Elder, Estate Planning, & Special Needs Law News 

🦃Happy Thanksgiving🦃

As we enter this season of gratitude, our team would like to express our heartfelt appreciation for our clients, colleagues, and community. Your trust and support inspire us every day, and we are thankful for the opportunity to assist you and your families in planning for the future.

The articles this month include two articles regarding Social Security benefits, including the COLA increase for 2026, and an article that highlights the growing challenge that older adults are facing in securing affordable housing. We hope you find these articles both informative and relevant.

We wish you a peaceful and joyful Thanksgiving season—and our warmest good wishes to all who are celebrating in their own special ways.

🦃 🦃 🦃 🦃 🦃 

Medicare Open Enrollment 2026: The annual enrollment period for Medicare is now open and continues through December 7, 2025, giving beneficiaries the opportunity to review their health and prescription drug coverage, compare plan options, and make changes for the upcoming year. We encourage everyone to take this time to evaluate their needs and use the official plan-comparison tool provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — which can be accessed here — to compare available Medicare health and drug plans in their area.

Legal Update: Earlier this year, our office sent out a Special Update regarding changes to the Illinois Power of Attorney Act, which may have an impact on Durable Powers of Attorney for Property. If you missed the update and would like more information, you can access the update by clicking the following link: January 2025, Special Update.

YouTube Video Series: Check out our four (4) part YouTube video series -- "Roadmap to Retirement 2.0" yet?  The video series is designed to provide you with valuable insights and practical steps to help you plan with confidence and peace of mind. You will find us and this video series on YouTube at Estate & Elder Law Planning & More 4 U.                             

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 our attorneys are "virtual" meetings (via video or telephone conferencing).                                

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.