So, you are the guardian and conservator of a loved one, and now you and your loved one are moving out of state. Do you know that there are often additional steps you must take before the move to avoid…
Author: Shannon Laymon-Pecoraro, CELA
Special Needs Planning and the Importance of Understanding Benefits
Many people who seek advice regarding a plan for a loved one with a disability believe that it centers around a trust. Unfortunately, a proper plan is not usually that simple. A comprehensive plan will also usually incorporate long-term residential…
Increased Cost and Inconsistency of Care in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly impacted the entire world in a multitude of ways. One of the major impacts I have seen with my clients directly relates to the accessibility of long-term care. Specifically, as with most industries, shortage in…
AS WE GATHER ‘ROUND THE TABLE: INVOLVING THE ELDERLY IN FAMILY FESTIVITIES
The holidays present an opportunity for loved ones near and far to gather together for celebration and reminiscing. However, it is important to remember that the holidays may trigger a spell of depression in the elderly and is therefore a…
Costs of Settling Claims for Persons with Disabilities
Under Virginia law, a person under a disability includes persons confined due to a felony conviction, persons under the age of 18, and incapacitated persons. When such persons are involved in personal injury cases, additional court procedures are required to…
Understanding the Caretaker Child Exception
Many of our clients have heard of the “five-year lookback” but few understand what it actually means. In essence, since Medicaid is a payer of last resort, the government wants to ensure that people are not divesting themselves of assets…
Funding Pooled Special Needs Trusts after Age 65
Over the course of the last year, one of the major developments in special needs law has centered around the funding of pooled special needs trusts after age 65. Historically, policy on this issue has been inconsistent among the states,…
Shannon Laymon-Pecoraro accepted into the Southeast Fellows Institute of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
Shannon A. Laymon-Pecoraro, CELA, and Shareholder at Hook Law Center, P.C., has been accepted into the inaugural class of the Southeast Fellows Institute of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). The Southeast Fellows Institute was created by…
What is the Step-Up in Basis?
There has been a lot of talk about Congress eliminating the step-up in basis. Although this is touted as a wealthy man’s loophole, many of my clients may be significantly impacted if such a law is passed, however, very few…
