Ask anybody and they will tell you that Jim and his staff live up to the Lincoln ideal of mastery of the law, honesty and integrity. And, they are down to earth "just folks" as well. They treat all clients with respect they deserve and that means clients are not equals - clients are "the boss." Former member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys' Council of Advanced Practitioners, an invitation only honor.
Former member of the Board of Directors of Chronic Illness Coalition and Senior Coordinating Aging Network. Jim has worked with hundreds of clients and intimately understands the difficulties of aging. If it is a nursing home you need, Jim can help you save up to 100% of your assets and help you get the best care. Prior to attending law school Jim Schuster was a social worker for the Department of Social Services (now the Department of Human Services).
After he passed the bar he worked as a law clerk for United States District Judge Noel P. Fox and as a Judge for the Chippewa Ottawa Conservation Court.
Former member of the Board of Directors of Chronic Illness Coalition and Senior Coordinating Aging Network. Jim has worked with hundreds of clients and intimately understands the difficulties of aging. If it is a nursing home you need, Jim can help you save up to 100% of your assets and help you get the best care. Prior to attending law school Jim Schuster was a social worker for the Department of Social Services (now the Department of Human Services).
After he passed the bar he worked as a law clerk for United States District Judge Noel P. Fox and as a Judge for the Chippewa Ottawa Conservation Court.
Services
The law's standard answer is "estate" planning but the answer almost always comes up short.
Estate planning is about "death and taxes."
Do an internet search on the topic and the results are invariably about taxes on your death.
Death and taxes?
What about me?
The glaring deficiency of "estate" planning is the failure to resolve the serious life issues such as incapacity.
The planning is for the "assets" not the person.
This focus on property results necessarily in putting the single elder in serious risk.
Estate planning is about "death and taxes."
Do an internet search on the topic and the results are invariably about taxes on your death.
Death and taxes?
What about me?
The glaring deficiency of "estate" planning is the failure to resolve the serious life issues such as incapacity.
The planning is for the "assets" not the person.
This focus on property results necessarily in putting the single elder in serious risk.
Taking proactive steps before incapacity arises can save you and your family grief and expense.
You cannot make legal decisions for parents without their permission.
If your parent suffers incapacity and has not given you authority to act then the only you can get the authority is through "living probate".
The probate court will need to hold a public hearing to decide whether your parent is legally incapacitated and if so who should be appointed as guardian or conservator.
It may not be you.
From that point on all of the parent's property will be under court supervision and control.
You cannot make legal decisions for parents without their permission.
If your parent suffers incapacity and has not given you authority to act then the only you can get the authority is through "living probate".
The probate court will need to hold a public hearing to decide whether your parent is legally incapacitated and if so who should be appointed as guardian or conservator.
It may not be you.
From that point on all of the parent's property will be under court supervision and control.
This chronic, degenerative dementia is the fear of every aged person.
It is a cruel disease that takes away a person's dignity and independence.
It produces a child-like total dependence on others for assistance with such personal matters such as bathing, dressing, eating and toileting in addition to all other daily needs.
The journey through Alzheimer's is never easy but at any step along the way it can be better or worse depending on the decisions made.
In our experience working with Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative conditions, we have found the best path is to have a "care plan."
It is a cruel disease that takes away a person's dignity and independence.
It produces a child-like total dependence on others for assistance with such personal matters such as bathing, dressing, eating and toileting in addition to all other daily needs.
The journey through Alzheimer's is never easy but at any step along the way it can be better or worse depending on the decisions made.
In our experience working with Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative conditions, we have found the best path is to have a "care plan."
Spouses of Medicaid Applicants, You DO have rights: the right to keep your life savings; the right to keep your income.
Congress considered and rejected the proposition that our elders should be bankrupted by the cost of long term care.
Congress gave community spouses of the Medicaid nursing home patients special rights to preserve their money and property.
A needy spouse may retain ALL savings and income.
As with the income tax, the community spouse must hire a professional advisor to secure all credits, deductions and exemptions that Medicaid allows.
Congress considered and rejected the proposition that our elders should be bankrupted by the cost of long term care.
Congress gave community spouses of the Medicaid nursing home patients special rights to preserve their money and property.
A needy spouse may retain ALL savings and income.
As with the income tax, the community spouse must hire a professional advisor to secure all credits, deductions and exemptions that Medicaid allows.
We hope you will find these helpful to navigate through Medicaid's confounding and illogical rules.
Please note that these guides are published as general information and are not official Michigan Department of Human Services Medicaid program pronouncements.
Those can change at any time and there is no guarantee that each worker will apply the rules correctly.
With the State of Michigan not fully staffing departments we find that many workers make mistakes due to overwork or inadequate training.
Please note that these guides are published as general information and are not official Michigan Department of Human Services Medicaid program pronouncements.
Those can change at any time and there is no guarantee that each worker will apply the rules correctly.
With the State of Michigan not fully staffing departments we find that many workers make mistakes due to overwork or inadequate training.
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