Tag Archive for: Carrier Law

Special Medicaid Rules Extended

Everyone knows about the COVID Elder Plague now. The facts are well accepted. Victims are overwhelmingly older. And in long-term care facilities. Tragic truth: nursing home residents are 70 times more likely to die of COVID. Executive Orders in New York, New Jersey and Michigan have been deadly.

Last summer, we gave you the good news about at home care. Emergency, limited changes to the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (“PACE”). New opportunities for thousands of families to get at-home care without more sacrifice. Keep life savings, cottage, farm, rental properties, business. No Poverty! If you follow the rules. Care services: free. Income: keep it. No co-pay, doughnut hole or other payment.

Many Michigan families acted immediately. We have helped dozens secure at-home care for their loved ones. PACE saves families from the deadly COVID virus stalking long-term care facilities. But we warned you: “COVID-19 emergency rules are temporary. The benefits are permanent. When the emergency is over, these favorable rules will be gone.”

The rules expired November 1, 2020. But now, the emergency rules were extended to April 1, 2021. Five more months for families to get back a little of what they have paid in. That is a big deal. Let’s not put it off again.

Threat to Middle Class Security

You are middle class. You have worked and saved. Since you were 10 years old. You and your spouse have a bit set aside. You are fine! But then…
You are caring for your loved one at home. You applied for help. Rejected! Too much income. Too much savings. A cottage, a business, a farm, stocks, bonds, IRA. Your financial advisor, the accountant, your lawyer. All say the same thing: You must “spend down” all you have achieved. No help until you are broke.

Medicaid Five Year Look-Back

The emergency rules eliminate the “Five Year Look-back”. You truly can preserve what you have earned. Thousands more families could benefit. But tragically, they refuse to believe it is possible. Healthy skepticism hardens into stubborn rejection. Everyone suffers. Clinging to the idea that it is “too good to be true” or “fake news”? Talk to folks who are uncertain and suspicious. Accurate information and proof beat unfounded fears every day.
Fact: You do not have to accept nursing home poverty for yourself or your loved one.

P.A.C.E. Qualifications

Answer Yes to 3 Questions:
1. Need help with activities of daily life? Memory problems? Oxygen therapy? Blindness? Dialysis? These are just a few of the many ways to qualify.
2. Are you safe at home?
3. Social security (gross) less than $2349? (Special rules for pension income.)

We can do the homework together. Most families benefit. Hugely. But it costs nothing to find out.

Get Answers Now: 800-317-2812.

Benefits of Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

What can PACE do for me? Why not find out? Your team is standing by. PACE is doctors, therapists, dieticians, nurses, physician assistants, administrators. All working together to provide your best solution. Want more detail? Call us.

PACE includes:
On-Site Physician/Medical Supervision; Nursing Care; Physical Therapy; Occupational Therapy; Recreational Therapy; Activities and Exercise; Breakfast, Lunch, Snack; Nutritional Counseling; Social Services; Dental Care; Audiology; Optometry; Podiatry; Women’s Services; Dentistry and Dentures; Optometry and Eyeglasses; Audiology and Hearing Aids; Podiatry, Diabetic Shoes and Orthotics; Cardiology; Rheumatology; Lab Tests; Radiology; X-Rays; Outpatient Surgery; Primary Care Physician: On call 24 hours a day, seven days a week; Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living; Personal Care; Chore Services; Meal Preparation; Emergency Room Visits; Hospitalizations; Inpatient Specialist; Skilled Inpatient Rehabilitation; Transportation Services; Prescriptions; Over-the-Counter Medicines; Transportation; Respite Care and Caregiver Education; Wheelchairs; Walkers; Oxygen; Hospital Beds; Diabetic Testing Supplies; Adult Day Care.

No Poverty. No Charity. No Waste.

We are your team, united by 3 goals and 1 mission.
1. No Poverty. Your family will NOT go broke.
2. No Charity. You paid for these benefits with a lifetime of work and taxes. You earned this.
3. No Waste. Your beneficiaries get whatever is left. For certain.

How Much Time Do You Think You Have? Why Waste It?

Get the straight story. Your loved one is counting on you. Satisfy yourself that you have the right information. It is simple and free. Call and schedule your Discovery Meeting where we will learn about your unique situation and guide you through the process.

Supreme Court Justice Nomination

Who cares? The Constitution and the Supreme Court don’t affect your daily life. Right? All that political food fight going on in Washington, D.C. has little to do with me and you. Pretty irrelevant, eh?

Well. You may want to rethink that one. In many ways, large and small, Supreme Court rulings govern our daily life. What we can say. How we can say it. What we can sell. What we can buy. For whom we can vote. How we can vote. It’s kind of a big deal.

Why Do We Have a Constitution?

Over 40 years ago, as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, I took an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same….” What does that mean? How do you “support and defend” a document? What is the job of the Supreme Court? Why do we have a Constitution?

There are Constitutional Law scholars who spend their lives puzzling over these issues. Writing, Theorizing. Advocating. I am not that smart. And there have been other things to do. Over several decades as an interested observer, I have developed some opinions. This is how it seems to me.

The United States Constitution

Folks view the Constitution and Supreme Court in one of two ways (of course there are gaps and overlaps, but…). The Constitution is either a fundamental Rule Book that applies to everyone or a mysterious relic of ever-increasing, unpredictable power. Justices are honest umpires, here for the length of the game, or avenging angels in black robes whose wishes must be honored beyond the grave.

Is the Constitution a sturdy shield against tyranny? Protecting ordinary folks going about their daily lives; planning for the future. Well-understood, fair, predictable. “Equal Justice Under Law.”

Or is the Constitution a flaming sword of righteousness? Fearsome weapon against bad thoughts, bad acts and bad people. Ever evolving to battle new grievances. Discovering and pursuing hidden evils. Vengeance against historic wrongs. Therapy for all distress.

Supreme Court Justices Apply the Rules

Is the Supreme Court a committee of honest umpires? Given the Rule Book, their job is to apply the Rules. The Supremes do not make the Rules. We the People, Congress and the President do that. And the Supremes shield us from the Congress and President’s urge to trample our inalienable rights.

In 1776 and beyond, the Founders of the United States were surrounded by murderous, tyrannical governments. Kings, queens, pashas, sultans, emirs, Kaisers, czars, emperors and Pharaohs, despotic overlords of every description. The Founders experienced unrestricted governmental power. They knew the evil that lurks in the hearts of men (and women) to control and dominate. And they didn’t like it. Not a bit.

Our Constitution provides a basic, reliable structure. Balancing co-equal branches of government. Restraint on Power, not the People. Individuals and families living together with maximum liberty and freedom, minimal interference and control. A mighty defense against tyranny. Everyone can thrive when left to their own initiative and effort, in a framework of ordered liberty. Governs best, governs least.

Avenging Angels

Is the Supreme Court a squad of avenging angels? Life is nothing but a tawdry power struggle. Oppression, exploitation, bias, unfair advantage, -isms of all sorts. The Constitution is a mighty flaming sword of righteousness. Smite the evil doers!

Of course, new evil doers unceasingly arise, so the Constitution must evolve. Who cares what those dead guys wrote over 200 years ago? The words do not really matter. We have the power; now let us enjoy it. Liberty, tolerance, virtue: meaningless propaganda. Supreme Court Justices embody wisdom and concentrated virtue. The People are an undisciplined mob. Ungrateful wretches! If they will not learn, they will be compelled. You will be made to care.

Who Should Be A Supreme Court Justice?

How to explain the wailing and gnashing of teeth by politicians, commentators, and others on the recent death of a Supreme Court Justice? Gushing floods of despair, anxiety, and fear… from whence do they arise? Parents brag on social media of their minor kids’ emotional devastation. Another videoed herself in the shrieking throes of a nervous breakdown. While driving.

Was that your reaction? Or did you maintain a calm confidence that soon another umpire would be found. Not from a mystic mountain but nominated by an elected official. That individual’s fidelity to the rules as written, amended, interpreted would be tested. By other elected officials. And life, under the light yoke of the Rule Book will go on.

Why is it not enough that a Supreme Court Justice be skilled, intelligent, hard-working? Faithful to The Rule Book that has worked for almost 250 years of self-government.

What Does All This Legal Philosophy Have To Do With LifePlanning™?

Quite a bit. LifePlanning™ is how regular middle-class families avoid nursing home poverty. You do not have to sacrifice your life savings, your security, your loved ones’ well-being. LifePlanning™ is based on strict compliance with the rules and regulations provided for long-term care. What if we could not depend on the rules and regulations? What if your future or that of your loved ones depended on a caseworker’s feelings? Or who you voted for? Or who likes or does not like you?

What if some groups got extra benefits, based on their political orientation? What if other groups got extra restrictions, based on their beliefs? Aren’t we living through that experiment, right now? How does it feel? Whatever happened to do unto others as you would have them do unto you?

Middle-class Americans are not looking for special treatment. No extra privileges. No special deals. Fairness is all we ask. And that means everyone plays by the same set of rules. And the rules apply evenly to everyone.

Basic Fairness. We’ve been helping Middle-class Michigan get their earned benefits for 30 years. We make the rules work for the folks who play by the rules.

By David L. Carrier

Find Out How to Avoid Nursing Home Poverty

Call The LifePlan™ Hotline Today! 800-317-2812

COVID-19 is the Elder Plague

COVID-19. Everyone has an opinion. Fear-mongering headlines are everywhere. Widespread destruction of American middle class hopes and dreams. Out of work. Out of school. Out of money. Out of hope. Why is anyone surprised that some young people turn against fundamental American ideals of honor and fair play? What if America had responded to polio, yellow fever, whooping cough, German measles, other devastating disease pandemics by depriving regular citizens of their rights to worship, associate with others, seek their fortune, pursue happiness?

COVID-19 falls heaviest on older Americans. It is truly an Elder Plague. The numbers have not changed. The older you are, the more deadly COVID-19. Americans over the age of 85 make up only 3.4% of COVID-19 cases, but a full 32% of deaths. Almost ten times as many. Younger Americans, under age 50, suffer 64.1% of COVID-19 infections. What percentage of deaths? Five percent. 5%. FIVE PERCENT. So. Older folks – ten times MORE likely to die. Younger folks – thirteen times LESS likely.

Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Take your temperature. Take care. Be on guard. Be wise. COVID-19 is a killer. That 5% of under-50 deaths represents almost seven thousand, five hundred Americans whose lives were cut short. Seven thousand, five hundred Americans who will never reach their full potential. Seven thousand, five hundred American tragedies.

And now, for the rest of the story.

High School Kids’ Despair Equals Suicide and Drug Abuse

“But there has been another cost that we’ve seen, particularly in high schools. We’re seeing, sadly, far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID. We’re seeing far greater deaths from drug overdose that are above excess that we had as background than we are seeing the deaths from COVID.”

Idle Hands are the Devil’s Workshop

We are not doctors, virologists, epidemiologists, or data analysts. But something seems odd here, doesn’t it? COVID-19 falls heaviest on the elderly. Hardly at all on working age and younger people. Yet rather than focus on those in need, politicians completely lock down society. No work. No play. No school. No church. Unsurprisingly, teenage suicides and drug deaths skyrocket. Frustration and boredom find outlet in politically correct protests, riots, and violence. Why do so many politicians embrace mindless destruction now and a defenseless future? Fear? Sympathy?

Some people ask, “Is there a better way?” We wonder, “Could there be a worse way?”

Middle Class Will Prevail

But as we all know, something that cannot go on forever, will not. Sooner or later, the pendulum swings back. Can you feel it? Did you get that sense, sometime last week, that things had gone far enough? Too far? We are patient. We are kind. We do not think ill of others. Slow to anger. But enough is enough. Too much waste. Too much greed. Too much self-righteous, self-satisfied, smug entitlement. Too much disrespect. “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” Hosea 8:7

LifePlanning™

Wealthy folks are fine. They have lots of lawyers chasing them. Deserving poor get it for free. The Middle Class pays. Until there is nothing left. Then, scraps. We are here to serve you. LifePlanning™ is designed for and serves the Michigan Middle Class. Now. While you are still here. And who else even talks about it? You could do worse than give us a call and discover the choices LifePlanning™ and your hard work have made possible for you.

Get Answers Today! Call 1-800-317-2812

Thoughts for the Newly Widowed

On a cold, rainy Sunday afternoon in early October, Jane despairs at the paperwork piles. Last year, a car crash took Mike, cruelly ending their ten-year marriage. Each year, Mike did the taxes while house bills fell to Jane. Now, it’s all on her. How can she do this alone? A young widow with two young children. Even after a year she cannot concentrate. “Widow’s brain” a friend calls it. A constant fog interrupted by family demands.

Mike and Jane meant to get organized, get their “ducks in a row.” But kids! Jobs! Church! Activities! She gave up her job after the second child. Daycare was so expensive and no family nearby. Jane’s new part-time job barely covers her expenses. What to do now?

Partial Plan Means Total Frustration

Jane could get the checking and savings because they were joint on those accounts. But her name was never put on that cottage Mike inherited. Mike’s life insurance from work is up in the air. They say the “paperwork” is wrong. Health insurance? That “COBRA” policy costs way too much! If Jane gets sick, who takes the kids?

First Things First

Jane and the kids need checkups. Physical and mental! Available without charge in most Michigan counties.

Plan Jane Plan

Jane needs expert help. Thorough review of family assets. Handle Mike’s probate estate. Get the insurance money. Plan for the future. Who gets the kids if she dies? Who will pay the bills? Who makes medical decisions? How can an estate plan that make life for her family easier and safer?

Carrier Law Can Help

A will and trust will direct who gets the kids and the money. No expensive and time-consuming Probate. Financial and health care powers of attorney will allow a loved one to manage her affairs.

Take the First Step!

Jane met experienced, competent counsel who helped her cut through the fog. Take effective action. Provide for herself and her children. As Jane now says, “It’s not about documents, it’s about peace of mind!”

By Claire Clary, Carrier Law Attorney, Widowed Persons Service – Board Member

Handy Andy Ain’t Got Nothing On Me!

Many of us enjoy DIY (Do It Yourself) projects. Your ambitions could range anywhere from minor painting to remodeling the bathroom. Why not tackle the whole house? Most of us have the skill to do some minor repairs. But how many have plumbing, electrical, or dry wall talents?

Minor cosmetic home repairs won’t get you in too much trouble. Leave those load-bearing walls alone! But… running electrical circuits or plumbing to a new room takes on some serious risks. Botched wiring means short circuits and fires… shocking! You’ll be crying a river when your amateur plumbing imitates Niagara Falls. Running a gas line to a stove or dryer? What could go wrong? Ka-boom!

What, Me Worry?

Usually when we do our own home repairs, we understand the risks that we are taking on. But what about drafting your own Will or Power of Attorney documents? What is the harm? Many folks think: “I can just download some forms, fill in the blanks and I am all set! So easy!” Right? It’s like using extension cords to wire your house. Scotch tape to seal plumbing joints! Why would you risk your life savings on “free” online forms?

Danger, Danger, High Voltage!

When home remodeling, beware bare wires, leaking pipes, asbestos, and creepy crawly’s. When remodeling your Estate Plan, here are some of your risks with DIY online forms:

1. Healthcare Power of Attorney. What powers should be in these documents? Do you know that if they are not drafted properly, you could be in Probate Court to have a Guardianship setup? This causes more stress, delays and (no big surprise) surprisingly large expenses. Did you forget the Advance Directive? HIPPA? Funeral designee?

2. Financial Power of Attorney. An appropriate Financial Power of Attorney document can preserve your assets… keep you from going broke. Proper advance planning minimizes risks. But what if your bargain basement POA lacks “extraordinary” powers? It may cost you very little or it could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Why would you risk botching such an important document?

3. Trusts. When was the last time you drafted a Trust? How did that work out? What provisions are prudent for your specific facts? Should it be revocable or irrevocable, or one of each? What powers should the trustees have? These are a few of the questions to ask. Do you know how to fund a Trust, or even what this means? Do you think it could be expensive to have the wrong Trust setup that is not funded? Maybe “FREE” is the costliest of all…

Safe And Secure

Your LifePlan attorney has already helped hundreds of families like yours. You worked your whole life to save for the Golden Years. Now you are going to bet your life savings on generic, freebie forms. Thinking that you can save some money? You may never recover from that mistake if you don’t know what you are doing.

Written by Attorney Jim Henke

Call the Law Offices of David L. Carrier today at (800) 317-2812

We Make the Rules Work, for the Folks who Play by the Rules!

Is This a Time Like No Other?

You may wonder what is going on. Why have governors, mayors, city councils betrayed the people? Did you suspect the cowardice now on display? How can months of rioting be condoned? Are robbery, murder, assault and mob rule “what democracy looks like”?

Almost 200 years ago, our nation faced similar issues. Mob rule replaced representative democracy. Murder, by hanging, burning alive, shooting, in the name of justice, “pervaded the country, from New England to Louisiana…” In January 1838, a 28-year-old lawyer confronted these problems. The lawyer’s name was Abraham Lincoln.

America Must Live Through All Time Or Die By Suicide

Lincoln acknowledged that no foreign danger could threaten the United States. “All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth… could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.”

Lincoln saw that risk comes from within. “[Danger] cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”

Although painful to admit, Lincoln observed that “Accounts of outrages committed by mobs, form the everyday news of the times. They have pervaded the country, from New England to Louisiana…” “[B]y instances of the perpetrators of such acts going unpunished, the lawless in spirit, are encouraged to become lawless in practice; and having been used to no restraint, but dread of punishment, they thus become, absolutely unrestrained.” Isn’t Lincoln describing Seattle, Portland, Kenosha?

Lincoln’s fundamental truth: “There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law.” Anyone who says differently is selling something.

Lincoln Foresaw Today’s Situation

Lincoln observed that “whenever the vicious portion of population shall be permitted to gather in bands of hundreds and thousands, and burn churches, ravage and rob provision-stores, throw printing presses into rivers, shoot editors, and hang and burn obnoxious persons at pleasure, and with impunity; depend on it, this Government cannot last.”

How can today’s politicians excuse their craven cowardice? Betrayal of middle-class Americans, whether 160 years or 3 months ago, has the same disastrous consequences. They cannot claim ignorance. Why have they abandoned their oath to preserve, protect, defend?

The Solution

Lincoln did not despair. He conceded the glamour of violence. He saw the selfish ambition of those who “thirst and burn” for fame. Our hope, Lincoln said, is that “the people [stay] united with each other, attached to the government and laws, and generally intelligent, to successfully frustrate” the “mobocratic spirit.”

We have faced down enemies, foreign and domestic, before. We can do so again. Not by meeting violence with violence. But by steady devotion to our great nation and the rule of law. Do not despair, persist.
Note: All quotes from Abraham Lincoln, The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions: Address Before the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois, January 27, 1838

C-Rations, Long-term Care & LifePlanning™

Every soldier and Marine, and some airmen and sailors, too, know the delights of the Combat Ration. Also known as the C-Ration or C-Rat. Packing 1200 calories into a small, brown cardboard box. Three olive drab tin cans. Main course, soda crackers, something spreadable like peanut butter, jelly, or cheese. Sometimes pound cake or cookies. Plus, a brown foil envelope: salt, pepper, coffee or cocoa, toilet paper. And a P38 can opener. It could be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. As an Army ROTC cadet and on active duty, I ate quite a few.

Everyone said that some C-Rats came with cigarettes, but I never saw any. The best was the John Wayne bar: a disk of chocolate with toffee bits. Spread peanut butter on the soda crackers and make a sandwich with the John Wayne bar. Almost heaven. Getting a John Wayne bar was winning the lottery, and no one ever traded it away.

Printed on the top flap of the C-Rat box was the main course. Beans with Frankfurter Chunks in Tomato Sauce, Fried Ham, Chicken and Noodles, Spaghetti and Meatballs (like mama made!). There were others. C-Rats came 12 or 16 to the case. The case was always flipped upside down when you went to draw your ration. No picking or choosing!

My very first C-Rat was “Ham and Eggs, Chopped.” Scrambled eggs. With ham. From hens that had died during the Eisenhower Administration. In a can. (But I did get a John Wayne bar!!)

It taught me a valuable lesson. Never go on a Field Training Exercise without a bottle of Tabasco.

What has this got to do with LifePlanningTM? Everything!

LifePlan™ Basic Facts

FACT #1: Middle-class Americans cannot afford the $6000-$12,000 per month costs of long-term care.
FACT #2: Life savings evaporate like snowflakes on a hot griddle. (Don’t kid yourself about this. Folks with hundreds of thousands in savings go broke every day. You are not immune.)
FACT #3: When you are broke, then Medicaid, the government solution, kicks in.
FACT #4: LifePlanning™ enables you to qualify for Medicaid without going broke.

C-Rats, Medicaid, Tabasco, Long-term Care, Extras! The Government Solution

C-Rations are the government solution to soldiers’ need to eat in the field. Medicaid is the government solution to Americans’ need for long term care.

You Cannot Avoid the Government Solution.

There are no McDonald’s in the field. You cannot pack in enough sandwiches. You must eat the C-Rat. Long-term care is expensive. You cannot save enough to pay what it actually costs. You will go broke. You must take the Medicaid.

By Planning Ahead, You Can Add To The Government Solution.

Buy some Tabasco at the PX or Commissary. Bring it with you. Share it with your buddies. You’ll be glad you did! Preserve your lifesavings through LifePlanning™. Do not go broke when you need long-term care. Add the services you want and need by paying for them yourself. You choose. You decide.

Freedom, Security, Personal Responsibility

You have lifesavings now because you took personal responsibility for yourself, your spouse, your family. You did not shirk. You did the tough stuff. There are some people out there who did not. Those people will receive Medicaid benefits immediately. You will not. You will have to deplete your savings. Sell the cottage. No legacy. No ability to provide for your spouse. No choice.

How is that fair? I do not think that it is. That’s why I have developed and practiced the LifePlan™ strategy for the last 30 years. You are not a chump, a sucker, or a loser for having worked, saved, and cared for yourself and your family. We make the rules work for the people who played by the rules.

Get Information Now! Call 1-800-317-2812

Confusion! That’s What Insurance is Today

Know Before You Go!

Can we all agree that car insurance is confusing! Our politicians promised us new auto insurance laws to save us big money. How’s that been working out? Starting July 2, 2020, and as we renew our insurance, we drivers are supposed to save millions! So far, the savings are… underwhelming.

Risks are increasing. Everyone is used to having unlimited personal injury coverage. Not anymore. Now coverage is limited and cheaper. And the other guy can sue you for the difference. Will car accident attorneys like that? Will insurance companies like that? Aren’t you glad our politicians simplified things?

Unlimited Coverage for You!

Do you want to worry? No! You get the maximum coverage. The other guy CRASHES into you. The other guy has low or no personal injury coverage. Who is suing you? The other guy. What does he want? Your income, savings, house, whatever. Why? His unpaid medical bills. Is that fair?

But you are fine. You paid extra for unlimited coverage. No worries! Right? Wrong. That only covers your medical bills. Not that guy’s. Glad we saved all that money on car insurance.

Low or No Personal Injury Coverage for You!

Let’s save some money. No or low personal injury coverage for yourself. Bad accident? Sue the other guy! Good luck. Need long-term care after the accident? Welcome to the jungle of long-term care. Annual skilled nursing easily costs over $120,000. How long can you pay that before going broke? And when you are flat broke, Medicaid is your only resource.

All is Not Lost: Protect Yourself.

Proper Planning means peace of mind. Secure your life savings, home, cottage, business. Get quality care AND preserve resources to supplement that care. Tested, effective strategies mean you are not going broke. Life Savings Protected. Life Choices Respected.

Before You Renew Your Auto Insurance! Three Quick Tips

You have been driving forever. Remember your sixteenth birthday? You camped outside the Secretary of State’s office to be first in line for the driving test. You love driving! Except. Except that annual letter from the insurance company.

Life Is Not Tough Enough Already, You Need More Complexity

Well, that letter has gotten worse. Much worse. You have already received the first confusing communication. Telling you that Michigan’s No-Fault Automobile Insurance Law has changed. Great! Now you now have options! How much Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage? What about lawsuit liability? A whole menu of choices! Please select the ones you want. Like you, I too got that confusing letter. And if you are like me, your first answer was “How the heck should I know?!”

Where The Rubber Hits The Road

You are injured in a car accident. Your PIP pays you. PIP covers your accident medical expenses. PIP pays 85% of lost wages for 3 years. PIP pays for replacement services.
Under the old law, your medical expenses were fully covered, without limit. Now, you choose how much PIP will pay.

Three Handy Hints

Do not change your PIP coverage on impulse. I suggest:

  • 1. Wait for a year. Give it a looksee first. Then, thoughtfully, change your coverage.
  • 2. Talk to somebody who knows this stuff. Call your insurance agent. Are cost savings worth increased risk?
  • 3. Buy an umbrella! An umbrella insurance policy, that is. Umbrella policies are cheap. Umbrella policies cover what other policies do not. Think about it!

 

Life Planning™ Means Security

Your life is complex. And getting more complicated all the time. LifePlanning™ secures what you have already earned. It’s your roadmap to the future. If you haven’t already begun LifePlanning™, a free, entertaining workshop is a great way to get started. Just call!

Get Security Now; Call the Hotline 800-317-2812

Leaving Kids as Co-owners of Property

Good Idea or Big Mistake?

When Mom died, she left ownership of her home to me and my sister. We both live in the home. My partner, Billy, also lives in the home. My sister told Billy that he must start paying her rent. She said that if he doesn’t pay rent that she will evict him from our home. Can this even be possible? This is not the harmony I think Mom expected when she left the house to us.

As a co-owner, you are either a “joint tenant” or “tenant in common.” That means you can have guests. Your sister may not like having Billy under the roof, but there is nothing she can do about it. You don’t even have to pay taxes or upkeep if you are joint tenants with rights of survivorship.

Many folks want to give house, land, cottage, farm “to the kids.” Then Mom makes the Big Mistake. Mom somehow believes the co-owner kids will “get along.” So, Mom “puts the kids on the deed” directly or through her will or trust. It is worse now with many folks doing so-called “ladybird” deeds.

Lady bird deeds transfer ownership on the original owner’s death. Lady bird deeds do avoid probate. They are said to be “Medicaid friendly.” But after Mom dies, there are no rules. Each person named on the deed has an “undivided interest” in the property. Each person can use the property at all times. This way lies madness!

Sometimes the deed states “joint tenants with rights of survivorship.” As the philosopher Jean Paul Sartre observed, “There is No Exit.” You cannot go to court to end the insanity. If you were to give your share to the others, Medicaid will penalize you. And the others may not want your share and don’t have to take it.

Sometimes the deed simply states all the kids’ names in a row. No “joint tenant” language. Good news! Now the kids can sue each other for “partition.” They must prove to the Court’s satisfaction that they cannot cooperate. Then the Court will order a sale and division of what’s left after court costs and attorney fees.

Blessing or Curse? An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. Want family harmony? Want to keep the family house, land, farm, cottage? Better to explore all the possible “What if’s” and set it up properly ahead of time.

We can help avoid family conflict. Call 800-317-2812 and schedule an appointment today.

Out of Control? Simplify Your Life

Do you find that many things are out of your control in these uncertain times? Some of us busy ourselves with many small chores and errands. We leave big decisions for “tomorrow” because they seem insurmountable. But tomorrow never comes. Paperwork piles up! Investment reports, insurance policies, legal “stuff”. We avoid important decisions. We promise ourselves to do it later. When we have “more time”.

Why does it seem that we are most stressed by decisions that could simplify our lives? By taking steps that improve the lives of our children? Do we actually want more difficulties, complexities, loose ends?

Getting your affairs in order for both yourself and your families may seem like a task best left for a better time. Could it be that there is not a better time? Have you ever noticed that somehow time slips away? What if now is the best time to choose? While we are in good health, competent to make decisions.

Talk To Someone Who Has Walked Your Walk

I know so many women like you. Joyful women, cheerful, selfless women who spend a lifetime caring for family. But why do you neglect to care for yourself? Generous and giving, you put your plans on hold for others. I am sure you know many other women who embrace life like you. Other women who know what it is all about.

What if you could talk, have a chat with an attorney who has walked that extra mile? In your shoes? Would that be refreshing? Why can’t your wishes compel respect? Why shouldn’t your legacy have meaning? Reflect your values? Why don’t you deserve a LifePlan™?

Remember those piles of reports and statements that have been sitting around? Wouldn’t you feel less stress if you could put your hands on a single, well-organized list of your assets? What would it mean for your children? Wouldn’t this list be an invaluable guide for them? If you became incapacitated? Or at the time of your death?

No one wants to go to the hospital. But if you had to, wouldn’t you like to make those difficult decisions a bit easier on your loved ones? Wouldn’t you lighten the load if you could? LifePlan™ healthcare documents cover virtually all conditions. Saving your family valuable time and resources. Not to mention mental stress. Your LifePlan™ says: Mom thought of everything.

Most of the professional team at the Law Offices of David L. Carrier are women. Younger and older. Attorneys and paralegals. With many years of experience. We welcome the opportunity to talk to other women like us. Like you. Mothers, sisters, wives. We know about your needs and help you get your affairs in order. We have “been there”. We are there.

Let’s face it, you do have the power to create a plan with coherent guidelines. Practical steps with useful information. Handling your assets and health care while you are alive. No squabbling among the kids.

LifePlanning™ establishes clear, workable instructions. To settle matters after your death. Clear. Fair. Quick. No costly and time-consuming probate process. Again, no squabbling.

Isn’t it time for you to talk with someone who’s been on your path? Who has guided others to peace and security? We are waiting to welcome you!
Simplify your life and the lives of your family.

Come in at your convenience. I’d love to talk with you

Just ask for me, Claire Clary, an attorney with The Law Offices of David L. Carrier.

Client Success Stories…

We were very happy with the information at the workshop on Estate Planning [LifePlan workshop]. Amanda was very helpful in explaining the options we could choose from to protect our assets from excessive taxes.

All questions were answered in depth and in a manner that was very understandable. I left feeling confident that we can contact them at any time for help navigating the system.

The staff are incredibly professional. My mother was treated with utmost respect. Her paperwork was organized and concise. I dealt with David and Jim and they spoke in terms my mother and I could understand.

I was totally lost when my husband’s dementia got bad. David and his group helped me feel in control again. They are there to help me whenever I need them. I should have done this sooner.

Perfect balance of pleasant and professional. Starting with workshops with targeted info, to chit chat with David (and all the staff we met) – great experience. Thank you!

My husband and I just returned from your workshop in Portage…We are so pleased we attended and came away with so much information and insight. The workshop was well organized, well presented and your staff was wonderful. Patrick made things fun, and as he promised, the time flew by. Thanks you again for 2 very well spent hours.

Donna & Stephanie are extremely professional, on top of everything, friendly and just a joy to work with. Very prompt on phone calls, emails, etc. I am very thankful for these two people!

We have been extremely pleased with the professional service of David and the staff. It has been a pleasure working with everyone to make sure our future is secure. David was also very helpful finding an out of state attorney to help our parent’s address their Elder law needs.

Our Promise: We do not share or sell your personal information. Privacy Policy.

“The Law Offices of David L. Carrier is an estate planning and elder law firm located in Western Michigan. Our main office is in Grand Rapids, and we have 3 other conveniently located offices in West Michigan. We specialize in medicaid crisis planning, estate planning, elder law, probate, wills and trusts.

Our Office Locations

Grand Rapids, MI

Norton Shores, MI

Holland, MI

Portage, MI

Practice Areas

Medicaid Crisis Lawyers

Estate Planning Lawyers

Elder Law Lawyers

Family Trust

Probate Lawyers

Trust Funding Center

© 2024 Carrier Law | Privacy Policy