When you file a Petition to Probate a Will or a Petition for Letters of Administration in Georgia, you must give notice to all heirs-at-law. Why? Because those are the persons who have legal standing to file an objection (caveat) to the Will or file an objection to your Petition for Letters of Administration. What […]
In Georgia, anyone in possession of an original Will after the Will-maker’s death, must file it with the appropriate Probate Court. HOWEVER, that does not mean you must file a Petition to Probate the Will. The following form may be used to file the Will for information purposes only. Source: Cobb County Probate Court (modified […]
The following notices are routinely included with other correspondence from Tenncare. Below are Tenncare’s notices regarding: (1) Estate Recovery, (2) Qualified Income Trusts, and (3) Reporting changes to Tenncare.
In In Re Estate of Penland, 357 Ga. App. 369 (2020), the probate court found that James Ray and Eloise Hadaway violated an in terrorem clause in their mother’s Will when they failed to make certain specific distributions required under the Will and ruled they were disinherited under the Will. The Court of Appeals found […]
Estate Planning and Estate Tax News: The simple four step guide for estate planning How to get your affairs in order Making legal plans after dementia diagnosis Opinion: When faced with death, people often change their minds Trust or Will? How to navigate what’s best for your family Basics of Estate Planning and Your Digital […]
In In re Estate of Butler, 356 Ga. App. 287 (2020), Anita Butler filed a petition to probate her father’s Will. Other family members filed an objection and caveat. Ultimately the case was settled with Butler agreeing to offer her late father’s will in Vermont in order to transfer a parcel of real estate located […]
Appeal Route From Article 6 Probate Court In Spence v. Dep’t of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, 359 Ga. App. 603 (2021), Jermaine Spense was involuntarily committed as a hospital inpatient. Spence sought review after the Department sought an order of continued hospitalization of Spence pursuant to OCGA § 37-3-83. On April 18, 2019, the […]
In In re Estate of Brown, 357 Ga. App. 869, 850 S.E.2d 503 (2020), the Fulton County Probate Court appointed Ann Herrera as conservator for Leon Brown in 2011. After Brown died, Herrera filed a petition for letters of administration and Brown’s sister, Linda Glover, objected. Glover argued that Brown was a resident of Henry […]
By statute, Georgia law provides that “No common-law marriage shall be entered into in this state on or after January 1, 1997. Otherwise valid common-law marriages entered into prior to January 1, 1997, shall not be affected by this Code section and shall continue to be recognized in this state.” See O.C.G.A. § 19-3-1.1. Still, […]
In In re Estate of Cornett, 357 Ga. App. 310 (2020), Sarah Cornett was appointed successor Executor over the Will of her deceased husband, George Thomas Cornett, Jr. (“Tom”). Tom had five surviving adult children. Sarah appealed after she was removed as Executor and ordered to return certain estate assets and to pay certain funds […]
In addition to a health care advance directive, one way to create evidence regarding your health treatment wishes and end-of0life wishes is to complete a health values questionnaire. One of the issues in Cruzan and Schiavo was the absence of adequate evidence demonstrating what the patient would want if she could speak for herself. Wouldn’t […]
If you want someone to represent you in front of the IRS, you will need to execute Form 2848. The 2021 version is below. Updated versions are available at www.irs.gov.
In In re Estate of Burkhalter, 354 Ga. App. 231 (2020), William Burkhalter was executor of the estate of Louise Ray Burkhalter. George Burkhalter and Nancy Ward, beneficiaries of Louise’s estate, filed a petition for declaratory judgment seeking an accounting. William took the position that George and Nancy had violated the Will’s in terrorem clause […]
In In re Estate of Jenkins, 358 Ga. App. 254 (2021), the ward (Shaun Jenkins) sustained profound injuries as an infant due to malpractice. Jenkins received a settlement giving him annual income of $337,000 (or about $28,000 per month). The probate court limited the Conservator’s spending to $17,000. In 2019, the Conservator purchased a disabled-accessible […]
We’d like to know whether you have an estate plan?
An Ethical Will is a statement of values you want to pass along to those you leave behind. It is not a replacement for a Last Will & Testament, which distributes your property. However, money isn’t necessarily the most important thing you leave behind when you depart this world. You can use this form (or […]
One gift you can give your family is a guide to what you want (and don’t want) after you die. Many families are grieving when they make choices at the funeral home. Completing a planning guide can help them get it right so they don’t overcompensate when making funeral plans.
The key to successful special needs planning is preparing for the day when parents, grandparents, spouses or others are no longer available to assist the individual with special needs. There are many special needs planning guides out there, but the form below is an example you can use. We also recommend Hal Wright’s book, the […]
In Georgia, a Conservator must file an annual return and a final return. The current form appears below. For the most part, this form requires a check-book type entry, listing all funds coming in and all funds going out. One mistake many conservators make which adds to the book-keeping burden is maintaining multiple accounts. Multiple […]
As of December 21, 2021, Georgia has changed its Estate Recovery Program rules under Title 49 O.C.G.A. § 49-4-147.1. This change is effective July as of July 1, 2018.
As of December 15, 2021, Georgia Medicaid renewals have been extended again due to Covid-19.
In Georgia and 26 other states, insurers that sell Medicare supplement insurance must also sell those policies to individuals under 65 who receive Medicare as a result of disability. Specifically, O.C.G.A. § 33-43-3(g) provides: Insurers offering medicare supplement policies in this state to persons 65 years of age or older shall also offer medicare supplement […]
General Sources: Autism Society’s Capital Connection 12-16-2021 (reviewing Build Back Better Act) National Health Care Spending in 2020: Growth Driven by Federal Spending in Response to Covid-19 (Health Affairs) House Advances Build Back Better Act (Health Affairs) Indirect Gift Tax Considerations for 2021 (The Tax Advisor) Smart moves to make with your retirement portfolio before […]
The standards for the 2022 Community Spouse Resource Allowance and Community Spouse Monthly Income Allowance have been updated in the document below:
General News Sources: NAELA member Janet Colliton, CELA, wrote Eligible Charity Distribution can reduce taxes Lack of special ed teachers keeps some autistic students ill-prepared for college Bob Dole remembered as champion for people with disabilities If you have a child with special needs, here’s how to plan for their life after you pass What […]
A parent or a guardian (each a “designated individual”) may appoint a standby guardian of a minor. O.C.G.A. § 29-2-10. Upon determination that the designating individual is unable to care for the minor, the standby guardian, without judicial intervention, may assume all rights, duties and responsibilities of guardianship of the minor. The standby guardian must […]
A new Medicaid lien case is pending in the U.S. Supreme Court. The question presented is “[w]hether the federal Medicaid Act provides for a state Medicaid program to recover reimbursement for Medicaid’s payment of a beneficiary’s past medical expenses by taking funds from the portion of the beneficiary’s tort recovery that compensates for future medical […]
The cases discussed here make clear the importance of making health decisions in advance and communicating them. Too often, decisions are put off, sometimes because people fear an advance directive is a license to kill; if individuals took time to examine the document, they would find that its simply an expression of individual values, whether […]
Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 31-39-1 et seq.) defines a candidate for non-resuscitation as a patient who, based on a determination to a reasonable degree of medical certainty by an attending physician with the concurrence of another physician: (A) Has a medical condition which can reasonably be expected to result in the imminent death of the […]
Nursing home residents and their personal representatives have a right to stay informed regarding their condition and their care. 42 CFR § 483.10(g) provides: (1) The resident has the right to be informed of his or her rights and of all rules and regulations governing resident conduct and responsibilities during his or her stay in […]
The worksheet below is not intended as a substitute for legal advice. It requires an understanding of the Medicaid budgeting process in the State where the applicant is applying for Medicaid. However, if the user knows how that process works, then this worksheet is designed to provide a “quick and dirty” estimate of the patient […]
The Build Back Better Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, November 19, 2021 on a mostly party-line vote. The White House describes the key provisions as: It lowers your costs to save you money on things like prescription drugs and health care and housing. It gets Americans back to work by providing […]
Attorneys are certified as Certified Elder Law Attorneys by the National Elder Law Foundation. NELF lists the criteria for being certified on its website at the following link: Qualifications Summary. The following Tennessee attorneys have been certified by NELF. Amelia G. Crotwell 903 N Hall Of Fame Dr., Knoxville, Tennessee 37917-6748 (865) 951-2541 Website Henry D. Fincher […]
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers a number of programs to assist low-income families, older adults and individuals with special needs to secure safe and affordable housing. One of those programs is the Section 8 Rental Certificate Program. The Section 8 Rental Certificate program increases affordable housing choices for very low-income […]
The procedure commonly referred to as a “1013” is governed by O.C.G.A. Title 37, Chapter 3 (§ 37-3-41 et seq).* The procedure applies to individuals who present a substantial risk of imminent harm to himself, herself or others, as manifested by either recent overt acts or recent expressed threats of violence which present a probability […]
An attending physician, treating physician, or other physician licensed according to the laws of the State of Georgia, after having personally examined an adult, may certify in the adult’s medical records the following: (1) The adult is unable to consent for himself or herself; and (2) It is the physician’s belief that it is in […]
Gifting is usually a last resort when creating a Medicaid Plan. The reason is gifts trigger a transfer of resources penalty. The Medicaid Transfer Penalty Worksheet can be used to calculate the penalty, but an additional worksheet is helpful when calculating the amount of income a Medicaid applicant must generate to private pay through the […]
News Sources: Elder Law Attorney Daniel Tully has 9 questions you should ask before you or a loved one goes into a nursing home Elder Law Attorney Janet Colliton answers “Where is home when you have more than one?” Social Security proposal would raise revenue and temporarily enhance benefits Nursing homes can now lift most […]
In 2022, the annual gift tax exclusion will increase from $15,000 to $16,000 per recipient. In 2022, the estate and gift tax exemption will increase from $11.7 million to $12.06 million per taxpayer. See IRS provides tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2022. See also IRS Announces Increased Gift and Estate Tax Exemption Amounts Also […]
Federal regulations require Medicaid agencies to afford individuals the opportunity to apply for Medicaid without delay. 42 CFR § 435.906. An application may be filed on the internet, by telephone, by mail, in person and through other commonly used electronic means. 42 CFR § 435.907. All applications must be signed under penalty of perjury. 42 […]
Sometime people assume monthly income counts toward the $2,000 resource limit. Assets (anything of value) are either income or resources. ” An asset cannot be considered income and a resource during the same month.” Georgia ABD Manual 2300-1 and 2300-2. See also POMS SI 01110.600 B.3.This confuses many people because they are trying to keep bank […]
Many people have questions about guns and gun rights, especially as they relate to the elderly. The general answer is that in the United States, guns are poorly regulated. EZ Elder Law has no opinion regarding gun ownership generally, but guns and dementia are a poor mix. It is estimated that 9% of older Americans […]
November 14 through November 20, 2021, is International Fraud Awareness Week. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr says: Scammers are constantly adapting their fraudulent schemes to new technologies, seasonal happenings, the latest trends and current events,” said Carr. “To stay ahead of these deceptive tactics, we urge all Georgians to familiarize themselves with the common signs of a scam and to take precautions to […]
Every year the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit rate and Medicaid resource allowances are updated. For 2022, the federal benefit rate increased by 5.9%. There was no change in the SSI benefit rate. The SSI monthly benefit increased to $841. This means the Medicaid income cap increases to $2,523 of gross monthly income. The one-third […]
H.R. 1717, known as the Protecting Married Seniors from Impoverishment Act of 2021, and a companion bill in the Senate (S.1099) would require States to extend Community Spouse Resource and Income allowances to couples needing in-home care. A temporary modification extending these protections was already in place through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. […]
Parents who are looking to protect their special needs children often begin by considering how decisions will be made. Capacity is a continuum, so every special needs child and every family is unique. Essentially there are three models where the individual needs decision-making support. Substitute decision-making, supported decision-making, and court supervised decision-making (guardianships and/or conservatorship). […]
News Sources Year-end charitable tax planning tips When Seniors are Targeted in Schemes 14 Rollover Tax Facts to Know Rosetta Stone Offers Lifetime Deal to Learn Unlimited Languages (?Limited time?) November is National Family Caregivers Month (Autism Society) National Family Caregiver Month (VA) EZ Elder Law Trademark Application to be published in Official Gazette November […]
The form below was developed by the Georgia Department of Community Health and is based on Section 2342-11 of the Georgia ABD Medicaid Manual:
What are people talking about when they say you have to “spend down” to become eligible for Medicaid? Well, it can describe two different things. Most of the time elder law attorneys are referring to to resource spend-down where the applicant is trying to get below the resource eligibiity threshold. But it can also refer […]
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