Elder Law is a very broad area of law that encompasses not just Medicaid and Veterans long-term care planning for people over 65. Elder Law also encompasses legal areas such as: Asset Protection, Trust and Estate Planning, and Incapacity Planning for people of ALL ages; Special Needs Trusts for families with a disabled child or […]
Planning for a Special Needs Child
More than 20 million American families are raising a child with special needs and the number continues to increase. More than $13 billion a year is spent to care for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other special needs. For the average affected family, this translates to $30K per year. Fortunately, there are many ways […]
Ask the Expert- Why is Autism So Common Now?
Q. My ten year old son, Cole, was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when he was six. He is in a class of 20 children and there are two other boys and a girl who also have an ASD, all ranging in severity. These children spend half the time in the typical class […]
Senior Homeowners: When does a Reverse Mortgage Make Sense?
For many seniors the equity in their home is their largest single asset, yet it is unavailable to use unless they use a home equity loan. But a conventional loan really doesn’t free up the equity because the money has to be paid back with interest. A reverse mortgage is a risk-free way of tapping into home […]
Pediatricians urged to use autism checklist
The National Institutes of Health has developed a 24-item checklist for autism that can be used for babies as young as one year old. The checklist can be completed by parents in a few minutes while waiting in a pediatrician’s office. It asks simple questions such as whether a baby smiles and shows joy at […]
Complications: Divorce and Special Needs Children
Divorce is a challenging process for everyone. If you have a child with special needs, the choices you make during a divorce can have lifelong repercussions, both for you and for the child. It is not always in the best interest of a child with a disability to receive a large award because child support […]
Think Twice Before Filling Out Back to School Emergency Card
If you have minor children at home, you can expect an emergency card to arrive in just a few weeks from your child’s school or day care facility. The point of this card is to allow you to authorize certain people to pick up your child if you are not able to, for whatever reason. […]
Handicap Remodeling or Relocating
Robert and Anne purchased the family home thirty years ago, and their plan was to live there through retirement. They had furnished their home with restored antiques acquired from their many trips together. It was one of their cherished antique coffee tables that Robert tumbled over, breaking his hip. Now with his return from the […]
Latest Numbers: Muscular Dystrophy Funds Raised
As you may know, the Farr Law Firm is participating in the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Muscle Walk, taking place at George Mason University on April 2 2011. We are making progress! But we have a long way to go. You can track our progress by viewing our MDA page here, or alternatively, you can check […]
Lawyers Sweating it Out to Raise Funds for Children with Muscular Dystrophy
The Farr Law Firm is making progress raising funds for the April 2nd Muscular Dystrophy walk being held in Fairfax, Virginia, but we still have a long way to go. Below is our current barometer reading. To make a donation, please click here. We will post all contributors by first name and last initial on […]
Please Help Us Raise Money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)
The Farr Law Firm would like to extend a special thanks on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association to our first two donors! Thank You Ana A. and Mark R! Please consider making a small donation by visiting our Firm’s MDA Fundraiser page. We still have a long way to go, as you can see […]
Please Help Us Support The Muscular Dystrophy Association
UPDATE: The Farr Law Firm would like to extend a special thanks on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association to our first two donors! Thank You Ana A. and Mark R! We still have a long way to go, as you can see from our Barometer Please consider making a small donation by visiting our […]
Parents of Special Needs Kids: Getting Help From Others Without Forfeiting Federal Benefits
Did you know that in the U.S. alone, about 200,000 people under the age of 65 require long term care? In the D.C. Metro area, about 40,000 children are considered “Special Needs.” Many families are unsure how to plan financially when they first are faced with news that a child with special needs is on […]
A Mixed Bag in Virginia: Federal Law Prohibits 2011 Social Security Increases, but Federal Agency Grants Millions to Disadvantaged Groups
As Halloween approaches this year, I can’t help but draw an analogy between the nights I spent meandering my neighborhood as a kid looking for handouts, and our current economic times. I recall my grade-school friends and I operating our minds at their collective capacities, as we planned the best streets to target and the best […]
New Medical Conditions — Including Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease — Now Qualify for Automatic Disability Benefits
Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits are paid to individuals who, after having worked for many years, develop a disabling condition, prior to their normal retirement age, that is so severe that they are no longer able to work. Applicants for Social Security disability benefits often have to wait months, and sometimes years, for approval from the government, […]
Eight Steps to Less Stressful Caregiving
Taking care of a loved one with special needs can be exhausting and stressful. Often due to the lack of outside help, a devotion to the person needing care, or the tunnel vision that can accompany exhaustion, caretakers don’t take care of themselves. But they must. Failure to do so can lead to burnout, injury […]
Moving? Make Sure Your Special Needs Planning Moves With You
If you have already established an appropriate special needs trust for your child, then congratulations! You’ve taken a wonderful step towards ensuring that your child can take maximum advantage of the government programs available for his or her needs, while also providing your child with security for all the things the government can’t or won’t […]
Divorce and the Child With Special Needs: Income Deeming and Child Custody
Divorce is a difficult process for everyone. If you have a child with special needs, the choices you make during a divorce can have lifelong repercussions, both for you and for the child. It is not always in the best interest of a child with a disability to receive a large award because child support […]
Writing a Memorandum of Intent for a Special Needs Child
How can you ensure that your special needs child will remain well cared for and secure once others assume the role of guardian or caregiver? While creating a financial plan and establishing a specialized trust are central to preparing for your child’s future, special needs planners also advise families to write down their intentions and […]
Estate Planning For Parents of Special Needs Children
A recent Wall Street Journal article focused on estate planning for parents of children with special needs, which includes the following challenges: – How do you leave funds for the benefit of the child without causing the child to lose important public benefits? – How do you make sure that the funds are well managed? – How […]