HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a federal law that was enacted in 1996 to protect the privacy of individuals’ health information. HIPAA applies to all health care providers, insurance companies, and other entities that handle personal health information. The law sets standards for how this information can be used and disclosed, as well as requiring safeguards to protect it from unauthorized access. Senior Citizens HIPAA is especially important for seniors … [Read more...] about What Is HIPAA and Why Should I Care?
Incapacity Planning
Pandemic Underscores the Need for Advance Directives
Attorneys in our field emphasize the need for incapacity planning, and people generally agree that it is important, but they envision end-of-life scenarios for senior citizens. In reality, this is a shortsighted perspective. COVID Wake-Up Call When the pandemic originally emerged, it took everyone by surprise. Suddenly, people that were getting along just fine were being rushed to the hospital. Far too many of them became extremely ill. At this point, vaccines mitigate the severity, and … [Read more...] about Pandemic Underscores the Need for Advance Directives
Prepare for the Eventualities of Aging
Estate planning is not strictly confined to inheritance distribution decisions. A comprehensive estate plan will address the eventualities that you may face as you get older, and there are some unpleasant realities that should be confronted head on. Aging, Alzheimer’s, and Cognitive Impairment Once you are a senior citizen, it is likely that you will experience life as an octogenarian. When you are in your 80s, your ability to handle your affairs may start to diminish. Over 30 percent of elders … [Read more...] about Prepare for the Eventualities of Aging
Proper Planning Can Prevent a Conservatorship
The process of estate planning should be viewed in a holistic manner. Yes, you want to make sure that your loved ones receive their inheritances when the time comes, but you should also consider end-of-life eventualities. Anticipated Longevity It can be difficult to imagine a time when you will be unable to handle all of your own affairs. This being stated, when you see someone that is in their 80s, you would not be surprised to find out that they were experiencing some level of cognitive … [Read more...] about Proper Planning Can Prevent a Conservatorship
What Is a HIPAA Protection?
There are a number of different things to think about when you are planning your estate. Yes, you have to arrange for the passing of your legacy, and there are a number of ways to go about it. The best choice will depend upon the circumstances, and this is why you should discuss your options with an estate planning attorney. In addition to the postmortem processes, you should think about the eventualities that you may face toward the end of your life. There are legal documents that should be … [Read more...] about What Is a HIPAA Protection?
Young Adults Need Advance Directives
Most people in the United States do not have estate plans in place, and the overall lack of preparedness is a head scratcher. We will devote a future blog post to the results of a recent survey on the subject, but suffice to say that most people between 35 and 55 are unprepared. This is the confusing part, because a very significant percentage of people in this age group have dependent children. It is irresponsible to go through life without an estate plan when you have others depending on … [Read more...] about Young Adults Need Advance Directives
Incapacity Planning: Choose Representatives in Advance
It is said that “experience is something that you get just after you need it.” There is a lot of truth in this statement, and that’s the way life is in many ways. You cannot fully understand something until you have experienced it, and it is not always easy to learn these lessons. This certainly enters the picture when it comes to planning ahead for the eventualities of aging. When you have been perfectly capable of handling all of your own affairs throughout your life, it can be hard to … [Read more...] about Incapacity Planning: Choose Representatives in Advance
Are Your Advance Directives in Place?
Estate planning is considered by many to be a purely financial exercise. Without question, you have to decide how you want your assets to be distributed after you are gone and state your wishes in a legally binding manner. However, a well-constructed estate plan will include another component. Sadly, many people become unable to communicate at the end of their lives. Decisions may present themselves, and it is wise to anticipate all possibilities in a proactive manner. This is partially done … [Read more...] about Are Your Advance Directives in Place?
How Does a Living Trust Work to Protect Against Incapacity?
Creating a comprehensive estate plan to ensure that your estate assets are distributed according to your wishes is certainly important. What you may not realize, however, is that planning for the possibility of your own incapacity is equally important. The Glastonbury living trust lawyers at Nirenstein, Horowitz & Associates, P.C. explain how incorporating a living trust into your overall estate plan can help protect you against the possibility of your own incapacity. Why Is Incapacity … [Read more...] about How Does a Living Trust Work to Protect Against Incapacity?
What Can You Do If You Don’t Want To Be Kept Alive on a Machine?
Hartford elder law attorneys help seniors to address issues that are most important to them as they plan for their future. While you may want to focus on making plans for a happy and secure retirement and considering how to achieve other positive goals, it is also essential that you plan ahead in case disaster strikes. If something happens to you and you get seriously hurt or badly injured, you and your family will be in a much better situation if you have made plans for what should happen when … [Read more...] about What Can You Do If You Don’t Want To Be Kept Alive on a Machine?
