Tag Archives: Michigan
ESTATE PLANNING: 10 THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH
By: James M. Simasko, Attorney at Law. Macomb County, Michigan. Most people spend more time each year planning a vacation than they do creating or reviewing their Estate Plan. Life is constantly changing and at the minimum, you should take the following steps on a periodic basis. Create a Will and Trust. Review these documents after life changing events, i.e. marriage, divorce, a death or birth, a new job, nursing home or long term care admission, etc. Make sure your estate administrator or a close loved one has copies of or access to these documents when they are needed.
Medicaid: Jointly Owned Property
By: Patrick M. Simasko, Attorney at Law. Shelby Township, Michigan. In Michigan, if you are attempting to obtain medicaid benefits for your nursing home stay, you must be aware of a recent law change. Historically, Michigan treated real estate and stocks that you own jointly with a person other than your spouse as being an unavailable asset. The theory was that it takes all signatures to sell the property or the stock and since the Department of Human Services “DHS” cannot force the joint owner to sell their interest in the property it is unavailable. This Michigan Medicaid law has been changed effective April 1, 2011. The DHS will treat your interest in the joint property or stock as a countable asset.
Ponzi scheme uncovered in Macomb County, Michigan
Local Elder Law Attorney, Patrick M. Simasko, discovered a phony stock broker who has been charged with stealing more than $1 million from three Macomb County residents. The family originally contacted Simasko Law Offices for estate planning issues. During the process, they provided their investment statements, which raised many red flags for the Simasko team. The following information will help you protect yourself and your life savings.
