In 2020, many of you undoubtedly noticed significant delays with the United States Postal Service. Our elder law office in Maryland also noticed that our mail was either slow to be received or, in some cases, appear not to have reached their final destination. While that may be a minor inconvenience for mailing bills, it…
COVID-19 has brought a lot of anxiety regarding long-term care facilities. However, we understand that even in a pandemic, there are seniors who need to be cared for in a nursing home. With nursing home costs ranging from $9,000 to $12,000 a month, applying for medical assistance (i.e., Medicaid) is a practical reality for most…
When your relative is in an assisted living facility or nursing home, oftentimes they cannot access their assets any longer. That’s when it is necessary for you to have the financial power of attorney, which allows you to immediately access your loved one’s assets and act on their behalf. In Maryland, financial powers of attorney…
The most useful estate planning document during this COVID-19 pandemic is the financial power of attorney. This document allows you to immediately access your elderly parent’s assets. If you’re unsure whether your parent is paying their bills in a timely fashion, then the power of attorney will allow you to access their financial information and…
If your parent or loved one needs someone to make decisions for them, then they will need to have a court-appointed guardian. The main issue for establishing guardianships during the COVID-19 pandemic is the issue of timing. In Maryland, the normal, non-emergency adult guardianship process is started by filing a petition. After that, it would…
Challenges of Estate Planning During COVID-19 COVID-19 has made everything more complicated and riskier, from getting food to taking care of family members. With the current stay-at-home orders, and with the likelihood of stores and businesses slowly reopening, how can you best care for your elderly parent or loved one? Essential Elder Law Documents for…
It is human nature to procrastinate. Often, we have clients that review the estate planning documents only when there has been a health care crisis in the family. However, with the global health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, many families are now making it paramount to focus on the essential estate planning documents, including the…
It is critical during this time period that if you have a loved one in the hospital, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home, that you have his/her advance directive. Since contact with a loved one during the pandemic may be extremely problematic, it’s important for you to already have this document,…
We understand that there is a lot of anxiety regarding nursing homes during this COVID-19 pandemic. But, just as before COVID-19, seniors are still failing in their health. Many of them will need 24-hour care that can be provided through a live-in aide (very expensive) or through placement at a nursing home. If Your Loved…
We understand that there is a lot of anxiety regarding nursing homes during this COVID-19 pandemic. But, just as before COVID-19, seniors are still failing in their health. Many of them will need 24-hour care that can be provided through a live-in aide (very expensive) or through placement at a nursing home. If you choose…