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Elder Law & Estate Planning

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Elder Law & Estate Planning

Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act

By: Amy C. O’Hara, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP Earlier this month, Congress reintroduced the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act (H.R.3763). The proposed bill provides significant and long overdue improvements to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program including increasing the general income disregard from $20 per month to $123 per month, adjusting the earned income disregard…

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Elder Law & Estate Planning

Zoom Conference: Financial Elder Abuse and Fraud

June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Because of the many issues surrounding elder abuse, Littman Krooks attorney Brian L. Miller, Esq., and his guest, Ilene Amiel, Financial Care Manager from Personal Affairs Administrator Inc., are a hosting a discussion on financial elder abuse. Brian and Ilene will discuss money management and how we…

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Elder Law & Estate Planning

New York Enacts New Power of Attorney Law

We share this bulletin to update our clients on an important change in New York law governing powers of attorney which could impact your estate planning. This bulletin provides important information related to the changes. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by these changes or if you are uncertain about how this update…

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Elder Law & Estate Planning

Update on New York’s Community Medicaid Changes

By Brian L. Miller, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP In April of 2020, New York State passed laws significantly changing the Community Medicaid program for all New Yorkers, including the implementation of a thirty-month lookback for all asset transfers.  These laws were intended to take effect in October 2020 but have been pushed back several times…

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Elder Law & Estate Planning

Guardianship: Fact vs. Fiction

By Laura Brancato, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP In recent months, television viewers have been captivated by docuseries and fictional portrayals of conservatorship, known in New York as Guardianship. As with most on-screen productions, there may be more dramatic fiction at work than factual portrayal. A reasonable viewer would be worried about the prospect of guardianship,…

Medicaid Allowance
Bernard A. Krooks

Deciding How to Leave Money to Others

By Bernard A. Krooks, Certified Elder Law Attorney You have finally gotten around to focusing on your estate planning and have taken that first step by contacting an estate planning lawyer.  Now you have to decide who gets what (or does not get) upon your demise.  These are difficult decisions and are often complicated by…

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Bernard A. Krooks

Beneficiary Designations for Retirement Accounts

By: Bernard A. Krooks, Certified Elder Law Attorney Estate planning is so much more than filling in the blanks on a few forms that you have printed out from the internet.  In addition to having the proper documents and fiduciaries, you need to make sure that the estate plan is coordinated so that your beneficiary…

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Elder Law & Estate Planning

A Primer on Estate Tax Returns

By Stephanie L. Goldstein, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP When a resident of New York dies with a will in place, the nominated executor must file a petition to probate the will in the Surrogate’s Court to obtain authority to administer the decedent’s estate.  If a resident of New York dies without leaving a proper will,…

Man working on his estate plan on a laptop
Elder Law & Estate Planning

The Pitfalls of an Online Will

By Joel Krooks, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP Many companies currently provide people with the opportunity to create a Last Will and Testament and other various legal documents online. These online Wills have various issues that can cause your estate to not be distributed as intended, can create excessive legal fees during the estate administration, and…

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Elder Law & Estate Planning

The Impact of Blended Families on Estate Planning and Litigation

By Laura Brancato, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP Comprehensive estate planning is essential for every adult. Your plan should address the needs of all your loved ones at your death, regardless of whether you are single, married or divorced. It is crucial however, to consult with an experienced estate planning attorney if you belong to a…