With Your Family in Mind

The Michael Hoefflin Foundation for children’s cancer will be having a Holiday Party on Sunday, December 9, 2018. This is an annual event and we will be hosting approximately 250 to 300 children and their families, who have been diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Families are often overwhelmed...

On November 11, 2018, we celebrate Veterans Day to honor all those who have served our country. A 2012 Gallup research study found that four out of five 85 to 89-year-olds have served in our American military. This means that 80 percent of Americans between the ages of 85 and 89 enlisted at...

 Halloween, when you’re separated or going through a divorce with children can be a spooky time if not approached with your children in mind. Halloween is one of those tricky holidays where both parents want to have that ‘fun and scary experience.’ So, what should you do so that everyone is...

 Client Charlie owns and lives in a condo in Happy Hills, a gated community. He is a widower, with three adult children. He has a Revocable Living Trust, which benefits his children. He has provided his Home Owners Association with a guest list, people who he authorizes to be admitted to the...

 American Bar Association has a new fact sheet for right to visitation. Defining the right to visitation, communication, and interaction under a conservatorship (in other states identified as a guardianship) is an important issue in elder and disability rights law. This issue recently gained...

 Domestic violence comes in many forms and can affect anyone regardless of income, age, or gender. Some forms of abuse are more obvious, such as hitting, kicking, punching, or other forms of physical violence. Other actions that can rise to the level of domestic violence can include...

 Even though the deed says it belongs to your spouse as his or her separate property? A situation occurring frequently in family law cases is where, after the parties are married, they decide to put the family residence in one spouse’s name for the purpose of refinancing with the intent of...

 Not only do the public and my clients frequently ask me this question, but also sometimes other attorneys, even estate planning attorneys, ask me this question! So why all the confusion? Well, for starters, both terms, “elder law” and “estate planning” are misnomers to a certain degree. After...

 As has been said, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! And so again, time for my annual sharing of an important message. Holidays are a wonderful time of the year, and frequently they are the one or two times a year we are able to spend time with parents or other aging loved ones. If we...

 In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer discovered that the brains of patients with cognitive decline contained a protein called beta amyloid plaque.  Still, there is no cure. Fast forward a century.  Dr. Dale Bredesen published a book titled “The End of Alzheimer’s”  where he outlines many “factors” believed...

 The average U.S. consumer is inundated with financial information and tools as they prepare for their financial future. An Internet search of the words “financial planning” generates millions of hits. With all this financial know-how at Americans’ fingertips, it’s reasonable to believe they...

There are warning signs. More often than not, it is gradual rather than a sudden transition from happily married to icicles in the room. If you see divorce coming, or even the possibility of it coming, there are some very important steps you can take to protect yourself and your future. Step 1:...

 A graduate of Vassar College, Jordana Ruhland began her career as an editor for Bon Appetit magazine. Her life-long love of all things culinary has led her down a path that combines her desire to help other achieve better health and wellness with her foodie background. Jordana completed a...

One of the most useful, flexible and cost-effective legal devices available is the Revocable Living Trust. If properly drafted and funded, a trust can enable us to avoid probate and perhaps save hundreds of thousands of dollars of federal estate tax. Its successful implementation depends on the...

 The main purpose of a will or trust is to direct where your assets will go after you die, but it can also be used to instruct your heirs on how to pay your debts. If someone dies with outstanding debt, your representative is responsible for making sure those debts are paid. This may require...

 When it comes to Alzheimer’s awareness, one of the most vital components is education, not only on what Alzheimer’s is, but what research is being done to find a cure. Early detection, one of the aspects of Alzheimer’s education that was once less emphasized, is now receiving more attention....

That’s hearsay! Non-lawyers love throwing around the word “hearsay.” But do they really know what it means? Hearsay is an out of court statement offered to prove the truth of the matter being asserted. Try explaining that to your nine-year-old. I hope you have better luck than I did. With that...