Did you know that if you met with an estate planning attorney within the past year, some of your legal fees may be tax deductible?  In both Merians v. Comm’r, 60 TC 187 (1973) (involving estate planning using an irrevocable trust) and Wong v. Comm’r, TC Memo. 1989-683 (1989) (involving estate planning using a revocable […]

Janice’s 90-year old mother Merle had to move to assisted living last year because she was no longer able to care for herself.  Her doctor certified she could not bathe, dress or feed herself due to dementia and loss of mobility. The assisted-living home provided food and lodging and aided her with medicines and bathing, […]

Tom’s mother, Christine, has been living with his family for 10 years.  Christine is insistent that Tom doesn’t claim her as a dependent because she’s worried it may affect her Medicare/Medicaid benefits for nursing home subsidies if and when that time comes.   Christine receives about $500 a month in Social Security and has no retirement […]

As a caregiver, you likely pay for some care costs out-of-pocket.  Did you know that if you are caring for a relative, you canclaim tax deductions and credits for certain medical expenses?  These can include dental treatments, transportation to medical appointments, health insurance premiums, and long-term care costs. The rules below apply to caregivers for […]

In December 2012, we covered changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) that will affect parents of children with special needs and LGBT adults.  This article will discuss the elimination of the “bereavement exclusion” in the DSM-5 (which is due to come out in May 2013) and how this change affects […]

Thank you to Susan Chipman, PhD, client of Farr Law Firm, P.C., who shared her research on this subject. Patients with Parkinson’s disease exhibit difficulty moving and tremors, but one aspect of their condition that is often overlooked is cognitive impairment.  About one-third to one-half of those with Parkinson’s exhibit some signs of cognitive impairment […]

Falls are the single largest cause of injury among seniors, and the second leading cause of accidental death in the United States.  It is estimated that one in three persons over the age of 65 is likely to fall at least once each year.  Nearly one-third of older adults who fall sustain serious injuries such […]

It is often difficult to talk to an elderly family member about giving up their car keys — especially if the older person doesn’t agree that continuing to drive will be risky.  Often, families are making the tough choice between safety and independence on their own. There is new evidence, though, that doctors could have […]

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is eliminating the requirement to file annual Eligibility Verification Reports (EVRs).  These annual reviews are often cumbersome for vets or family members to complete, and could sometimes lead to the loss of benefits if improperly filed. In the past, beneficiaries have been required to complete an EVR each year to […]

Under certain circumstances, veterans who served between 1940 and 2001 can be credited for special extra earningsfor Social Security purposes.  These extra earnings may help veterans increase the amount of their Social Security benefit.   These special extra earnings are granted for periods of active duty or active duty for training. Special extra earnings are notgranted […]

This Sunday, January 20 at 10:30 p.m, Evan H. Farr, CELA will be the guest on “Of Consuming Interest” hosted by Shirley Rooker, radio host and President of Call For Action, Inc. On her show, Ms. Rooker typically interviews top government officials, CEOs, and experts in their respective fields about topics that are of interest […]