The State of Michigan sponsored VA advocate and mediation will be defunct as of May 15, 2009. Gov. Granholm disbanded these service centers as part of the budget reduction. This means that if you have a question about VA services, benefits, etc. you must go through the Federal system of the VA to get an…
Continue reading ›If you live in Michigan and have questions about estate planning, VA benefits and/or Medicaid planning, tune in to AM 690 WNZK and listen to the “Ask Your Neighbor” radio show hosted by Bob Allison. I appear as a special guest every Friday morning from 9:00 am until 9:30 am to cover estate planning, probate,…
Continue reading ›I am excited to announce that I will be appearing on the “Ask Your Neighbor” radio show, every Friday morning, to discuss legal and elder law topics. Bob Allison, the host of the show, has been a local Detroit radio icon for over forty (40) years. Ask Your Neighbor, can be heard Monday through Friday…
Continue reading ›If you are interested in learning more about the topics that I have discussed on this site and live in the Howell area, I will be presenting a seminar at the Oakhaven Manor Senior facility in Howell, Michigan on Friday April 3, 2008. All are welcome to attend. For more information please feel free to…
Continue reading ›Michigan’s Department of Human Services (DHS) is the administrative branch responsible for administering and managing the state’s Medicaid program. This branch of government is responsible for setting the Medicaid eligibility criteria each year. Recently, the DHS released its financial eligibility criteria. The new community spouse resource allowance is a minimum of $21,912.00 and a maximum…
Continue reading ›Frequently, veterans that are residents of Macomb County who need assistance will consider applying for Medicaid benefits in addiiton to VA benefits. If you or your family fall into this category, it is important to understand the interaction between the different care systems as well as the differences in application of federal and state regulations.…
Continue reading ›Often times I meet with veterans that are already receiving service related benefits in the form of disability benefits. It is important to understand that often times if you are already receiving disability benefits it is not likely you will be eligible to receive improved pension benefits, notably, aid and attendance benefits. Here is an…
Continue reading ›Often times when I work with clients in Metro-Detroit interested in long term care planning clients are often interested in engaging in planning for VA benefits, but are unaware of the consequences involved with regard to Medicaid benefits should their health decline necessitating a move to a nursing home. In order to qualify for VA…
Continue reading ›The Department of Veterans Affairs, formerly the Veterans Administration and still commonly referred to as the “VA,” is the second largest Cabinet department reporting to the executive branch of our government, with over 275,000 employees and a $90 billion budget. Despite its size, the VA does run an efficient office; however, most people learn that…
Continue reading ›The holidays are often a good time to evaluate long term care options. Often, I receive phone calls from children who after visiting with their parents over the holidays realize that that they need more assistance at home or that mom and dad are not doing as well as they thought. Or after self evaluation…
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