Q. Our 90 year-old mother is frail but wishes to remain at home. She has limited financial resources, so my sister is living with her and providing care without pay. Are there any government programs that might help us hire a caregiver and give my sister some relief? A. Yes. There are a number of… Read More »
Posts Categorized: Elder Law
Can I Use My Father’s POA to Help Him Qualify for Medi-Cal?
Q. My father is in a nursing home and could really use a Medi-Cal subsidy to help with the cost, which is running about $8,500 per month. He has dementia and cannot manage his own finances. Years ago he signed a Power Of Attorney naming me as his agent. Can I use it to make… Read More »
Handling Legal Affairs When Your Spouse Can’t Sign
Q. My husband suffers from dementia and we have significant expenses for care in the home. In order to help with these expenses, I’ve been thinking about selling our vacation property which we no longer use or cashing in one of his annuities. I would also like to set up a Living Trust and make… Read More »
Alameda County Judge Orders State to Speed Up Medi-Cal Decisions
Q. About 6 months ago, I applied for Medi-Cal to help with my husband’s ongoing nursing home bill, and we are still waiting for a decision. I keep calling Medi-Cal, but nothing happens. The nursing home has been patient, but I do not think they can wait forever. Is there anything I can do? A…. Read More »
Family Caregiver Agreements: A Creative Solution To The Elder Care Dilemma
Q. My husband has become quite frail and needs care on a daily basis. To enable us to continue to live in our home together, our daughter has been assisting with his care on a daily basis and has switched to part-time at her own job in order to help. Our other children live out… Read More »
Dealing with the Home When Your Spouse Can’t Sign
Q. My husband has dementia and I wonder about my ability to refinance or even sell the home, as he cannot sign. The home is held in a Living Trust. Can you advise? A. The short answer is that it may be easier for you to sell the home than it would be to refinance…. Read More »
Using Life Insurance to Raise Money for Care
Q. My husband is in poor health and we need to find a way to pay for care to keep him at home. He has a life insurance policy payable on death, but I heard that there may be ways to access policy benefits during lifetime. Can you advise on this? A. Sure. There are… Read More »
“Mom is in ICU and I Need Power Of Attorney. Help!”
Q. “Mom suffered a stroke and is in the hospital in ICU. I do not have signing power on her bank accounts and I need to pay her bills. I am told that I need a Power of Attorney so that I can take care of her finances. Can you help?” A. We frequently receive… Read More »
Making a Large Gift to a Caregiver Needs An Attorney’s Blessing
Q. My wife and I have a wonderful caregiver who has enabled us to remain at home. We would like to make a significant bequest to her in our wills. Can we handle the bequest by just handwriting a codicil to each of our wills? A. The simple answer is, no. Here’s why: California lawmakers… Read More »
Plan For Your Partner If You Choose Not to Marry
According to the U.S. Census Bureau the number of senior couples choosing to cohabitate instead of marry (or remarry) has risen significantly. There are quite a few reasons why senior couples might choose not to tie the knot: * Tax disincentives * Loss of military and pension benefits * Reduced Social Security Benefits * Keeping medical expenses… Read More »