It’s a hard thing to imagine: what would your life be like, if you were not able to take care of yourself? Not being able to manage your physical or financial needs, drive, leave your home without assistance, or do any of the things that you do now as a…
We hope to enjoy out golden years, relaxing after decades of working and raising children. However, as we age, the likelihood of experiencing health issue increase. That includes Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Learning that a loved one has Alzheimer’s or other diseases that require a great deal…
“By the time Groucho was an old man, however, he experienced significant problems in his daily activities, medical decision-making and the management of his estate. He suffered from elements of dementia, a heart attack and congestive heart failure, falls resulting in a broken hip, and after that hip was repaired,…
Social Security disability benefits are based on average lifetime earnings. How severe the disability is, or what the household income is, has nothing to do with the amount of money that will be paid. If you have your annual Social Security statement, you can see what you’ll probably get in…
Parents of special needs children need to be especially proactive about planning for the future. Their planning should start with an estate plan, that includes a Special Needs Trust. It’s one of the hardest things for any parent to think about, but for special needs families, planning for the child’s…
How the “Achieving a Better Life Experience” Act, known as ABLE, provides a mechanism to create a tax-advantaged savings tool for individuals with disabilities and their families. The benefits for income, health care, food and housing for disabled Americans are awarded based on a resource test, so that individuals who…
A hearing of the Senate Special Committee on aging is looking at bipartisan legislation that would make changes to the Older Americans Act to give individuals younger than 60 with a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s a chance to access support programs. Senate Bill 901, which is called “Younger-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease…
It is important to understand the basics of special needs planning, so that you can plan for your child’s future. There are many issues to address, but an experienced Houston estate planning professional will be able to help. Special needs planning is challenging. It’s important to have a strong team…
The saying “little children, little problems, big children, big problems,” is particularly appropriate for parents of special needs children. Preparing for the next phase takes time, so it’s best to begin the process, once they celebrate their 17th birthday. One of the many decisions that parents need to make before…
Parking a “granny pod” in the backyard may be the best way to have aging parents near, but not under, your own roof. Finding suitable and affordable housing for aging parents is a real challenge for many families. A senior lifestyle community may be too expensive, but living on their…