WHY A WILL?
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA Wills are designed to transfer property on death. If there is no Will, the State writes a Will for the deceased individual. While those Wills make sense for many people, they do not make sense for everyone. Assuming a client has mental capacity, the first step would be…
MEDICARE SET-ASIDE ARRANGEMENTS IN SPECIAL NEEDS TRUSTS
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., CELA Countable Asset for SSI and Medicaid A question arises as to whether assets held in an MSA are countable for SSI and Medicaid purposes. This has been addressed by CMS in the WC context, but the same line of reasoning should apply to third party liability cases. CMS…
PERSONAL INJURY SETTLEMENTS: HOUSING FOR PLAINTIFFS WITH DISABILITIES
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., CELA Introduction Housing for an individual with disabilities is a major concern. The purchase of a residence is a very important decision involving a number of factors. This is particularly true where the individual is receiving means-tested public benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. If there is…
WRAPPING A MEDICARE SET-ASIDE ARRANGEMENT INSIDE A SPECIAL NEEDS TRUST
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA In any recovery involving a personal injury case, the interest of Medicare must be considered.[1] The idea is that because Medicare is a secondary payer, a beneficiary should not be permitted to receive a recovery for future medical care, pocket the money, and then bill Medicare for that…