When Should I Update My Will?
By Bernard A. Krooks, Certified Elder Law Attorney One of the things we have learned during this recent pandemic is how important it is to have your estate and financial affairs in order since you never know when you might lose capacity or pass away. One of the questions we most often receive from clients…
The 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
By Marion M. Walsh, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP This week marks 30 years since the passage of the ADA. The ADA means much more than building ramps and construction compliance. The law protects the rights not only of those who are born with a disability, but of those who develop a disability, whether a mental…
Limited Visitation is Allowed in Select Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care Facilities
On July 10, 2020, the New York State Department of Health Commissioner announced that nursing homes and long-term care facilities will be allowed limited visitation for facilities that have been without COVID-19 for at least twenty-eight (28) days. Precautions must still be taken. Residents are only allowed no more than two visitors at a time;…
Estate Planning Alternative to the SECURE Act’s 10-Year-Rule
Our team previously provided updates on the SECURE Act, effective January 1, 2020, which eliminated the “Stretch IRA” provisions for anyone other than the surviving spouse. Beneficiaries of inherited IRAs must now withdraw the entire amount from inherited IRAs within 10 years of receiving it. Prior to January 1, 2020, a beneficiary could stretch their…
What to Expect on Learning in the Pandemic for the 2020-21 School Year: A Current Update
By Marion Walsh, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP Guidance, plans and recommendations for reopening schools in the fall seems to change daily and every decision is fraught with pitfalls. As of today’s date, formal guidance from the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) for fall reopening is due out this week. NYSED provided a Framework…
The Importance of Legal Preparation for Individuals with Dementia
In an ideal world, everyone would have an estate plan in place and legal documents drawn up long before they are ever needed. Despite the best efforts of estate planning attorneys everywhere, this is not always the case. For some people, however, early planning is not just smart but critically important. Individuals with dementia are…
OPWDD Rallies
By Sandi Rosenbaum, Special Education Advocate, Littman Krooks LLP Will everyone be free on Independence Day? As COVID-19 cases have dropped and New York has opened up, region by region, people with developmental disabilities have been left out. The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) has not updated its March 24…
Signs Aging Parents Might Need Help
It is hard to watch parents get older, especially when signs of aging that affect their personality and independence begin to become noticeable. Because it is not always possible for adult children to spend lots of time with their parents it can be easy to miss the little indicators of a beginning problem. Recently, many…
What To Do When You Have Nothing To Do
By Bernard A. Krooks, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP It is quite possible that many of us have plenty of free time on our hands and perhaps are even getting a little bored (after all, how much Netflix can we actually watch!). Here are some ideas on how to pass the time. Some of these things…
Announcing A Plain-Language Resource on Police Violence
By Sandi Rosenbaum, Littman Krooks LLP People with disabilities, particularly mental or developmental disabilities, are often injured and sometimes killed in the course of their interactions with police. A number of police forces, particularly in Westchester County, have begun to train new recruits in awareness of these disabilities; that the presentation of individuals with these…
