Recent Blog Posts
What does the “fiscal cliff” legislation mean to you?
[pullquote_left] Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you've been hearing about the "fiscal cliff" and how our government waited until the very last minute to pass any meaningful legislation to avert us from this "cliff". [/pullquote_left] Unless you have been...
Health Care Affordability Summit in Orlando this week
The 2013 Health Care Affordability Summit takes place this Thursday and Friday, January 10th and 11th, at the World Center Marriott in Orlando. It is designed as a forum for knowledgeable lawmakers, advocates and providers to discuss challenges to Florida’s health...
Discussing Estate Planning Around the Holidays with Elderly Family Members
The holidays are always time to be with family and enjoy each other’s company. Many of us travel great distances to see relatives whom we may only get to see once or twice a year. We visit with our parents and grandparents and listen to stories of past holidays and...
Paying your parent’s bills and need help from siblings?
Paying your parent's bills and need help from siblings? "4 Great New Tools to Manage Your Money" discusses a new company called "PayTap" that will allow you to work with family members to pool the money to help pay Mom and Dad's bills. I have quite a few clients whose...
Florida Senate wants your comments….
The Florida Senate has created a web page for people to give their views and get more information on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The page was made public on December 10th and can be visited at http://www.flsenate.gov/topics/ppaca. The page allows...
Avoiding Probate – everyone’s doing it, or are they?
I’ve written about this topic previously (see my post from March, 2012 – Top 5 Reasons to Avoid Probate) but I feel it needs to be addressed more in-depth because I have many clients that come to me with the same questions. Avoiding Probate Most people tell me they...
Top 7 Things to Know About Moving Your Parents into an ALF or Skilled Nursing
Moving Your Parents into an ALF or Skilled Nursing Do you have a loved one who needs care in a nursing home or assisted living facility? Are you concerned about how to pick out the best placed for your loved one? Or, if the loved one is already in assisted living or...
November is National Caregiver Month
National Family Caregiver Month is observed every November and has been nationally recognized since President Clinton signed the first presidential proclamation in 1997. The focus is on the many challenges that family caregivers face and it is an opportunity to offer...
Veterans Day 2012: Honoring those who serve our country
Veterans Day is Sunday, November 11th and it is a time to honor all American veterans who have served, both living and dead. I hope you’ll take the time to thank a Veteran for their service to our wonderful country and let them know that you appreciate the sacrifices...
Medicare Enrollment in Florida
Between October 15th - December 7th every year, seniors age 65 and over and enrolled in Medicare have the opportunity to: Change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan Change from a Medicare Advantage Plan to Original Medicare or Switch from one Medicare...
The Great American Tragedy: Homelessness Among Our Veterans
An article in USA Today reports that on a given night, more than 75,000 veterans (male and female) are living homeless on the streets of their cities. Nearly half (40%) of all homeless males are veterans. The homeless are often looked down upon in American society....
A special Thank You
I want to say a special “thank you” to Hawthorne Assisted Living, the Bridges Assisted Living and Superior Residence of Brandon for allowing me and my best friend (and social media diva), Irma Davila, to come into their facilities and sing karaoke with the residents....
Caring for a Mentally Ill Child
Special needs children come in many forms, including children with mental illness. Recently, I met a woman with an 8 year old child who was diagnosed bi-polar and ADHD. She told me how her daughter had to be Baker Acted (click here to learn more) because the child...
Building a financial plan for your special needs children
When you have a special needs child, not only do you worry about how they will be cared for from a health perspective (what doctors they need, health insurance, filing for disability benefits, etc.), but you also worry about how to provide for them after you are...
October is National Special Needs Month and Guardian Advocacy Month
National Special Needs Month and Guardian Advocacy October is National Special Needs Month and I wanted to focus this month on issues related to children with special needs. One of the biggest issues that I deal with on a regular basis as a special needs attorney is...