As the year draws towards an end, the annual cost of living adjustments (COLA) for social security and other govenmerntal benefits are released. Hot off the press and effective January 1, 2015 the following will apply to qualified veterans receiving and or applying for non-service connected pension benefits in the form of aid and attendance:…
Continue reading ›Are you a military veteran who lives in the Detroit area and have questions about VA Benefits? If so, it is important to understand how your service is characterized because your eligibility for benefits is directly tied to your military service characterization. Anyone who has served this country in uniform will tell you that they…
Continue reading ›Detroit and Grand Rapids area veterans may be eligible to receive VA benefits to supplement the cost of their care for either assisted living, independent living with care, or in home care. Through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) non-service connected benefits program aging and disabled veterans that need assistance with two (2) or more…
Continue reading ›If you are a loyal listener to WYCD 99.5 in the metro Detroit area, you have probably heard our new advertisements for elder law and VA benefit planning. SMDA P.Chttps://www.smdalaw.com. or Serafini, Michalowski, Derkacz and Associates, P.C. has established itself as one of the premier elder law and long term care planning law firms in…
Continue reading ›As the newest member of the team at Serafini, Michalowski, Derkacz & Associates (SMDA), I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself to those who frequently read this blog. My name is Shane Childers, and I am excited to be a part of a firm with offices in both Sterling Heights and Zeeland, Michigan,…
Continue reading ›For decades, our nation’s veterans have fought with the Veteran’s Administration (VA) to secure service-connected disability benefits for conditions believed to be linked to Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam. Many suffered with chronic illnesses caused by the toxic herbicide, but were denied benefits by the VA. However, recent medical studies have established a definitive link…
Continue reading ›Do they, or, don’t they? This is a hot topic facing seniors that are veterans who are currently residing in independent living facilities in metro Detroit and West Michigan. The question involves whether or not the costs of living at a senior living community otherwise qualify as un-reimbursed medical expenses under the Veteran’s Administration (VA)…
Continue reading ›If you are a veteran receiving non-service connected pension benefits and/or aid and attendance, the federal government has more good news for you following the announced increase in benefits that we earlier reported. As must of you know, once you receive non-service connected benefits you must complete the annual report to the VA known as…
Continue reading ›Finally some good news from Washington which will mean good news for Detroit veterans receiving VA benefits. After a few years of no increase to non-service connected pension benefits, the federal government has increased the maximum benefit amounts for veterans receiving aid and attendance. The amount of increase is equal to the 1.7% cost of…
Continue reading ›Are you a senior residing in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, Ottawa or Kent County and need assistance with long-term care planning, elder law or veteran’s benefits to provide in home care, assisted living, or, nursing home care for yourself or for a loved one? In my last entry we discussed the use of qualified or retirement…
Continue reading ›
