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Personal Message

Welcome to the April issue of the

Texas Elder Law E-letter

Due to increased demand, we are having two workshops in May. Our next free "Estate Planning Essentials" Workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The second May “Estate Planning Essentials” Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, May 20 from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon. Our June “Estate Planning Essentials” Workshop is scheduled for Thursday, June 15 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. To sign up for any Workshop or any Bonus Workshop (described below), you may call us at (214) 720-0102 or sign up online at www.dallaselderlawyer.com or click here to register online. There has been a waiting list for the last several Workshops. So, if interested (or you know someone interested), it is probably best to sign up sooner rather than later.

We have a Bonus Workshop on May 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. which will be presented by Jerry Hast, a financial advisor with Investing Makes Me Sick. Mr. Hast will be speaking on “Alternative Investing Facts and Fiction”.  Jerry Hast has been in the investment/pension fund industry for 37 years.

Michael B. Cohen spoke on the topic “How to Deal with the Transition Between VA and Medicaid – Don’t Show me the Money?” at the State Bar’s Advanced Elder Law conference in Houston on April 6, 2017. He will be speaking on elder law issues in connection with guardianship at a program sponsored by the Dallas Bar Association’s Probate, Trusts and Estates Section along with the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program at the Attorney Ad Litem certification course on May 23 at the Belo Mansion in Dallas.

Please note the new schedule for Michael B. Cohen’s radio show "Know Your Legal Rights". The program is now on Mondays at 2:00 p.m., Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. and on Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. on KAAM 770 AM. Podcasts of the shows are available on our website at www.dallaselderlawyer.com. If you want a question to be addressed on a future show, please mention the same on our website and we'll try to discuss the relevant topics.
LADYBIRD DEED, TRANSFER ON DEATH DEED OR DEED OF GIFT – WHICH IS BEST?

There are numerous ways real estate can be transferred to avoid probate, but which way is best will depend on the circumstances.

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CAR TRANSFER ON DEATH MAY SOON GET EASIER

The Texas Legislature is presently considering a new law permitting a motor vehicle owner to simply designate who will be entitled to the car upon the owner’s death.

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RIGHT TO DEFER HOMESTEAD TAXES EXTENDED TO DISABLED VETS

A bill has been passed by the Texas House of Representatives giving disabled veterans the same rights as those over 65 to defer property taxes on their homestead

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BILL TO KEEP PATIENT ALIVE IS NOT DEAD

One of the bills introduced in the Texas Senate requires doctors keep a patient alive (even if the doctor does not think that it is the right decision) pursuant to the patient’s advance directive (i.e., living will) or the decision of the patient’s family

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ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION ADVOCACY IN ACTION

There are some key bills up for debate during this legislative session. An important one involves expanding the Silver Alert Program to include those younger than 65 that have been diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s.

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Aging Drivers and the Law

For better or for worse, our current culture is very car-dependant; in many places, cars are the only convenient link to the outside world. Unfortunately, as people age, driving can become more

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New Book Offers Guidance Through the Medicare Maze

The Medicare program has become quite complex over the years.  Running afoul of its sometimes arcane rules can be expensive, and expert guidance is almost essential.  

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Hospitals Now Must Provide Notice About Observation Status

All hospitals must now give Medicare recipients notice when they have not been admitted but are merely under "observation" status. The notice requirement is part of a law enacted in 2015 but that just took effect.

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Four Provisions People Forget to Include in Their Estate Plan

Even if you've created an estate plan, are you sure you included everything you need to? There are certain provisions that people often forget to put in in a will or estate plan that can have a big impact later on.

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