By Joan Reed Wilson, Esq. In our estate planning, probate and elder law practice here at RWC, LLC, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, we often see family squabbles that erupt because of unmet expectations. Many of these expectations involve emotionally-valuable personal property. And many of them erupt after the passing of a loved one. In many instances, had the family discussed these expectations prior to their loved one’s passing, these squabbles (some of which end up severing family relationships for a lifetime) could have been avoided. With the holidays upon us, we urge you to use these tips. Please feel
Read more →By: Joan Reed Wilson, Esq. Welcome to this edition of FALSE FACTS FRIDAY. In my twenty years of practicing law, I have heard some very incorrect and inaccurate information, which many people believe to be true, sometimes to their detriment. With this periodic blog, I hope to spread the truth. FALSE FACT Vol. 1, Issue 1: If I don’t protect my money, the State will take it. This is probably the most common “inaccurate” statement that I hear in my elder law practice. We do help clients protect their assets, but not because the State will take them if you
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By: Joan Reed Wilson, Esq. Effective August 10, 2018, the Connecticut Residential Property Condition Disclosure Form has changed. The revised form applies to all residential real estate listed on or after August 10, 2018. The old form will expire on August 9, 2018. The law still requires the seller to credit the purchaser $500 at closing if the seller fails to provide the disclosure form. Click here to see the new form. The Connecticut Association of Realtors has prepared a summary of the changes.
Read more →Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that beginning in 2019, Medicare Advantage plans will cover supplemental non-skilled home benefits that include daily maintenance. This is the first time that CMA has allowed a service that covers daily maintenance to be eligible as a supplemental benefit. The Agency stated that “under the new definition, the agency will allow supplemental benefits if they compensate for physical impairments, diminish the impact of injuries or health conditions, and/or reduce avoidable emergency room utilization.” “Our priority is to ensure that our seniors have more choices and lower premiums in
Read more →SENIOR TAX RELIEF PROGRAM 2018 By: Joan Reed Wilson, Attorney at Law The State of Connecticut Homeowner’s Tax Relief Program provides real estate tax relief for seniors and disabled homeowners who qualify. Qualification depends on the homeowner’s age and gross income. If you or someone you know is over age 65 (or has been deemed disabled) and had income in 2017 that was less than$43,000 (married) or $35,300 (unmarried), be sure to visit your Town’s Assessor with your completed 2017 tax return as soon as possible to complete the necessary application. The application period expires on May 15, 2018. For more
Read more →You know how those lengthy “Terms of Service” Agreements that you accept when you download a new app or online service prohibit you from allowing a third party to access your data? Me neither….because no one reads them (even lawyers). But with nearly 90% of the people in the United States using the internet for social media, online shopping and banking, and e-mail, there often is a need for someone other than the original authorized user to access this data. This need often presents itself in estate planning or probate matters. Federal privacy laws, including the Stored Communications Act, however,
Read more →It is about that time of year that most of our New Year Resolutions have gone by the wayside. I am not big on resolutions, but admit to having a few. Some were business oriented, including a promise to myself to update our law firm blog more frequently with interesting and informative articles. Others were more personal. So as I write tonight, I have decided to get back to those resolutions and kill two birds with one stone. To do so, I need to make a confession. Well, two confessions. The first is that this is the first article I
Read more →The Veteran’s Aid and Attendance (A&A) Pension provides benefits for qualified veterans and their surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in eating, bathing, dressing and undressing or taking care of the needs of personal hygiene (known as Activities of Daily Living). This could include home care or care in a facility. There are several levels of qualification. Currently, in very general terms, the veteran must have served in active duty for at least 90 days, one of which must have been during a defined wartime period, a physician must verify that the applicant requires
Read more →So your agreement is signed and approved by a judge who declared you single – you leave the courthouse thankful that you will never step foot in it again. Unfortunately, many divorced couples find themselves back in family court for a variety of reasons. A large part of my practice consists of post judgment contempt matters and modification of custody arrangements. I find, more often than not, that these matters can be more adversarial and more costly to my clients than the divorce itself. There are some simple ways to avoid unnecessary conflict when facing post-divorce issues: The simplest way
Read more →When I was about to marry my first husband, we were given a Myers-Briggs personality test by the priest who was to marry us to predict our compatibility. I do not recall what the results were, but I seem to remember a look of disappointment? (or maybe fear?) on the face of that priest. Since I have already said that he was my first husband, you can guess how things worked out. Now, I am not saying that a standardized test or left/right brain thinking differences can predict the success or failure of your marriage or even how a couple will
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