Medicare beneficiaries have a once-a-year chance to modify their drug prescription plans and switch to a Medicare Advantage plan for 2019. The 2019 Medicare Open Enrollment period is just around the corner. From October 15 to December 7, current Medicare beneficiaries will have the opportunity to change important aspects of their health insurance coverages. Now…

By Amy C. O’Hara, Esq., CELA®, Littman Krooks LLP Whether you are a trustee of a supplemental needs trust (SNT) or a parent who created a SNT, it is good practice to have the trust reviewed periodically with your special needs planning attorney. Some questions which should be reviewed include: Have there been any changes…

By Marion M. Walsh, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP The beginning of the school year is always a hectic time, particularly for families moving or planning to move to another school district.  Parents of children with disabilities facing such a move have additional challenges. Students identified as needing special education services have a right, under the…

Perhaps it was the sight of a fresh dent on your mother’s car, or a report from a family member about an unnecessarily exciting excursion when Dad was behind the wheel. Maybe it’s just the sense that Dad is having a lot of trouble getting around in that big old car. Regardless of the cause,…

By Arshi Pal, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP New York State sets 18 as the age of majority and individuals who are 18 years of age or older are deemed to be legally competent to make their own personal, medical and financial decisions. This becomes problematic for individuals with developmental disabilities who are unable to make…

Multi-generational living arrangements are on the rise, and for good reason. Growing numbers of aging parents are seeking both comfortable surroundings and affordable care by sharing space with family members. Millennials are moving back into their parents’ home until they acquire sufficient income to live independently. And in some cases multi-generational households are being created…

By Sandi Rosenbaum, Educational Advocate, Littman Krooks LLP Relocation to another state is a complex prospect for individuals with disabilities and their families. Jason DaSilva’s NY Times Op-Doc  of July 24, “How Healthcare Makes Disability a Trap,” illustrates an important aspect of life for people with disabilities. Mr. DaSilva, who has multiple sclerosis and relies…

The rising cost of long-term care for seniors, combined with rising real estate prices, are making multi-generational co-ownership of a shared family home an increasingly attractive proposition. In theory, everyone in the family benefits from a multi-generational living arrangement. Grandparents can downsize into a smaller, affordable living space in close proximity to their children and…

New York students returning to school this fall will find to a new health curriculum that places an increased emphasis on mental health issues. Heightened attention to students’ mental health is required by state education law changes, effective July 1, 2018, that require school officials to deliver instruction on mental health issues for students in…

It’s difficult for children to know when to step in and assist aging parents with their financial affairs. Conversations about money are uncomfortable and aging parents may become defensive, suspicious or confused. It is easy to see why we resist having these conversations. Unfortunately, as parents age, they will inevitably lose the capacity to manage…