On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Thursday, December 28, 2017. California residents that apply for Social Security Disability benefits have to submit medical records that verify their conditions. The records should come from the treating physician, and they should detail when the impairment began and how it will develop in the future. The physician will also be able to document any mental or physical restrictions the conditi...
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Exploring the intangible side of estate planning
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in trusts & trust administration on Wednesday, December 27, 2017. An estate plan can be a critical part of creating a future for people in California and across the United States. Not only does estate planning help to distribute assets clearly through the use of wills, trusts, insurance and other instruments, it also helps to ease the period after death for heirs and calm the emotional pain following the loss of a loved one...
SSA disregards short-terms needs of disabled people
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Friday, December 22, 2017. California residents who are confronted by long-term disability could face significant financial hardships while waiting for an answer about disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. Strict requirements guide eligibility for benefits, and the agency denies many applicants. Although an appeals process is in place, years might pass before the agenc...
People too often overlook long-term care planning
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in long term care planning on Wednesday, December 20, 2017. Providing for long-term care is among the most important reasons for California residents to develop an estate plan, and yet many underestimate their need for it. The U.S. government estimates that 70 percent of people who are currently 65 years old will require long-term care of some kind during their lives. The costs associated with this type of care are often un...
The wait after getting approved for disability benefits
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Friday, December 15, 2017. Exactly when a California resident who has been approved for disability benefits receives those benefits depends on a few factors. Generally, those who have gotten approval after an initial application will get their benefits sooner than those who get it at the hearing level. As a general rule, the Social Security Administration strives to complete cases in a timel...
Handling digital accounts for deceased loved ones
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in estate administration & probate on Wednesday, December 13, 2017. One aspect of estate planning California residents may not pay attention to is that of their digital footprint. Thanks to the policies of tech companies and confusing laws, it can be difficult for surviving loved ones to deal with the online records left behind by a loved one. Many people have opted to go paperless. This means the electronic delivery of bil...
Pain symptoms and disability claims
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in social security disability on Monday, December 11, 2017. California residents who cannot work due to pain or chronic ailments can file a Social Security disability claim. If a claim is initially denied, the claimant can request a hearing before an administrative law judge. It is important for applicants to include in the initial application how pain affects their ability to work. The Social Security Administration cannot...
How the Cy Pres doctrine may help to save charitable trusts
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in trusts & trust administration on Friday, December 8, 2017. In California, some people would like to leave money to charities in their estate plans. They are able to do so by establishing charitable trusts. These are trusts that have charitable purposes in order to benefit the public good in some way. Examples of charitable purposes might include education, religion, poverty relief, to benefit cities and others. While cha...
Veterans' benefits may pay for long-term care
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in veterans' benefits on Tuesday, December 5, 2017. California veterans and their spouses might be eligible for a benefit to help to pay for their long-term care. Only 5 percent of the money that is set aside for this benefit is accessed because many eligible people simply do not know that the program exists.Called the Veterans Aid & Attendance Pension benefit, the program provides monthly benefits to eligible people that t...
Helping elderly parents with estate-planning needs is a true gift
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC posted in blog on Monday, December 4, 2017. If you are the adult child of elderly parents, one of the greatest gifts that you can give to them this holiday season is to make sure that they have all the necessary estate planning documents in place. While these conversations can be difficult to initiate, you do no one a favor by leaving it unaddressed.Plan your discussion beforehand If you want to have the most success, it's importa...