| Dear Friends, Family, & Clients,
In this edition, we provide information on Health Care Reform that is of particular interest to seniors and those with disabilities. While there are many helpful provisions, we are certainly pleased with the law's focus on providing long term care solutions that are alternatives to nursing homes. It may take some time for the law to be implemented, but it is encouraging to see Congress keeping long term care in its focus.
We
are also pleased that senior associate Lindsay Knowles has returned
following a 6 month maternity leave. She enjoys being a new mom to
daughter Zoe Irene but is also thrilled to be back at work. Ask her to
show you a picture!
Scott, Jeffery, and Lindsay would all like to take this opportunity to thank paralegal Jamie Strahlendorf for her work during Lindsay's absence. Jamie quickly moved from receptionist to full-time paralegal so that she could assist Scott and Jeff during Lindsay's leave. Her paralegal work now focuses on Medicaid issues and probate administration. However, she remains a jack of all trades for the office and we certainly appreciate her efforts.
We hope you continue to find this newsletter helpful and information. We also continue to welcome your feedback, appreciate your referrals and encourage you to forward the newsletter to others who could benefit.
Sincerely,
Severns & Stinson--Pathfinders in Elder Law |
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Elder Law News from Severns & Stinson
April 2010
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Severns & Stinson. P.C.
10293 N. Meridian Street
Suite 150
Indianapolis, Indiana 46290
(317) 817-0300
(317) 817-0302 Fax
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Attorney Spotlight
Jeffery Stinson recently presented at the Waters of Indianapolis. His presentation focused on Planning for Long Term Care.
The attorneys at Severns & Stinson are available to make free, educational presentations regarding long term care planning and other issues relevant to seniors and their families. If you are interested in scheduling a presentation, please contact us at (317) 817-0300.
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If
you answer yes to any of these questions, Severns & Stinson can
help.
-Has a family member been diagnosed with a mentally
or physically debilitating disorder such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS,
stroke or a decline in functional capacity?
-Is a family member isolated due to the recent death
of a spouse, or have family that either lives too far away or is too busy to
provide adequate care?
-Is a family member soon to be discharged into a care
facility or currently receiving in-home care?
-Does a family member have a variety of healthcare
providers and need coordination and advocacy for quality care?
-Does a family member seem unusually concerned about
costs of medication and services, indicating he or she may be having financial
troubles?
-Does a family member have assets that fall between
$50,000 and $400,000 - enough to finance a short stay in a care facility but not
enough for an extended stay?
-Does a family member have a spouse whose financial
needs must be considered in light of a family member's medical condition?
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Health Reform: What
Changes Are in Store for the Elderly?
 After a year of
legislative wrangling and premature forecasts of death, historic
legislation overhauling the nation's health insurance system has passed
the Congress and been signed into law by President Obama. The new law
includes the nation's first publicly funded national long-term care
insurance program.Read on |
Letting a Computer Plan
Your Estate: Is It Worth the Risk?
Many Web sites offer
customized, do-it-yourself wills and other estate planning documents.
These computer-based services appear to offer a cost-effective and
convenient alternative to visiting an estate planning or elder law
attorney. But is online estate planning worth the convenience and
initial savings? Read on
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Exchange an Old Annuity
or Life Insurance for Long-Term Care Insurance
A new law makes the
purchase of products that combine annuities or insurance policies with
long-term care insurance more attractive. The law also allows owners of
annuities or life insurance policies to exchange their old policies for
long-term care insurance or hybrid policies without being taxed. Read on |
To Roth or Not to Roth?
Now that 2010 has
arrived, people whose incomes were previously too high to permit them to
rollover a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA are calling their investment
houses about making conversions. Read on
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Avoiding Expensive
Funerals.
When planning a
funeral, the expenses can add up quickly. The average funeral costs
about $7,300, but there are several ways to save on funeral expenses. Read on
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| About Our Law Firm
Severns & Stinson, P.C. is a law firm focused on the needs of families confronting issues with health care. We have a special emphasis on long term care issues -- an emphasis that has come to be known as "elder law." Our firm consists of five attorneys and two paraprofessionals.
Our services include the following:
- Asset Protection & Long Term Care Planning
- Medicaid Planning, Applications and Appeals
- Medicare Consultation and Advocacy
- Estate Planning
- "Making It Last"™ - Supplemental Needs Trusts and Asset Protection for Persons with Disabilities
- Response Team Building - Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Declarations and Other Advance Directives
- Guardianships and Probate Administration
- Patients Rights and Care Advocacy.
Severns & Stinson. P.C.
10293 N. Meridian Street, Suite 150
Indianapolis, Indiana 46290
317.817-0300
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