When making an estate plan and Last Will and Testament, many people have a difficult time deciding who should be the Executor of their estate. One consideration is naming Co-Executors – two or more people who serve as executor of the estate. Each Co-Executor named in your Last Will and Testament will have authority over...

Recent studies have shown that only slightly more than half of all Americans have a Will or Trust document in place to direct their estate after they pass away, and that the vast majority of those documents have not been updated in the last five years. Even worse, it’s been reported that most adult children...

In late September, as part of the first major overhaul of federal nursing home regulations in a quarter-century, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule prohibiting binding pre-dispute arbitration agreements in facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid patients. Attorney Franklin Drazen explains what this means for families. Families often turn …

At Drazen Law Group, we’re often asked why anyone would need an attorney to help put a loved one in a nursing home. After all, the admission process seems like it should be a simple matter, something that family members could easily handle—like going to the DMV to change your vehicle’s license plates. Unfortunately, the...

For the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about ABLE accounts. In this final installment of our three-part series, Attorney Franklin Drazen talks about the importance of developing an overall strategy for funding the living expenses of a person with special needs, and shares links to online resources that will be helpful to any family...

In Part 1, Attorney Steven Rubin explained the basics of Pooled Trusts. This week, Attorney Franklin Drazen, certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, explains the options available to Connecticut residents who want to participate in a Pooled Trust. In August 2016, the “What the Hell is a Pooled Trust”...

Last week, we looked at the problems and challenges faced by people with disabilities, discussed how ABLE accounts address those problems, and explained how ABLE accounts differ from Special Needs Trusts and Pooled Trusts. This week, Attorney Franklin Drazen discusses the mechanics of ABLE accounts including eligibility criteria, contribution limits, allowable expenses, and how to...

If you’ve just inherited an IRA, annuity, stocks, bonds, or other assets from your parents, minimizing your tax obligation needs to be addressed. What do you need to know to keep Uncle Sam from taking more than his share when you file your tax return? In this three-part series, Attorney Franklin Drazen covers a few...

If you’ve just inherited an IRA, annuity, stocks, bonds, or other assets from your parents, minimizing your tax obligation is critical. What do you need to know to keep Uncle Sam from taking more than his share when you file your tax return? In this three-part series, Attorney Franklin Drazen covers a few of the...

If you’ve just inherited an IRA, annuity, stocks, bonds, or other assets from your parents, minimizing your tax obligation is paramount. What do you need to know to keep Uncle Sam from taking more than his share when you file your tax return? In this three-part series, Attorney Franklin Drazen covers a few of the...