12201 Merit Drive Suite 230 Dallas, TX 75251 | (214) 720-0102 Fax: (214) 754-0936 | www.dallaselderlawyer.com

Personal Message

Welcome to the May issue of the Texas Elder Law E-letter  

Our next "Estate Planning Essentials" workshop is scheduled for May 17 at 1:00 p.m. Michael B. Cohen will also be speaking on May 24 on Elder Law and Medicaid Issues in connection with the Guardianship at the Annual Ad Litem Certification course sponsored by the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and the Dallas Bar Association's Probate, Trust and Estates Section. A bonus workshop on "The 10 Signs of Recognizing Alzheimer's" will be presented by the Greater Dallas Alzheimer's Association on May 19 at 2:00 p.m.  An additional bonus workshop on a nurse's perspective regarding legal planning documents for care and end of life will be held on June 2 at 11:00 a.m. Both bonus workshops and our "Estate Planning Essentials" workshop will be held at 12201 Merit Drive, Suite 205 in Dallas. To sign up for any of these workshops, you may call us at (214) 720-0102 or sign up online at www.dallaselderlawyer.com or, click here to register online.

Also don't forget Michael B. Cohen can be heard on his radio show "Know Your Legal Rights" which is every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. and every Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on KAAM 770 AM. Podcasts of the shows are available on our website. If you want a question to be addressed on a future show, please mention the same on our website, and we'll discuss the relevant topics.

Also, if you wish to be a part of our walk team, "Michael's Marchers" (whether you walk or not), for the benefit of the Alzheimer's Association, you may also sign up for that on our website at www.dallaselderlawyer.com. The 2016 Alzheimer's Walk is scheduled for October 1.

WHAT IS A MILLER TRUST?

Although “Miller” or “Qualified Income” Trusts have been around for over twenty years (this author has been doing them since first approved in Texas in 1994), it is often surprising how confusing this income trust is to many – including some banks. Severa

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COURT RULES AGENT UNDER POWER OF ATTORNEY CANNOT DEED PROPERTY TO SELF

During the lifetime of the person who signed a power of attorney (hereinafter the “Principal”) which gave broad powers (including the right to deed property) to the Agent, the Agent deeded certain real property owned by the Principal to himself (the Agent

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APPELLATE COURT RULES “GEORGE JEFFERSON” HAD CAPACITY TO SIGN HIS WILL

The attorney for Sherman Hemsley (who played the character “George Jefferson” in the television shows “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons”) decided to not draft a Will for his client since he feared a will contest due to Hemsley’s celebrity status.

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HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME, CAR AND OTHER ASSETS FROM THE GOVERNMENT IF YOU RECEIVE MEDICAID

On June 1, 2003, the Texas Legislature passed a law requiring seizure of property in the estates of some Medicaid recipients after they die to repay the Medicaid programs for the assistance provided

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Avoiding Pitfalls When Forced to Start Breaking Your Retirement Piggy Bank

The oldest of the 75 million baby boomers have begun turning 70 in 2016. If you are among them, the IRS will likely be expecting you to start cashing out your tax-advantaged retirement savings that you may have spent decades building up.  

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Four Steps to Take Right After an Alzheimer's Diagnosis

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, it is important to start planning immediately.

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New Rules Provide Protections for Retirement Savings

The Department of Labor has issued new rules intended to prevent financial advisors from steering their clients to bad investments by requiring advisers to act in the best interests of their clients.

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Lack of a Will Could Mean Chaos for Prince's Estate

The famed recording artist Prince died leaving an unknown fortune and possibly no will or estate plan to dictate what to do with that fortune. You don't have to be worth millions to learn a lesson from Prince's apparent mistake. 

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