| by Linda Cammuso, Special Needs & Disability Planning
By Linda T. Cammuso: We are pleased to bring you the following news of the recent changes to special needs trust law. On December 13, 2016, President Obama signed the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act into law as part of the 21st Century Cures Act, effectively ending...
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning
By Linda T. Cammuso: Over the years, in many different client meetings and discussions, we have heard clients or their families say that they will “never go into a nursing home”. Usually this sentiment is an expression of support by children (“Dad knows we would...
| by Linda Cammuso, Trusts
By Linda T. Cammuso: In our Fall 2013 issue, Volume 8, of Estate Preservation Law’s newsletter Bridging the Gap, we apprised readers “that the use of irrevocable trusts has met with resistance from the MassHealth agency in the application process. Although these...
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning
by Linda T. Cammuso November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. It is also a month for giving thanks and connecting with family. At EPLO, we want to take this opportunity to highlight this devastating disease, recognize the caregivers who face the...
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning
by Linda T. Cammuso The third week of October was officially declared National Estate Planning Awareness Week in 2008. The House bill was co-sponsored by the National Association of Estate Planners and Council (NAEPC). In 2015 those dates fall between October 19 and...
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning
by Linda T. Cammuso With the holidays approaching, Americans’ thoughts turn with anticipation to food. In the midst of our weight-conscious, diet-obsessed culture, the holidays are a time when we happily throw caution to the wind and indulge in the most decadent of...
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning
By Linda T. Cammuso The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) had two key provisions, one of which was declared unconstitutional on June 26, 2013. The provisions included: Section 2,which allows states to decline to recognize marriages of same-sex couples granted in another...
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning
By Linda T. Cammuso If you have Medicare, your coverage will continue as before. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. If you are contacted by anyone about your Medicare benefits or telling you that you need a new healthcare card, be careful – that caller may be...
| by Linda Cammuso, Tax Planning for Individuals
By Linda T. Cammuso In a highly anticipated ruling the U.S. Supreme Court declared portions of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. The provision of DOMA defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman was struck down and held to deny...
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning, Long Term Care Planning
By Linda Cammuso Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCi) is one of several key tools in the estate and long-term care planning process. This form of insurance provides financial support for long-term care expenses in a nursing home setting as well as in a person’s own home....
| Asset Protection, by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning, General
By Linda Cammuso In a previous blog, we discussed erroneous preconceived notions that people might have about asset protection planning. We also mentioned that legal vehicles such as trusts and business entities can be effective ways to shelter your exposed assets....
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning
Post By Linda Cammuso One of the primary reasons people procrastinate establishing a will or other estate plan documents is apprehension about the process. Whether it’s the unpleasantness of considering mortality or the burden of gathering information and making...
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate Planning, Long Term Care Planning
By Linda Cammuso Failing to do an estate plan touches lives in ways that we often fail to imagine. So many people drag their feet when it comes to taking action to secure their futures and the results are often painful for them and for their families. We’ve often...
| by Linda Cammuso, Elder Law
by Linda T. Cammuso Consider the following scenarios: • “My Medicare days are running out and I still need more rehab; what do I do now?” • “My mother needs nursing home care, and she never planned for this event — is it too late to apply for MassHealth?” Read Linda...
| by Linda Cammuso, Equine and Pet Trusts, Pet Trusts
by Linda T. Cammuso, Esq. We love our pets, we pamper them and we treat them like family — often to the chagrin of those who live pet-free lives. As a pet owner and an estate planning attorney, I’m often astounded at the number of pet owners who fail to consider the...
| by Linda Cammuso, Estate and Trust Administration, Estate Planning, General, Probate
By Linda T. Cammuso The passing of the new Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code should prompt Massachusetts residents to evaluate whether and how their estate plans may be impacted by the new law. After two decades of debate, the new Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code...
| by Linda Cammuso, Long Term Care Planning
Post by Linda Cammuso People do recognize the need for long-term care and nursing home planning for others-not for themselves or their loved ones; they simply deny that they could be in such a situation. If you are among those, you should listen to Avoiding Common...
| by Linda Cammuso, Probate
Post by Linda Cammuso Oftentimes people delay doing a will or an estate plan simply because they do not know how to split up their personal property such as jewelry, among their children; they don’t want to make mistakes or hurt anyone. Understandably, decisions like...
