You did the right thing. You made sure you had the 3 essentials: a will, a durable power of attorney, and a health proxy. You had them all notarized. That means you have taken care of your family, right? Not necessarily. Many financial institutions--whether national, regional or local--require account holders to... »

Entrepreneurs have been targeting the buying power of the Baby Boomer generation for decades, and now that’s taking the form of luxury assisted living. Retirement communities are becoming more like high-end hotels, with spa services, fine dining, and progressive programs that allow for prolonged independence. Hines and Welltower—an international real... »

"Ultimate" and "Irrevocable Trusts" are probably two words that you wouldn't ordinarily combine together.  Yet there have been rumblings of discussions among  estate planning and elder law attorneys about this type of trust which is designed to be the owner and beneficiary  of life insurance that has a long-term... »

Recently, the New York Times published an article on one of the City's fastest growing populations: the "oldest old." They interviewed six New Yorkers aged 85 and over--people who have inevitably experienced deep loss, health challenges, and things that few on this Earth can still remember first-hand, like the... »

Death is hard.  It is hard for those who have lost a loved one, friend, or family member.  It is also hard for the person expressing condolences to find the right words. (Take it from me, you hear "sorry for your loss" a lot). It seems we are now not only... »

This summer, there was a General Information System (GIS) message that adversely affects married individuals enrolled in a managed long-term care plan (MLTC), including married persons receiving Medicaid home care attendants through an MLTC, and married individuals who receive home and community-based services (HCBS) pursuant to a waiver under... »

  by Robert Bloink, Esq. and William H. Byrnes, Esq. March 17, 2014 Creative use of Social Security timing strategies can be key to securing comfort in retirement, and timing benefits so that your client can receive a lump sum payment during retirement can unlock many options for the older client. For... »

The estate planning world sure has some funny acronyms. A NORC is a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community. Believe it or not, there are dozens of NORCs right here in the City of New York. Several were featured in New York magazine last week. Here are a few highlights: The Lower... »

Hours after Kerri Kasem and her sister Julie visited their father, legendary Top-40 DJ Casey Kasem, in his assisted living home, his wife Jean removed him from the facility and took him to an undisclosed location. This is another chapter in an ongoing dispute between Kasem's children and his wife, who... »

In La Crosse, Wisconsin, talking about death is commonplace. In fact, 96% of people who die in La Crosse have an advance directive, which dictates their wishes regarding medical care should they be unable to talk to their doctor. This is so extraordinary that it caught the attention of... »