?
“Medicaid Planning”? Yes IF it is Crisis Medicaid Planning. Here’s an example how it can… -
“Medicaid Tip”: Don’t pay cash
Here’s a “Medicaid Don’t” for you: Do not pay cash. Many of our eldest of… -
New Year’s Predictions – Elders look out!
New Years predictions are always popular around the first of the year. It’s a game… -
The Government Wants Your House (Medicaid Estate Recovery Update)
Sorry about the yellow journalism headline, but that’s the way it’s going these days. Driven… -
The End of Compulsory Arbitration?
GOOD NEWS! The New York Times reports that the federal Health and Human Services Department… -
Nursing Homes Find a Way to Reduce Falls
Good news, but . . . Is this really news? Nursing homes have found a… -
“20 Common Nursing Home Problems – and How To Resolve Them”
I would like to share a simply EXCELLENT guide for good care in a nursing… -
Why I Don’t like Annuities to Get Veterans Benefits
An Annuity Is an Investment Before I get into my opinion let’s first establish an… -
Did You Plan for Long Term Care?
We will be doing an educational program series in the cities of Southfield, Taylor and… -
The Five Most Common Mistakes an Elder Law Attorney Sees
Everybody wants to avoid making a mistake, right? And everybody wants to know “What mistakes… -
Mother dies in nursing home: case goes to compulsory arbitration because son was her healthcare agent?
I would like to share another story from the New York Times series on compulsory… -
What Should a Child who is a Parent’s Agent or Trustee do if “Mom wants to reward me”?
Suppose a daughter is her mother’s caregiver, all around business and medical manager and is… -
A Tale of Two Daughters – Greedy Children?
A Big Thanks Doug Chalgian, one of Michigan’s best elder law litigation attorneys, who commented… -
Tips for Talking to Your Aging Parent
This month we’ve been considering communication in the elder law context. In this post I’d… -
Have “The Talk” and Avoid Court Battles
The Holiday season comes upon us and it is a time of joy for many… -
Three Minute Screen for Lewy Body Dementia
Continuing our focus on dementia during Alzheimer’s Disease awareness month, let’s take a deeper look… -
Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Lewy Body Dementia?
During Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, I have been posting here and on Facebook about dementia. One… -
A Five Minute Dementia Rating Screen
Continuing in our irregular series on dementia during Alzheimer’s Awareness month, I offer a quick… -
ALZHEIMER’S CURE FOUND!
Continuing our posts during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month I would like to share an interesting blog… -
Medicare: Open Enrollment and Special Enrollment Period
It’s Medicare open enrollment time. I thought I’d add this note to all the information… -
Should we sue the nursing home?
This is a difficult, but necessary subject to write about. It is a difficult subject… -
A Pre-nuptial Agreement Will Not Protect Assets
I came across an interesting blog entry by New Jersey attorney Linda Ershow-Levenberg. She writes… -
Forced – Compulsory Arbitration. An alarming trend.
A disturbing and perhaps dangerous trend has developed and is growing in threat. It is… -
Jim Joins 5@55 Campaign
How to Make Retirement Planning Complete There is a new legal service and awareness program… -
A wife relays the turmoil she felt placing her husband in a nursing home.
[responsive_vid]Josephine Brewer tells how she felt she let her husband down placing him in a… -
Ms. Downs stresses the importance of finding a good elder law attorney
[responsive_vid] Amy Downs advises hiring a good elder law attorney as soon as possible when… -
Mrs. White shares the difficult decision she had to place her husband in a nursing home
[responsive_vid] Eloise White tells the story of placing her husband in a nursing home. -
A son tells of life situations that force a nursing home choice on a family
[responsive_vid] Jim Wallen talks about the difficult life situations that suddenly force the nursing home… -
Should I sign the nursing home agreement? And, what is a “responsible party”?
[responsive_vid] Should you sign a nursing home agreement for a family member? What is a “responsible… -
What is a Medicaid Nursing Home? Should I avoid one?
[responsive_vid]Many families looking for a nursing home know they cannot long afford the $8,000 per…