Annemarie Schreiber Law Blog

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a professional association of attorneys dedicated to improving the quality of legal services provided to older Americans and individuals with special needs, established May as Elder Law Month as a way to educate seniors and their families about their legal options in dealing with elder abuse and fraud, long-term and health care planning, Medicaid, Medicare, estate planning, and other important issues.... Read More

With more and more people being thrust into caring for an aging relative and being ill equipped to do so, it is oftentimes comforting to know that there is a resource out there to help navigate through the maze that caring for an aging relative often presents.... Read More

Every person reading this article has the potential to be the subject of a guardianship hearing.  As we get older, the concern grows that our mental faculties may become impaired, and we will no longer be able to handle our own personal or financial affairs.  Ailments like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are common and become more likely with age, as does the risk of stroke and other debilitating health issues.  Once a person becomes mentally incapacitate... Read More

Estate planning does not often make an appearance at the Oscars but that’s what happened this year.  The Descendants, staring George Clooney, offered life lessons in estate planning.  Although to most movie watchers, the estate planning issues were just subtle backdrops, to an estate planner those issues were center screen.  From the issues related to living wills to the administration of the trust, the movie was filled with estate planning issues.  Let̵... Read More

Although I enjoy participating in any seminar that’s topic focuses on elder law, this particular seminar I find to be truly beneficial because we can all learn something from it and, hopefully, such education will protect us from becoming a victim. ... Read More

A power of attorney (POA) and an Advance Medical Directive are two of the most important estate planning documents you can have, but they may be useless if they don't comply with the federal privacy law.... Read More

Doctors recommend visiting once every year for a physical, and dentists stress the importance of six-month checkups, but did you know that you should also take the time to review your estate planning documents with your attorney? It is all too easy to have a these documents prepared and then forget about them.  However, even small changes in circumstances can have a significant impact on your plans.  A delay in addressing these changes can substantially alter your intent... Read More

Another question you need to ask yourself prior to having your document prepared is: what care do you want during your final illness?  You must decide what medical care and treatment you wish  to have during your final illness.  What interventions do you want to continue and what interventions do you want discontinued, such as respiration, nutrition, hydration.... Read More