Caring for a Parent? Get a Caregiver Agreement.

If it’s not in writing, then it didn’t happen. I have shared this grim sentiment with more clients than I care to recount. As the story too often goes, you begin helping mom or dad, here and there. Picking up groceries; making meals; packing...

The Legal Tools that are Available When an Individual with a Disability turns 18

I recently had the pleasure of presenting for PATH Parent to Parent/Family Voices of Connecticut, a non-profit organization that provides information and support to families who have a child with developmental or other health-related needs. PATH...

The 5 W’s and 1 H of Elder Law: A Lesson from the Inside Out

Lessons in Elder Law. It's what we do. Lawyers are wordy. We think about each word, each letter, each punctuation mark of anything we write. So, while I could compose a treatise on Elder Law, it is with great restraint that I am brief and offer a...

Are you “sandwiched”? Let’s talk about caring for kids and parents

Sandwiching describes a caregiver who is caught between two different sides of responsibility: raising kids and caring for parents. Kids and parents are the bread, the caregiver is the PBJ. This group is led by Attorney Claudia Englisby, who was a...

The Right Time to Review Your Estate Planning Documents

Time to Review Your Estate Planning Documents? At the end of document signing appointments, when the final stamp and seal have been set, clients often inquire about the “right time” to review or refresh their plan. While our answer may be a bit...

Sandwiching is Fiscally Difficult: What Can You Do?

A few years ago, the term “sandwich-ed” became a popular one-word depiction of adult children serving as the “middle” of a sandwich, between two pieces of bread: one side is caring for aging parents and the other is taking care of their own younger...

Overview of Guardianship and Conservatorship in Connecticut

Overview of Guardianship and Conservatorship in Connecticut The terms Guardianship and Conservatorship are often stumbling blocks for parents and professionals alike. While individuals are generally familiar with these terms, the question of...

Avoiding Issues Gone Wrong in Estate Planning, Part Two

A blog series from the planning team at Disability Planning Partners, Inc. Sally hired a lawyer to draft her Will giving her assets to her daughters, Sue and Sheila, but her largest assets passes to Sally’s brother when she dies. What?! Sally’s...

Avoiding Issues Gone Wrong in Estate Planning, Part One

A blog series from the planning team at Disability Planning Partners, Inc. “Oh no, why can’t I use the Power of Attorney to get the Will out of the safety deposit box?” A Power of Attorney document is an incapacity planning document which gives...

State Budget Seeks to Close Housing Gap for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism

Families served by the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS) are accustomed to holding their breath on the eve of State budget proposals. Over the years, the State budget has resulted in drastic cuts to DDS services, most...

Why Use a Revocable Living Trust?

Why Use a Revocable Living Trust? You may have heard from friends or relatives that they have a revocable living trust as part of their estate plan. But you thought all you needed was a Will, right? In this week’s blog, we discuss revocable...

Great News for Special Needs Trusts: Life Made Easier

Special Needs Trusts: Life Made Easier As a Trustee of Special Needs Trusts for multiple beneficiaries, I am pleased to hear that the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) has made life easier for managing Special Needs Trusts. In recent months,...