Elder Law

The Medi-Cal program in California is a health care assistance program that provides payment for a variety of medical services to those with limited income. Patients who receive Medi-Cal benefits usually only pay a small co-pay for health care or nothing at all. The program also supplies Medi-Cal waivers for supplementary services. What are Medi-Cal Waivers? Medi-Cal waivers provide additional...

You or your loved one may be at a point in life where you’re considering moving into an assisted living facility. This choice requires a significant investment, so it’s important to pick one that’s ideal for you. To help you make that choice, we’ve included the right questions to ask when choosing an assisted living facility below. #1. Does it meet my needs? Think about what you or your loved...

The sad reality is senior citizens are often targets for con or scam artists in order to divest them of their hard-earned money. Seniors with any mental or physical incapacities are even more at risk. According to the NCOA, “While likely under-reported, estimates of elder financial abuse and fraud costs to older Americans range from $2.9 billion to $36.5 annually.” Protecting yourself and your...

The deduction for qualified medical expenses has survived yet another round of tax reform.  The IRS will allow a tax payer to deduct expenses that exceed 7.5% of their adjusted gross income for 2017 and 2018.  Beginning in 2019, all taxpayers may deduct only the amount of the total unreimbursed allowable medical care expenses for the year that exceeds 10% of their adjusted gross income. For...

Helen Justice, Geriatric Care Manager, at Advanced Wellness, published an informative article on updates to VA disbursements: Are you a War-Time Veteran or Widow of War Time Veteran? There are Financial Benefits available for War Time Veteran and Widow of War Time Veteran to help defray the cost for senior placement Assisted Living Facilities, Board and Care Homes, and In-Home Care. There is a...

Welcome to CunninghamLegal – The Living Trust Lawyers On September 1st, 2017, The Sydney Law Firm, P.C. was acquired by CunninghamLegal. Jeff Sydney and his wife, Alicia, decided it was the the right time for them to retire and pass the baton to our firm to serve his clients. We are honored that Jeff Sydney has entrusted his successful, long-standing practice to us at CunninghamLegal....

CunninghamLegal – The Living Trust Lawyers Planning for Incapacity “I’d like to do a power of attorney for my mother who has dementia.”  This is the type of request that I sometimes receive from a prospective client calling our office.  In these cases, a conservatorship is the only option.  An estate plan is not just for efficiently passing on wealth to the next generation, asset...

In order to qualify for Medi-Cal, an individual must have limited income but may have unlimited assets due to the expansion of Medi-Cal under the Affordable Care Act. Medi-Cal expansion has made it easier for an increasing number of Californians to qualify for Medi-Cal. Although this is welcome news to many, it also presents an unanticipated consequence for many. Note that long term care...

Each winter, a strange phenomenon repeats itself as people gather to celebrate the holiday season: Deaths spike. The surge was particularly extreme in early 2015, when nearly a third more senior citizens died than normal in the first two weeks of the New Year. Researchers have known for some time that more people die in winter. But even when they adjust for the expected increase, an...

It is a common concept to want companionship, and elders are no exception. Unfortunately, an elder with diminishing capacity can easily become a victim of financial abuse if they and/or their advocates are not careful to watch for the indicators of elder mistreatment. Here are a handful of possible indicators of elder financial abuse to be aware of and look for: Unpaid bills, eviction...