Farr Law Firm A federal mandate that sets minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes was finalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) last week. Three final rules were issued to “fulfill President Biden’s commitment to support family caregivers, boost compensation and job quality for care workers, expand and improve care options, and improve the safety and quality of care in federally funded nursing homes.” This new law builds on the President’s historic Action Plan for Nursing Home Reform launched in the 2022 State of the Union. This new Elder Care law is important t ..read more

Farr Law Firm Dear Raider,  I’m finally ready to get my estate planning documents done. When I talk to my friends and my husband, all these terms I’ve never heard of come up. Can you enlighten us on some of the common terms used in estate planning? Thanks so much for your help!  Juana No  —  Dear Juana,  Estate Planning can seem complicated with all of the terms that are used! However, if you add these Estate Planning terms to your vocabulary, you can feel like a pro when it comes to going to an Estate Planning attorney!  A sampling of terms used by Estate Planni ..read more

Farr Law Firm Q. My husband and I have decided to get our Estate Planning in order. We’ve determined that a trust is the way we should go when it comes to estate planning. The question is: should we consider a revocable living trust or an irrevocable trust, such as the Living Trust Plus that you offer? What are the differences and similarities? Thanks for your help!  A. You are making a smart decision to consider creating a trust for your Estate Planning needs. Assets in a trust avoid probate and seamlessly pass from the original owner to the beneficiaries or remain and a protective trus ..read more

Farr Law Firm Many of us have loved ones who are aging-in-place, who may have mobility issues and who are at risk for falls. We may not live nearby and we may find ourselves staying up at night worrying about what would happen if our loved one had a bad fall or a medical emergency.  What if our loved one couldn’t get to a phone to call for help, or he or she isn’t wearing their personal emergency response button or similar device at the time? Luckily, there are check-in call services and a variety of technology and local options you can turn to that can help you in this situation. Severa ..read more

Farr Law Firm When you go through the legal process of Estate Planning, this includes you deciding: (1) who you want to receive any real estate, savings/investments, tangible personal property, and other assets of yours after your death; (2) who you want to put in control of making decisions and handling your legal and financial affairs after your death, and during lifetime if you become incapacitated; (3) whether you want to avoid the time, expense, and complexities of after-death probate and lifetime probate; (4) who to name as guardian(s) to raise your children if you die when you have chil ..read more

Farr Law Firm Dear Hayek,  Every year, I give to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, to help make dreams come true for children with critical illnesses. I heard there was a similar group for seniors and those in eldercare facilities. What do you know about this? Also does the Farr Law Firm help seniors with charitable giving as part of their estate planning? What are some of my options? Thanks for your help!  Macon Drimsappen  —  Dear Macon,  It is very kind to make charitable donations to one of the many worthwhile charities that align with your passion and values. Yes, there ..read more

Farr Law Firm Benjamin Franklin once said “(n)othing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Today (April 16) is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day for health care decision planning. And, in keeping with Franklin’s famous quote, each year National Healthcare Decisions Day is observed the day after Tax Day. National Healthcare Decisions Day is a perfect day to think about and discuss the different types of health care and treatments you would and would not want, should something happen to you. An Advance Medical Directive (also known as a health care power of attorney; a healt ..read more

Farr Law Firm Q. In your latest article, you discuss how elder care lawyers help seniors with planning in advance for the financial and health concerns that occur as we age. I really appreciate the assistance and advice your elder law firm provides. I am a retired federal employee who will be 65 next year. I was wondering if since I still have Federal Employees Health Benefits, do I need to sign up for Medicare? If it is optional, would it be advantageous in any way for me to sign up for Part A and/or Part B? If I do end up signing up for Medicare, do federal retirees keep their federal health ..read more

Farr Law Firm Dear Kiwi and Mango,  I am about to retire from federal employment. Before I worked for the government, I used to work at a company where I’m almost certain I had a 401(k) that they matched. I am doing my retirement planning and estate planning, which got me to thinking about these things. How do I look for an old former company 401(k) plan that I think I contributed money to many years ago, but forgot about until recently?  Thanks for your help!  Ward Itgo  —  Dear Ward,  If you believe you may have lost track of an old 401(k) retirement account, yo ..read more

Farr Law Firm Elder Law and Estate Planning serve two different functions, yet they are both equally important. One thing that sets them apart is that Elder Law concentrates on preserving your assets while you are alive, while Estate Planning focuses on what happens to your assets after you die. The Farr Law Firm consists of both highly experienced Elder Law attorneys (also called Elder Care attorneys) and Estate Planning lawyers in our Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Rockville, and Washington, DC, locations. There is some overlap between what Elder Care lawyers and Estate Planning attorneys do, but ..read more