Welcome to the September Issue of the

Texas Elder Law E-Letter
 
 
Our office continues to remain open – virtually (phone calls, audio/video meetings, etc.) as we continue to follow CDC guidelines. Our next free virtual “Estate Planning Essentials” workshops will be on Saturday, September 12, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. until noon and on Thursday, September 24, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Call (214) 720-0102 to register or sign up online at www.dallaselderlawyer.com. We begin each workshop by asking “What questions do you have about estate planning or elder law?” Then we proceed to answer your questions over the course of the workshop. Our goal is to make it easy for you to attend from the comfort of wherever you reside.
 
 
Michael B. Cohen spoke on “Alternatives to Guardianship of the Estate” on August 14, 2020 (by zoom) through the Dallas Bar Association’s Probate, Trusts & Estates Section's "Probate Summer School".

We are pleased to report that we have again been awarded Top Ten Blog by the State Bar of Texas for Michael B. Cohen’s August E-Letter article entitled “Insurance Company Uninsured”. If interested in reading, click here.

As an update to another blog by us awarded in June as a Top Ten Blog - “Murder, She Wrote? Would Tiger King Nemesis be Texas Toast under Texas Estate Laws?”, it was reported over Labor Day weekend that the former wife of an employee who worked for the “nemesis” (Carole Baskin) has reported new information in connection with the cold case about the mysterious disappearance of Baskin’s first husband, Don Lewis. In the show, the “Tiger King” alleged that Baskin murdered Lewis. The new information was that the former employee of Baskin told his wife that Lewis had disappeared (before it was reported) and that she was not to talk about it and if she did and left him, then she would be in the grinder like Lewis. She also said her former husband came home with a large freezer with a padlock that also mysteriously disappeared around the time Lewis was reported as missing. If interested in reading our award-winning article, click here.

We would like to invite you to join our Alzheimer’s walk team, Michael’s Marchers, on October 3, 2020, at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, to raise funds to help find a cure for this terrible disease (whether you contribute or not). Unlike prior years of a mass gathering, the Walk will be virtual where you will be a part of group virtually or you can walk individually from any location. This will be a unique experience! Please join by clicking here. See more information about the Walk in our article below.

Please note that Michael B. Cohen’s radio show on estate planning and elder law can be heard on KAAM (770 AM) on Mondays and Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Prior shows (topics are categorized) can be heard as podcasts on SoundCloud and as indicated on our website www.dallaselderlawyer.com. Our podcasts can also be heard on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to be notified of future releases.
 
 


Michael B Cohen's Latest Blogs
 
 
 
SUCCESS STORY OF THE MONTH
THE ALMOST SPEND-LESS SPEND-DOWN
 
Long term care Medicaid helps pay for long-term care costs such as nursing home care and drug costs. The average cost of care in Texas (exclusive of drug costs) is $6500 per month and most Americans have inadequate income or long-term care insurance to pay for the cost of care. Some believe (in error) that Medicare will take care of such expenses.

 
 
POST-DIVORCE ESTATE PLANNING
6 COMMON QUESTIONS
 
Divorces are often draining – financially and emotionally. As a result, many do not want to incur more costs or even think about different financial arrangements. However, anytime there is a significant change in your family (death, divorce, disability, births, etc.), your estate plan should be at least reviewed.
 
 
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION CREATES NEW WAY TO WALK THE WALK
 
Unlike the past, you can be anywhere to participate in this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. COVID-19 may have changed how we walk (in the past, it was mass gatherings at different locations throughout the world), but it hasn’t changed the need to walk to raise funds to help find a cure and prevention (not to mention support for families and other caregivers) for Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementia-related diseases.
 
 
CONSERVATORSHIP OVER BRITNEY SPEARS' $59 MILLION ESTATE EXTENDED
 
A California judge has recently ruled that conservatorship (which in Texas would be considered guardianship) over Britney Spears and her $59 million estate be extended until 2021.

 
 

NO FEE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY REPRESENTATIVE PAYEE
BUT IT COULD BE CHOICE FOR THEE
 
Many disabled individuals live solely on Social Security income but lack sufficient mental to handle the payment of their living expenses. Social Security (which doesn’t recognize powers of attorney) permits the appointment of a Social Security Representative Payee (Rep Payee) upon proof of disability and confirmation that the representative would be appropriate for appointment as an alternative to a costly and cumbersome guardianship process.
 
 
 
 
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