Author Archives: Noreen Murphy
May Is Elder Law Education Month
The Massachusetts Bar Association and the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys have joined together to sponsor “Taking Control of Your Future: A Legal Checkup.” Qualified attorneys will be giving presentations throughout the month of May … Continue reading
College Students Need “Estate Planning” Documents
Estate planning is not the first thought most parents have when their child is accepted to college. But it should be addressed before your child goes off to school. Once your child turns 18, they are no longer a minor. … Continue reading
Granny Pods: An Alternative To A Nursing Home?
Officially called a MEDCottage, these are modular units that can be placed in a family members yard and may be an alternative to nursing home placement. The company that manufacturers them, N2Care, says their mission is to “to design, create and … Continue reading
Aid and Attendance Benefits
On December 6, 2012 I will be giving a presentation at Atria Longmeadow Place, 42 Mall Rd., Burlington, MA on the Aid and Attendance benefit available for qualified veterans. This presentation is free and open to the public. The presentation … Continue reading
Medicare Payment: Improvement No Longer The Standard
For decades, the decision on whether Medicare would pay for coverage for chronically ill patients has been based on the whether the patient’s condition would improve with additional care. That was a very high bar. Many patients undergoing needed physical … Continue reading
Joint Ownership Is NOT An Estate Plan
In an effort to make their children’s lives easier when they pass away, many people use joint ownership as a method for distributing their estate. They believe that this will be the simplest way for their heirs to inherit. In … Continue reading
How to Avoid Probate
Many people want to avoid Probate Court oversight of the transfer of their estate. In Massachusetts, all the Probate Laws changed on April 2, 2012. Although the new probate laws were supposed to make the process easier, faster, and cheaper, it … Continue reading
Thinking of Writing Your Own Estate Planning Documents?
Thinking of creating your own estate plan? You may want to think again. In Massachusetts, there are dozens of cases where a Will or Trust has been challenged because an error was made in the signing or the drafting of … Continue reading
Estate Planning With An IRA
Many people have some type of Individual Retirement Account that should be reviewed as part of the estate planning process. Since an IRA is part of the ultimate distribution, it is a good idea to contact the company managing the … Continue reading
Questions About Home Care and Assisted Living?
Get Answers to Your Questions One of the things that makes elder law so different from other areas of practice is that elder law attorneys are often trying to put plans and solutions in place for their clients. Offering a … Continue reading
