Two U.S. senators have introduced legislation that would end the practice of nursing home residents signing away their right to a trial before any actual dispute with the facility has arisen.

The Supreme Court of Ohio suspends an attorney for two years for preparing estate planning documents for clients solicited by a company that uses direct-mailings to market estate planning services in Ohio and other states. Ohio State Bar Assn. v. Jackel (2008-Ohio-1981, May 1, 2008).

A male resident at the Kildegaarden nursing home in Denmark recently made an indecent sexual proposal to a member of the staff. In a U.S. nursing home, this behavior would have been ignored or rebuked. But at Kildegaarden, the response of the facility’s director, Inger Marie Kristensen, was to tell a nurse to telephone for […]

This article examines the unique planning requirements of families with children, grandchildren or other family members (such as parents) with special needs. There are many misconceptions in this area that result in costly mistakes in planning for these special needs beneficiaries. It is therefore incumbent upon us – the client’s advisors – to ensure that […]

A recent IRS notice seems to permit beneficiaries of inherited retirement plans and IRA’s to convett those inherited accounts to a Roth IRA.  Notice 2008-30 provides guidance about the distribution provisions of the Pension Protection ACt of 2006.  Prior to this Notice, only spousal beneficiaries had this option, via the spousal IRA rollover privilege.  Non-spouses […]

A New York trial court recently approved a trustee’s petition to reform his deceased father’s trust in order to protect his disabled sister’s Medicaid benefits. In Matter of Newman (2008 NY Slip Op 50127, Jan. 22, 2008). When he died in 1988, William Newman established a trust in his will for his disabled daughter. The […]

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the complete list of U.S. nursing homes that have failed to meet safety and quality standards for care. The list, which identifies 131 "Special Focus Facilities" that require additional oversight, follows the release in November 2007 of a list of 54 such facilities. At […]

This article addresses a law change that is important to all wealth planning professionals and their clients. Beginning January 1, 2008 and continuing through at least 2010, a zero tax rate may apply to long-term capital gain and dividend income that would otherwise be taxed at the regular 15% and/or 10% rates. The new zero […]

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled that the nearly disinherited step-grandchildren of an elderly decedent are entitled to attorneys fees in their action to set aside a trust amendment that was obtained through undue influence. Corr v. Smith (Okla., No. 102687, Feb. 12, 2008).

Seniors can benefit from the economic stimulus law enacted on February 13, 2008, but they need to file an income tax return. Seniors, disabled veterans, and veterans’ widows will receive $300 payments if they earned $3,000 in Social Security or veterans’ disability benefits in 2007. In addition, workers who earned at least $3,000, but not […]