Several hundred people attended — it was wonderful to connect with so many in our community.
The audience was fantastic — you asked us many excellent questions as we covered severeal sophisticated and sometimes confusing topics, including: the importance of a properly structured living trust, estate tax planning, protecting assets and becoming eligible for Medi-Cal, special needs planning and how multigenerational estate planning can bring families together.
We hope that everyone who attended gained a better understanding of the many planning issues that families face. And we hope that everyone had a good time!
If you were unable to attend, or if you attended and would like to start your own estate planning process, please do not hesitate to contact our office to set an appointment. We are here for you and your family.
We were honored to have so many in our community join us for these events.
A big “thank you” from all of us at Gilfix & La Poll, and we hope to see you soon!
—Mark Gilfix, Esq.
The post Thank You for the Amazing Turnout at Our Estate Planning Seminars! first appeared on SEONewsWire.net.]]>Several hundred people attended — it was wonderful to connect with so many in our community.
The audience was fantastic — you asked us many excellent questions as we covered severeal sophisticated and sometimes confusing topics, including: the importance of a properly structured living trust, estate tax planning, protecting assets and becoming eligible for Medi-Cal, special needs planning and how multigenerational estate planning can bring families together.
We hope that everyone who attended gained a better understanding of the many planning issues that families face. And we hope that everyone had a good time!
If you were unable to attend, or if you attended and would like to start your own estate planning process, please do not hesitate to contact our office to set an appointment. We are here for you and your family.
We were honored to have so many in our community join us for these events.
A big “thank you” from all of us at Gilfix & La Poll, and we hope to see you soon!
—Mark Gilfix, Esq.
The post Thank You for the Amazing Turnout at Our Estate Planning Seminars! first appeared on SEONewsWire.net.]]>You may have seen ads running in the Mercury News and perhaps other media outlets for Trust Seminars presented by a San Diego-based law firm. These specific ads attempt to entice you by promising a “free kindle” and a “free dinner” for those who attend the seminars they are giving while they visit the Bay Area.
They claim to “fix” trusts. Their ads suggest that any trust done by anyone other than them is flawed. No surprise: They conclude that only they can fix it. We have seen marketing like this many times over the years.
We have been national and community leaders in this field for over 30 years. We know and are familiar with the real-world issues that trusts must address. We author articles and legal form books that attorneys across the nation rely upon. We have successfully represented thousands of individuals in the Bay Area, including many business and community leaders.
We want to assure you, as a client of Gilfix & La Poll or individual who has a relationship with our office, that we give you the best and most comprehensive representation in the field. Our revocable trusts do not have the problems these marketers identify. Gilfix & La Poll addresses more issues, more comprehensively, than virtually any other firm in the nation.
We have seen this firm’s list of trust document “flaws” that they identify. These lists can be misleading and it is important for you to know that planning must go beyond overly simplistic checklists.
- Our trusts and related planning documents cover every base and offer all the legal tools and protections needed to ensure that you have the power to keep your estate safe.
- Our Family Protection Trusts offer the powerful protections for your children — protection against divorce, against litigation and against future estate tax — that their checklist correctly identifies as important.
- We deal with and understand additional issues they and so many others do not address, including issues related to long-term care planning and special needs.
This type of marketing conjures many confusing “straw man” arguments, where a false problem is presented and then “solved.” Do not be misled by catchy marketing and offers of free meals or gadgets. If you have a trust with another firm, we are happy to take a look and to identify real issues, and we won’t use a superficial approach to do it.
If you have any questions about this, or any other issue related to your planning, give us a call. We might not give you a free kindle, but we will take good care of you and your family.
The Gilfix & La Poll Team
Pioneers of Elder Law – For over 30 years, Gilfix & La Poll Associates LLP has innovated creative legal solutions to help you manage and plan the future of your estate. To contact an estate planning lawyer visit www.gilfix.com or call 800.244.9424.
The post A Warning About Ads to “Fix” Your Trust first appeared on SEONewsWire.net.]]>You may have seen ads running in the Mercury News and perhaps other media outlets for Trust Seminars presented by a San Diego-based law firm. These specific ads attempt to entice you by promising a “free kindle” and a “free dinner” for those who attend the seminars they are giving while they visit the Bay Area.
They claim to “fix” trusts. Their ads suggest that any trust done by anyone other than them is flawed. No surprise: They conclude that only they can fix it. We have seen marketing like this many times over the years.
We have been national and community leaders in this field for over 30 years. We know and are familiar with the real-world issues that trusts must address. We author articles and legal form books that attorneys across the nation rely upon. We have successfully represented thousands of individuals in the Bay Area, including many business and community leaders.
We want to assure you, as a client of Gilfix & La Poll or individual who has a relationship with our office, that we give you the best and most comprehensive representation in the field. Our revocable trusts do not have the problems these marketers identify. Gilfix & La Poll addresses more issues, more comprehensively, than virtually any other firm in the nation.
We have seen this firm’s list of trust document “flaws” that they identify. These lists can be misleading and it is important for you to know that planning must go beyond overly simplistic checklists.
- Our trusts and related planning documents cover every base and offer all the legal tools and protections needed to ensure that you have the power to keep your estate safe.
- Our Family Protection Trusts offer the powerful protections for your children — protection against divorce, against litigation and against future estate tax — that their checklist correctly identifies as important.
- We deal with and understand additional issues they and so many others do not address, including issues related to long-term care planning and special needs.
This type of marketing conjures many confusing “straw man” arguments, where a false problem is presented and then “solved.” Do not be misled by catchy marketing and offers of free meals or gadgets. If you have a trust with another firm, we are happy to take a look and to identify real issues, and we won’t use a superficial approach to do it.
If you have any questions about this, or any other issue related to your planning, give us a call. We might not give you a free kindle, but we will take good care of you and your family.
The Gilfix & La Poll Team
Pioneers of Elder Law – For over 30 years, Gilfix & La Poll Associates LLP has innovated creative legal solutions to help you manage and plan the future of your estate. To contact an estate planning lawyer visit www.gilfix.com or call 800.244.9424.
The post A Warning About Ads to “Fix” Your Trust first appeared on SEONewsWire.net.]]>
Michael Gilfix speaks at this year’s Wealth Counsel conference.
On July 16, 2015, Michael Gilfix presented a session/program on this topic at the annual conference of Wealth Counsel, a nationally known and leading estate planning organization.
What distinguishes this talk is its emphasis on avoiding financial abuse. Virtually every other article published by attorneys about financial elder abuse focus on litigation, court involvement, and other reactions to abuse after it has taken place.
Financial abuse can afflict anyone at any time. 50% of financial abusers are family members.
We at Gilfix & La Poll have extraordinary experience in addressing this issue in a positive, preventive way. When it takes place, we have been remarkably and consistently successful in recovering assets for victims of financial abuse.
If you or any of your family members or friends have experienced these problems – or if you are worried about them – call us for a consultation.
Do not let elder financial abuse happen.
“Many people are overwhelmed by long-term care costs, which are not covered by typical health insurance plans,” said Michael Gilfix, an elder law attorney in Palo Alto. “Life settlement firms offer to help, but the industry is still relatively small and not rigorously regulated.”
By selling one’s policy to a life settlement company, it is possible to get cash flow from a policy that otherwise does not have an immediate cash value. The policyholder gives up ownership of the policy but receives money to use for long-term care expenses. In addition, the policy is no longer considered an asset that can interfere with Medicaid/Medi-Cal eligibility.
“Since you forfeit ownership of the policy and lose its value, life insurance settlement is more appropriate for people who do not have dependents or a spouse who will need the support,” said Gilfix.
The value of a policy is based on calculations such as the policyholder’s age, medical history and the value and type of the policy. Most people receive somewhere between 20 to 45 percent of the policy’s value, but the rate can be higher or lower.
The life settlement industry is still small, with companies like The Lifeline Program converting only a few hundred policies each year. The industry is also relatively unregulated, and only a few states have enacted regulations, including California.
The office of Gilfix & La Poll can refer interested individuals to professionals who can advise about life settlements.
Pioneers of Elder Law – For over 30 years, Gilfix & La Poll Associates LLP has innovated creative legal solutions to help you manage and plan the future of your estate.
To contact an estate planning lawyer visit http://www.gilfix.com/ or call 800.244.9424.
The California State Assembly recently passed a new bill designed to limit Medi-Cal’s ability to recover assets from the estates of deceased Medi-Cal beneficiaries. As the law stands currently, Medi-Cal can seize a substantial portion of an estate — including a residence — to recover the benefits used to cover medical care through Medi-Cal.
But Governor Jerry Brown’s advisors are encouraging a veto of the bill in order to avoid revenue losses that would hurt the state’s budget, as reported by the Mercury News.
Even if Governor Brown does sign the bill, the new law would limit but not entirely prohibit Medi-Cal asset recovery.
The Mercury News turned to Michael Gilfix for comment on the growing concerns surrounding Medi-Cal asset seizure.
Gilfix pointed out that whether or not the bill is vetoed, Californians can take steps to protect their estates from Medi-Cal recovery. In the article, he commented that assets, and residences in particular, can be protected through proactive estate planning.
According to the Mercury News, many older Californians who already benefit from Medi-Cal are surprised to learn that their estates, which they hoped to pass down to their heirs, are at risk.
Gilfix & La Poll helps clients plan for Medi-Cal eligibility in a way that legally protects assets to the greatest extent possible and minimizes the impact of taxes on the estate.
Pioneers of Elder Law – For over 30 years, Gilfix & La Poll Associates LLP has innovated creative legal solutions to help you manage and plan the future of your estate.
To contact an estate planning lawyer visit http://www.gilfix.com/ or call 800.244.9424.
In the August 24, 2014 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle, reporter Kathleen Pender wrote about Medi-Cal reimbursement or “estate claims” that are imposed on a person’s estate if they receive Medi-Cal and after they pass. The article makes the point that the state could seek “an unlimited amount” from an individual’s estate when “Medi-Cal pays all the person’s health care costs.” This claim applies to all benefits received from age 55.
A major concern is that such claims blindside tens of thousands of older Californians who are receiving “expanded Medi-Cal” under President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. They are shocked to learn that their estate, most typically consisting of their residence, will be essentially attacked upon their passing.
Michael Gilfix points out in the article that assets could be protected from such Medi-Cal recovery claims. “There are certain ways to transfer a home out of an estate, although this can raise tax issues,” Michael Gilfix is quoted in the article.
Clients of Gilfix & La Poll understand that the residence can be protected and that many potential tax traps can be avoided with careful planning.
Learn more by contacting Gilfix & La Poll Associates LLP at http://www.gilfix.com/contact-us/.
The post Gilfix discusses Medi-Cal planning in the San Francisco Chronicle first appeared on SEONewsWire.net.]]>The article examined issues that we all must be aware of as we age: some retirees, even when dementia is not an issue, have trouble identifying riskier investments or warning signs, and financial scammers often take advantage of this.
The Wall Street Journal piece told the story of a client we helped with just this type of situation.
The article is an important reminder that older investors and their families need to be on guard. Even highly intelligent and sophisticated investors can fall prey to scams and bad investments.
As Michael Gilfix states in the article, it is also important for adult children of retirees to monitor their parents’ financial health just as they would their physical and mental condition.
No one should have to tackle these complex issues without assistance. At Gilfix & La Poll, we have decades of experience in the field of elder law, and we take pride in providing our clients with the highest level of service and advice.
As the feature in the Wall Street Journal illustrates, Gilfix & La Poll is a nationally recognized authority in the field of elder law and estate planning. We know you have worked hard to earn what you have, and you want to secure a comfortable retirement. We know how important it is to ensure that your assets are preserved for your loved ones and that your wishes are honored after your passing. To accomplish those goals, you should have the experience and knowledge of Gilfix & La Poll at your disposal.
To see other national publications that have featured Gilfix & La Poll, please see our In The News section.
The post Wall Street Journal Features Gilfix & La Poll first appeared on SEONewsWire.net.]]>There are more than one million elderly people in the state who have been working with this dual system. Gov. Jerry Brown has said that he estimates at least 500 million dollars will be saved by combing the two. The concern, of course, is that combining the two systems may simply be untenable. This new, managed care system will have to oversee the federally funded Medicare, plus the state-federal Medi-Cal, as well as social services.
The new system will be put into place after October 1 of this year as part of a three-year experiment in the Orange County area. For someone who is sick, dealing with three separate administrative entities, with multiple insurance plans and services can be overwhelming. Hopefully this new system will make managing care as painless as possible.
If you have concerns about your long-term care or managed care plans, please do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at Gilfix & La Poll.
Pioneers of Elder Law – For over 30 years, Gilfix & La Poll Associates LLP has innovated creative legal solutions to help you manage and plan the future of your estate.
To contact an estate planning lawyer visit http://www.gilfix.com/ or call 800.244.9424.
Unfortunately, not all facilities are able to provide the care that patients require, either due to staffing issues, budget cuts, poor management, or a host of other issues. Nursing home abuse can be as overt as a patient who is physically or emotionally assaulted, or as subtle as when someone is neglected enough that they develop bedsores or dehydration.
Some red flags which may indicate further investigation is warranted:
- Has the patient developed bedsores?
- Does the patient have unexplained bruises?
- Has the patient fallen in the facility one or more times?
- Has the patient’s behavior changed? Has he or she suddenly become socially withdrawn, fearful or uncommunicative?
- Does the patient show signs of poor hygiene?
- Does the patient seem uncomfortable around or fearful of a staff member?
- Are you able to visit alone with the patient?
- Does the patient have any personal items missing?
Many clients are concerned about reporting suspected abuse; they want to believe it does not happen, or that they are overreacting. But the general rule is that if you suspect something, say something. Let the authorities decide if your concerns have merit. It is not your job to know for certain. It is your job to speak up as an attentive advocate for your loved one.
If you suspect nursing home abuse, Gilfix & La Poll can help.
Pioneers of Elder Law – For over 30 years, Gilfix & La Poll Associates LLP has innovated creative legal solutions to help you manage and plan the future of your estate.
To contact an estate planning lawyer visit http://www.gilfix.com/ or call 800.244.9424.