Dear clients and friends,   READER QUESTION:   If my mother’s regular checking and savings account are actually listed as a joint account with my nephew, does Medicaid still consider it only her money or half her money?    MY RESPONSE:   Jointly held bank accounts are understandingly confusing. After …

Dear clients and friends, READER QUESTION: My son is disabled and receiving SSI and Medicaid. He recently had some damage in his apartment and subsequently received a check from the insurance company covering the loss. Can he deposit this money in his account without losing his government benefits? ANSWER: The …

Dear clients and friends: Since I just recently wrote about the title theft scam, I thought I’d keep the theme going with the following article which was featured on a recent newsletter called, “The Alert for Members” on the Blue Cross/Blue Shield website. I wanted to pass it on because …

Dear clients and friends: READER QUESTION: I hear that homeowners are having their titles stolen and have lost their homes to this thievery. Title theft warning services are being sold on TV to supposedly protect you from this practice when Lifelock, etc. won’t. Would having a mortgage on your home make …

LISTEN TO LAWRENCE Dear clients and friends: I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. The weather was great and it was nice to relax for a few days. We deserved it! BUT……Labor Day is over and it is time to get back to work. I want to …

Dear clients and friends, I’d like to share another article which might be of special interest to some of my clients from the Special Needs Alliance, an organization of which I was one of the founding members. You can find many more helpful articles and resources on the Special Needs …

LISTEN TO LAWRENCE Dear clients and friends, One of my last emails concluded my series on FDIC (and NCUA) insurance protection. Both you and I are probably thankful for that 😊. One of my readers told me “Why bother learning about this because if you go to FDIC.GOV they have a …

LISTEN TO LAWRENCE Dear clients and friends, This LISTEN TO LAWRENCE installment introduces the last two categories of separate FDIC insurance: CORPORATION/PARTNERSHIP/UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATION ACCOUNTS and GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS. Remember, this insurance is in addition to the insurance you get from each of the other categories discussed in my previous emails. FDIC …

LISTEN TO LAWRENCE…Literally! Dear clients and friends, Hopefully, you listened to and enjoyed my two podcasts (Comparative Elder Law: New York and NY Medicaid Planning – A Comparison) hosted by my friend and fellow Elder Law attorney, Robert Fleming of the Elder Law firm, Fleming and Curti, PLC. If you …

LISTEN TO LAWRENCE Dear clients and friends, FDIC PART 9: EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN ACCOUNTS This LISTEN TO LAWRENCE installment introduces the sixth category of separate FDIC insurance, EMPLOYEE BENEFIT ACCOUNTS, at an insured bank. Remember, this insurance is in addition to the insurance you get from each of the other categories, including …

LISTEN TO LAWRENCE…Literally! Dear clients and friends, By this time, we sure hope you listened to and enjoyed my first podcast (Comparative Elder Law: New York) hosted by my friend and fellow Elder Law attorney, Robert Fleming of the Elder Law firm, Fleming and Curti, PLC. Podcasts seem to be …

LISTEN TO LAWRENCE Dear clients and friends, FDIC PART 8: CERTAIN RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS This LISTEN TO LAWRENCE installment introduces the fifth category of separate FDIC insurance, CERTAIN RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS at an insured bank. Remember, this insurance is in addition to the insurance you get from each of the other categories …

Dear clients and friends, During the height of the pandemic when our physical office was closed, I was running my legal practice from Tucson, Arizona. Hey, why not? While I was there, I visited Robert Fleming, a nationally known Elder Law attorney and partner of Fleming and Curti, PLC. I …

Dear clients and friends, FDIC QUESTION FROM A CLIENT Per your advice, all my beneficiaries say: 50% to the Trustee of the Trust for the Benefit of XXX XXXX under the Mike & Carol Brady Family Trust dated 10/13/08 (names changed to protect the innocent). Does this meet the requirement …

Dear clients and friends, FDIC PART 7B IRREVOCABLE TRUSTS CONTINUED CLIENT QUESTION My wife and I each created a revocable trust in your office to avoid probate. My wife died last year and her trust became irrevocable. Is her trust insured under the revocable or irrevocable category? It seems the …

Dear clients and friends, FDIC PART 7 A: IRREVOCABLE TRUSTS This LISTEN TO LAWRENCE installment introduces the fourth category of separate FDIC insurance, the IRREVOCABLE TRUST account, at an insured bank. Remember, this insurance is in addition to the insurance you get from each of the other categories and these …

Dear clients and friends, FDIC PART 6 C This email is a continuation of my discussion of FDIC (AND NCUA) insurance protection under the REVOCABLE TRUST category. To review past LISTEN TO LAWRENCE emails, go to DAVIDOWLAW.COM under the tab Media and Resources and click on “Articles” where they are …

Dear clients and friends, NEWS FLASH Nursing homes and assisted living facilities have been on lockdown since March 13, 2020, completely isolating the residents from their families and friends. I am happy to announce that the Department of Health has issued new guidance allowing LIMITED visitation. The window is not …

Dear clients and friends, FDIC PART 6 B This is a continuation of the last one where I discussed FDIC (and NCUA) insurance protection under the REVOCABLE TRUST category. There are a couple of formal requirements you have to follow to get the insurance protection under the REVOCABLE TRUST category, …

LISTEN TO LAWRENCE Dear clients and friends, FDIC PART SIX A In a prior email, called FDIC PART TWO, I introduced the concept that you are entitled to $250,000 of FDIC insurance protection per depositor, per bank and per ACCOUNT OWNERSHIP CATEGORY…..and that there are eight categories. This email will …