Summer is here and we’ve gotten the weather almost all of us look forward to each year. With our access to Lake Michigan, boating is an important summertime activity. Like driving a vehicle, boating comes with a potential for accidents and liability. If you own a boat and are interested in protecting yourself from this… continue reading
Happy 4th of July
Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys 2019 Conference
Attorney Ron VanderVeen spoke at the June 2019 joint educational meeting of Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys and the Michigan Public Law Group about initial responses to construction failures and resulting litigation. Mr. VanderVeen has significant experience in representing clients relating to construction contracts and construction related litigation. Special thanks to Vince Duckworth for doing a wonderful… continue reading
Promissory Notes Losing Value in Medicaid Planning
The Department of Health and Human Services (“DHHS”) that processes applications for those who need assistance paying for assisted living or nursing home care has changed the treatment of promissory notes. Formerly, Medicaid-compliant promissory notes were non-countable assets that did not really impact eligibility for benefits. But now, promissory notes are always going to be:… continue reading
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Medicaid Policy: Potential Change Will Impact Undocumented Loans
A Medicaid policy change that could impact many families is proposed to take effect on July 1, 2019. Here is the scenario. Mom and dad have three children. One child has fallen on hard times and needs financial assistance to get back on his feet. Mom and dad are on a fixed income and have… continue reading
Estate Planning is Almost as Easy as 1…2…3!
Understanding the estate planning process may help you or a loved one take the first step to get this important planning in place. It’s as easy as: Contact Us. Call or email us to setup a time for us to get together to discuss your personal/family situation and your estate planning goals. Tell Us About… continue reading
Is a Medicaid Annuity Right for You?
Years ago brokers, life insurance, and annuity sales people used to aggressively push Medicaid annuities claiming this product would protect your assets if you went to a nursing home. In almost all cases, this wasn’t true and the State of Michigan took action to shut down this sales practice. What is a Medicaid Annuity? A… continue reading
Business Owners: Don’t Forget This Important Item When Selling Your Company
All sellers focus on the amount they are selling their business for and how they are going to get paid. That makes perfect sense. However, it is rare they spend time planning for how the sale proceeds will be taxed. This could result in a tax savings of approximately 15% and a sizeable amount of… continue reading
DNR vs. Life Sustaining Treatment
Every estate plan should include a document naming someone else to handle medical decisions when you are no longer able to. The terminology most commonly associated with this document includes: a medical directive, advanced directive, living will, patient advocate, and health care power of attorney. No matter the name, this document contains important language about… continue reading
