2026 VA Aid and Attendance Numbers
In this week’s post I will review the updated numbers for 2026 for the VA program that provides a benefit to wartime veterans and their spouses. Known as the VA Aid and Attendance program, this benefit provides a special pension to eligible applicants who need long term care. The maximum pension amount
2026 Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment
When we get to the end of the year, it’s time to look ahead to what numbers will change in 2026 for the government programs from which our clients receive benefits. It starts with the Social Security Administration, which announces its cost of living adjustment (COLA). Other government programs then adjust their
Adding a Child’s Name to Parent’s Account – Part 3
In this third blog post of three, I continue discussing the pros and cons of adding a child as an additional owner of a parent’s account. As I explained last week, if Mom adds one child as co-owner but has 3 children amongst whom she wants to split everything evenly when
Adding Child’s Name to Parent’s Account – Part 2
In last week’s blog post I addressed a common question in our practice - how best to add a child to a parent’s bank account. There are two options - giving the child access as agent under power of attorney or adding the child as a co-owner. This week I explain the
Adding Child’s Name to Parent’s Account – Part 1
In this week’s blog post, I address a question we encounter often in our elder law practice. Should an elderly parent add a child’s name to their account and if so, how can or should it be done? Mom is having difficulty handling her finances, paying her bills etc. or maybe she
Is a Damaged Will an Invalid Will? Part 3
In this third post of three, I finish our discussion concerning a recent call we received from Son who discovered that Dad’s will had been accidentally damaged while in Son’s possession. Son had said that one of the Surrogate employees he spoke with told him he had to proceed as if
Is a Damaged Will an Invalid Will? Part 2
In my post here last week, I told you about a call we received from Son concerning Dad’s will. The original will had been in Son’s possession but after Dad’s passing he discovered that it had been damaged. Someone spilled liquid on it which had caused parts to be unreadable. When he separated
Is a Damaged Will an Invalid Will? Part 1
We received a recent call in our office. The caller’s father had passed away leaving a will that had been given by father to son to hold in his possession after Dad had signed it several years earlier. Son retrieved the will after Dad’s passing in order to submit it the Surrogate
Another Reason People Fail to Plan – Part 2
In my previous blog post here I gave you another reason why people fail to plan for a potential crisis . Sometimes personal background or culture plays a role. We received a recent call from a daughter concerning her dad who had been traveling abroad when he had a stroke. The family was
Another Reason People Fail to Plan
In this blog over the years I have written often about how the lack of planning makes things more complicated and the outcomes worse when a crisis hits than when there is a plan in place. In many instances lack of planning stems from the lack of urgency and the belief