Elder, Estate Planning, & Special Needs Law News 

🎉Greetings and Happy New Year!🎉

Welcome to our first monthly newsletter of 2026. As we begin the new year, we extend our warmest wishes for good health, peace, and joy to you and your loved ones!

The new year has ushered in hundreds of new Illinois laws and policy changes. Some of the new laws, which took effect on January 1, 2026, will likely be of particular interest to older adults and their families, as well to many of our other readers.

Notable New Illinois Laws Effective January 1, 2026

• Expanded property tax relief for seniors: The Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program has been broadened so that more Illinois seniors can qualify to defer property taxes without jeopardizing their homes. The maximum household income eligibility threshold has increased (e.g., to $75,000 in 2026) and local officials may offer flexible payment plans to help avoid penalties and interest.
• Updates to senior driving rules: A new law modernizes driver license renewal requirements for older adults by increasing the age at which mandatory behind-the-wheel testing is required from 79 to 87 (effective later in 2026), promoting independence while maintaining safety.
• Medical aid in dying: Illinois has also enacted legislation permitting medical aid in dying under limited procedural, medical, and legal circumstances.
• Many other laws took effect covering topics from healthcare, employment, public safety, and beyond.

This Month’s Focus: Medicare and Medicaid Spousal Protections

In this issue, our featured articles focus on key annual updates for 2026, including changes to Medicare premiums, deductibles, and copayments that affect beneficiaries nationwide. We also review the newly updated annual adjustments to both the Illinois Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) and Community Spouse Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (CSMMNA) – both allowances provide critical Medicaid protections designed to prevent the financial impoverishment of a spouse who remains at home when the other spouse requires long-term care.

Again, our warmest wishes for a bright and healthy new year!

                             🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 

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:  To continue to help keep our clients, staff, and their respective families healthy, 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.