Soon, nursing homes in New Jersey will be required to have employees notify the local police department within hours of a suspected claim of abuse. This law, also known as Peggy’s Law, was adopted to provide protection to residents of nursing homes who are being abused. The law was named after Peggy Marzolla, who died at 93 years of age, after sustaining injuries while in the care of a nursing home. In 2010, Ms. Marzolla was brought to the hospital where doctors discovered she had a broken jaw, eye socket, cheekbone, and wrist. She also had bruises on her elbows, welts on her back and a gash on her leg. Continue reading “Peggy’s Law”
Category: Elder Law
Should You Contest a Family Members Will?
While some people are pleased with the way a decedent allocated assets to his or her beneficiaries, others may not be. However, just because a person was not given what he or she felt they were entitled to, does not necessarily provide them with the grounds necessary to challenge a decedent’s will. An individual must determine whether challenging a decedent’s will is both valid and will succeed in the eyes of the law because the process is timely and expensive. It is worth mentioning that a decedent has a right to allocate his or her assets or other meaningful possessions to those of their choosing. This includes leaving assets or large sums of money to a charity or other institution. However, this does not preclude a beneficiary or heir from challenging the decedent’s will.
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Protect Your Financial Future with a Comprehensive Estate Plan
Regardless of how many assets you own, estate planning is an important component of your overall financial plan. A properly expected estate plan can help to secure a financial legacy for loved ones and express medical decisions if you are unable to do so. Estate planning can be complex, so it is important to consult the guidance of an experienced estate planning lawyer.
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Housebound For Veterans
According to the 2012 U.S. Census brief, there are more than 12.4 million veterans age 65 and older living in the United States. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for adjusting the level of benefits that veterans are entitled to receive. In addition, the Department of Veterans Affairs provides a pension service program to elderly veterans known as Housebound. Housebound entitles a veteran to receive additional monetary compensation on a monthly basis.
The Importance of Updating Retirement Account Beneficiary Designations
Many estate-planning mistakes involve retirement accounts. If you or a loved one has rolled over an employer sponsored 401(k) plan into an existing IRA, it is imperative that you update the beneficiary designation form that is on file. The failure to do so may result in an unintended beneficiary. Many individuals unintentionally fail to update the intended beneficiary on file in accordance with life situations such as divorce, death, or birth of a family member or another loved one.
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Taking On The Role Of “Agent” In A Power Of Attorney
It may be a big undertaking when obtaining a power of attorney for a family member or loved one. A power of attorney provides authority to an agent to make decisions on behalf of the principal in the event that he or she becomes incapacitated. The “principal” is the person for whom an individual is acting as power of attorney. The “agent” is the individual responsible for carrying out the wishes of the “principal.”
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Grounds to Contest a Will
When someone contests a Last Will and Testament, they are objecting to its validity. In order to contest a Will in New Jersey, an individual must have “standing,” or locus standi. To have standing, or locus standi, the individual must be considered a person with an interest in the estate, such as legal heir. Anyone named in a prior Last Will and Testament may also have standing to contest a Will, if the Will entered into probate removes or reduces the share that person or group would have received in a prior Will.
How an Advance Directive Can Benefit Loved Ones with Alzheimer’s Disease
More than 68 percent of New Jersey residents know someone who has or had dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, according to a survey conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson’s PublicMind. Dementia is a group of symptoms that can include impairments to one’s ability to think and communicate, as well as memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. It is a progressive, degenerative disorder that impairs thinking, behavior and memory. Due to the degenerative nature of the disease, those with Alzheimer’s are encouraged to obtain an advance directive, a legal document that can direct medical and financial wishes, even after the point when individuals lose the ability to do so themselves.
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Law Enforcement Officers Trained on Elder Abuse
On September 8th and 9th 2016, more than 140 New Jersey law enforcement officers attended a conference held by the Middlesex County Prosecutors office aimed at training the officers in elder abuse prevention. The two-day conference headlined with over twenty guest speakers was held at the Middlesex County Fire Academy in Sayerville. NJToday reported that officers from every one of the 28 police agencies within Middlesex county, along with officers from the Piscataway Police Department attended the conference.
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Will a “Divorce Mortgage” Become a Reality in the U.S.?
With more senior couples divorcing, those who wish to keep the house may have the answer to their prayers provided it makes its way this side of the Atlantic: the “divorce mortgage.”
The concept is catching on in the U.K., according to an article in the British paper The Telegraph. As in the U.S., many senior couples in the U.K. are untying the knot, with 28% of them selling their home after the split, according to Nationwide. Another 13% have moved into a smaller house and 8% are now renting an apartment.
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