Blog - Sheila Samuels Law

Staying Connected to Family Members in a Nursing Home When Visits are Banned
Staying Connected to Family Members in a Nursing Home When Visits are Banned

Staying Connected to Family Members in a Nursing Home When Visits are Banned

The spread of the coronavirus to nursing home residents has caused the federal government to direct nursing homes to restrict visitor access, and many assisted living facilities have done the same. While the move helps the residents stay healthy, it can also lead to social isolation and depression. Families are having to find new ways to stay in touch. Nursing homes have been hit hard by the coronavirus. The Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington near Seattle was one of the first clusters of coronavirus [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2020-04-28T15:55:21+00:00April 28th, 2020|Long-Term Care|

Should You Bring Your Parent Home from the Nursing Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic?
Should You Bring Your Parent Home from the Nursing Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

Should You Bring Your Parent Home from the Nursing Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

With the coronavirus pandemic hitting nursing homes and assisted living facilities especially hard, families are wondering whether they should bring their parents or other loved ones home. It is a tough decision with no easy answers. The number of coronavirus cases in nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the country continues to grow. As of April 2, the Associated Press estimated that “at least 450 deaths and nearly 2,300 infections have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities nationwide.” [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2020-04-22T00:25:54+00:00April 22nd, 2020|Long-Term Care|

Will Your Stimulus Check Affect Your Medicaid Eligibility?
Will Your Stimulus Check Affect Your Medicaid Eligibility?

Will Your Stimulus Check Affect Your Medicaid Eligibility?

The coronavirus relief bill includes a direct payment to most Americans, but this has Medicaid recipients wondering how the payment will affect them. Because the payment is not income, it should not count against a Medicaid recipient’s eligibility. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides a one-time direct payment of $1,200 to individuals earning less than $75,000 per year ($150,000 for couples who file jointly), including Social Security beneficiaries. Individuals earning up to $99,000 ($198,000 for joint filers) will receive smaller stimulus [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2020-04-17T21:10:17+00:00April 17th, 2020|Elder Counsel|

What Can You Do to Protect Your Loved One in a Nursing Home During the Pandemic?
What Can You Do to Protect Your Loved One in a Nursing Home During the Pandemic?

What Can You Do to Protect Your Loved One in a Nursing Home During the Pandemic?

As the coronavirus spreads across the United States, we are seeing that nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable to the disease. Several families have asked me, how can they try to ensure that their loved one stays healthy? The first thing you can do is research the nursing home. While you likely made inquiries before your loved one moved in, you may not have gotten into specifics about the facility’s policies for preventing infection. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a fact [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2020-04-15T23:35:51+00:00April 15th, 2020|Long-Term Care|

How We are Handling COVID-19
How We are Handling COVID-19

How We are Handling COVID-19

Dear Clients and Friends, Like everyone else, at the Samuels Law Firm, we are closely monitoring the developments and recommendations regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Therefore, I wanted to take the time to personally update you on the steps we are taking to ensure the well-being of our clients, visitors, staff, and communities during this viral pandemic. We understand that now more than ever, it is important for us to be here for our clients and the community as many of them are dealing with disability, illness, [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2020-03-20T21:20:58+00:00March 20th, 2020|Estate Planning, Legal Documents|

What to Look for in a Pre-Paid Funeral Plan
What to Look for in a Pre-Paid Funeral Plan

What to Look for in a Pre-Paid Funeral Plan

At our firm, we also help individuals and families with Medicaid Planning. When applying for public benefits programs, such as Medicaid, there are financial income and asset limits. When an individual is over the asset limit for Medicaid, one way to spend down their money may be for the individual to pre-pay their funeral costs. In addition to reducing your assets to qualify for Medicaid, pre-paying for your funeral can also ease the burden on your family following your death and make sure your wishes [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2020-02-04T21:51:14+00:00January 29th, 2020|Estate Planning, Legal Documents|

New Year, New Plan
New Year, New Plan

New Year, New Plan

Happy New Year! We hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season. It is hard to believe that it is 2020. We are in a new decade! I am sure many of you are already thinking about all of the goals you want to accomplish by the end of the year. If you are like me, maybe you want to exercise more, travel more, or eat healthier. As you begin to set your goals for the year, how about creating an estate plan? The beginning [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2020-01-08T20:49:24+00:00January 8th, 2020|Estate Planning, Legal Documents|

Tips on Creating an Estate Plan that Benefits a Child with Special Needs
Tips on Creating an Estate Plan that Benefits a Child with Special Needs

Tips on Creating an Estate Plan that Benefits a Child with Special Needs

As parents, we want our children to be taken care of after we die. This is even truer when there are children with special needs because of their increased financial and long-term care needs. Therefore, proper planning is necessary to benefit a child with a disability, including an adult child, and any siblings who may be left with the caretaking responsibility. In this month’s newsletter, we discuss a few ways to create an estate plan that benefits a child with special needs. Special Needs Trusts [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2019-10-14T15:59:43+00:00October 11th, 2019|Estate Planning, Special Needs|

The 6 Biggest Estate Planning Mistakes
The 6 Biggest Estate Planning Mistakes

The 6 Biggest Estate Planning Mistakes

If you’re like most people, you have the best of intentions with regard to how you want your estate distributed when you die or your affairs handled should you become incapacitated. Unfortunately, without proper planning, your best intentions may not be enough. Here are six of the most common estate planning mistakes we have seen people make: Failing to plan. The biggest mistake is failing to create a plan in the first place. Without an estate plan, your assets will be distributed according to the [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2019-10-11T16:45:53+00:00February 25th, 2019|Estate Planning|

Why Does A Power of Attorney Matter?
Why Does A Power of Attorney Matter?

Why Does A Power of Attorney Matter?

We hope the New Year has been good for everyone, thus far. The beginning of a new year is a great time to create a comprehensive estate plan or to have an estate plan “checkup” of your existing estate plan to make sure it is up to date. I recently met with a prospective client who contacted the firm to discuss creating his legacy plan. After discussing the various planning strategies, the prospective client said he did not see the need for a power of [...]

By Sheila Samuels|2019-01-28T00:11:40+00:00January 27th, 2019|Estate Planning|