Elder, Estate Planning, & Special Needs Law News 

Happy New Year!

As we welcome a fresh start in 2025, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to our clients, friends, and community for your continued trust and support. Your confidence in us motivates our team every day to guide and serve you with care and expertise.

We are pleased to kick off the new year with good news regarding both the Community Spouse Resource Allowance and the Community Spouse Monthly Income Allowance, in effect for the community spouses of long-term care Medicaid recipients in Illinois. As of January 1, 2025, both allowances have increased. These important allowances provide greater financial support for community spouses navigating long-term care planning for their spouse and themselves.  To learn more about these allowances and the current (2025) amounts, please see the first article of this month’s newsletter.  If you or someone you love has questions about these new allowances and/or other long-term care Medicaid planning matters, we are here to help.  To schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys, please call our office.

We are also excited to invite you to explore (or, to continue to explore) our "Roadmap to Retirement" video series on YouTube! This series is designed to provide you with valuable insights and practical steps to help you plan with confidence and peace of mind. If you have not already checked out this video series, we encourage you to do so, now, as all four (4) videos in the series are available for viewing. You will find us and this video series on YouTube at Estate& Elder Law Planning & More 4 U. 

Again, we thank you for being part of our journey.  Here is to a year filled with hope, good health, and joyful moments!

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                           Scheduling a presentation for your group:

Is your group in need of a speaker?  If so, please do not hesitate to contact our office to discuss topic options and to determine whether one of our presentation topics aligns with the needs of your group.

Legal Services:

Should you or someone you know wish to meet with one of our attorneys for assistance with (or to discuss options for): estate, life care, and/or long-term care planning; special needs planning; and/or, other planning matters, please do not hesitate to contact our office to schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys.  It would be our pleasure to meet with you to review your current planning and/or to discuss planning options for your consideration.

Additional Legal Services:

Selling and/or buying a new home; commercial property; and/or other real estate?

Starting a new business; or, need your corporate records updated?   

Recently injured, and uncertain of your rights? 

If any of the above apply to you, or someone you know, then please visit the website of our parent law firm, Mickey, Wilson, Weiler, Renzi, Lenert, & Julien, P.C., to learn more about the additional legal services we offer.

Reminder:  Out of an abundance of caution and to do our continued part in helping to keep our clients, staff, and their respective families as safe as possible, all non-signing appointments for our elder law clients and for our estate and life care planning clients with the following attorneys: Connie Renzi or Katie Lenert, remain "virtual" (via video or telephone conferencing). 

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Help for those who may be struggling with mental health issues:  If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues and needs assistance, help is available by calling or texting the recently launched three-digit dialing code – “988”. The new 988 dialing code to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, for mental health crises, is available throughout the United States.  Additionally, veterans can now dial 988 and press 1 to reach the Veteran Crisis Line.