Keystone Blog
Trusts: A Multi-Use Tool
When families and individuals come to me to set up an estate plan, determine how best to protect their assets, or figure out how to provide for a loved one whose circumstances are a bit challenging, a tool I sometimes recommend is a Trust. When I say that word,...
Challenges of Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples
The law for Estate Planning was largely designed with a traditional nuclear family in mind. As time goes by, we realize that there are many families who don’t fit neatly within that nuclear family bubble and who face unique challenges. Estate Planning has...
Estate Planning When You Are On Your Own
Typically, the people who think the most about estate planning are those who are in a fairly traditional family unit. They have spouses, children, and grandchildren they want to provide for, and who they can rely upon. In that scenario, it is easy to identify the...
Red Flags for Self-Neglect
Last week’s column introduced the concept of self-neglect (https://keystoneelderlaw.com/self-neglect-elder-abuse-or-individual-choice/). Over the past several years in Pennsylvania, this type of elder abuse has required involvement by Adult Protective Services...
Self-Neglect: Elder Abuse or Individual Choice?
In Pennsylvania, reports of suspected elder abuse have risen 63% over the last 5 years. During the fiscal year 2020-2021, Adult Protective Services (APS) across the Commonwealth received a total of 39,820 reports of suspected elder abuse. Of these reports, 34,742 (87...
Am I On The Hook For My Parents’ Care?
Jeff looked at me across a conference room table that was covered with bills and bank statements. We were discussing Jeff’s father, whose stroke had caused cognitive impairment and problems with physical mobility. Jeff’s father was in a nursing home. The...
Never Too Old For Friends
Henry Ford (1863-1947), the great American industrialist, once stated,“There are three things that grow more precious with age; old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy.” Presumably, this quote is from a time in his life when he could look back on...
Driver’s License Importance for Older Adults
Families often have charged conversations and difficult decisions about an aging parent’s driver’s license. Driver’s licenses are intimately tied to issues of independence and safety that are of concern to aging individuals and their families. As family...
The High Cost of a Simple Will
When planning our estates and thinking about how to pass our property to our loved ones, most of us think of preparing a will. An awful lot of people will go to an attorney to prepare a simple will that specifies how their property will be divided up when they...
Elder Law is Not Just for the Elderly
Working at an Elder Law firm, we regularly receive questions about whether a certain person counts as “elderly” to receive our services, or if we can help someone who is not “elderly.” There is no magic age when a person is old enough to need services that fall...
