Veterans benefits

New Rules on Benefits Appeals for Veterans

Published on: February 4, 2019 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

Following the adoption of new rules, there will now be options for veterans to appeal their disability benefits. The hope is that these three new processes will speed cases.

It took more than a year and a half, but the Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that new appeals rules have been enacted that will streamline the appeals process. Veterans whose disability benefits have been rejected, will now have one of three options to pursue their claims. Reforms were passed by lawmakers in 2017, so this has been a long time coming.

In the past, disability appeals languished for years. The VA is now hoping that the most difficult reviews can still be finished in less than a year in most cases, reports the Military Times in the article “VA’s benefits appeals process will see a dramatic changeover next month.” The target for cases that don’t go before the Board of Veterans Appeals is an average of about four months for a final decision.

URGENT: The VA Regulations Have Changed!

Published on: September 21, 2018 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

What is the VA Pension Benefit?

The Veterans Administration pension program provides monthly tax-free benefit payments to certain wartime Veterans or their surviving spouses who meet the financial and medical requirements. Claimants who are eligible for VA pension may also qualify for supplemental monetary payments, such as housebound or aid & attendance, if they meet additional medical requirements.

What are the new guidelines to applying and receiving VA Pension Benefits?

The recent regulation changes regarding eligibility requirements for needs-based benefits include:

* A thirty-six month look-back period in which certain transfers or gifts could be penalized.

* A new formula for calculating a claimant's net worth and a bright-line net worth limit.

* Restrictions on the amount of acreage of a claimant's primary residence which can be excluded in net worth calculations.

* Clarification on certain medical definitions and allowable medical deductions.

The new regulations go in to effect on October 18, 2018 and may drastically change a claimant's eligibility as well as their planning options. If you have questions about your current VA pension benefits or about obtaining VA pension benefits, please contact a VA accredited attorney today.

Veterans Planning Workshops

Discover how Veterans Benefits and long term-care planning can impact and lead to a better quality of life for you and your loved ones. We delve into the new VA regulations and changes to how Veterans and surviving spouses will receive pension benefits.

October 10, 2018 at 12PM

October 24, 2018 at 12PM

This blog will be updated frequently as we process the full regulations and changes to the VA Pension. Please plan to check back regularly.

Register Now For Our Upcoming VA Workshops

Estate Planning Alzheimer’s Disease Patients

Published on: July 29, 2015 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

When a loved one has Alzheimer’s, advanced planning for legal and financial matters becomes even more important than in day-to-day estate planning. Ideally, planning well in advance, before the disease has taken a toll on the person’s cognitive abilities, may give them an opportunity to express their wishes for their care. The debilitating nature of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia is extremely stressful for family members who are charged with being caregivers and decision makers. Planning early with the help of an experienced professional can alleviate some of the stress that results.

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or a different type of dementia is a challenge that requires a great deal of planning in advance. An article in The Lincoln (NE) Journal Staraddressed a number of financial, legal and medical care issues – “Planning the future of a loved one with dementia.”

You will encounter a number of costs in caring for a person with dementia. Planning for these expenses and costs throughout the course of the disease will involve examining all the costs you could possibly face now and in the future. These can include prescription drugs, personal care supplies, adult day care services, in-home care services, and residential care services.