The Importance of Executing an Appointment of Agent to Control Disposition of Remains
By Alexis Gruttadauria, Esq. In choosing a final resting place, it is important to clearly document your wishes to avoid further hardship on surviving family members who are grieving for the loss of a loved one. If your wishes regarding a burial place are not documented in a written declaration, it could cause a great…
A Nutshell on Special Education Law
By Arshi Pal Do you know the basics of special education law in New York? All parents should have an understanding in case you begin to suspect that your child has a disability—whether a learning disability, an emotional disability or a health impairment, that affects learning. Special Education law represents a complex set of rules…
Governor Cuomo’s Proposal on Free College Tuition in State Schools Promises Greater Opportunity for Vulnerable Students
By Marion M. Walsh, Esq. On January 3, 2017, Governor Cuomo announced a proposal, the Excelsior Scholarship program, to cover tuition costs at state schools for middle-and low-income students in New York. Hundreds of thousands of students will be eligible. As Governor Cuomo has recognized, a college education represents a necessity for most to compete…
Holiday Reflections
By Marion M. Walsh, Esq. In this holiday season, the attorneys and staff at Littman Krooks send thanks and warm wishes to our clients for trusting us with representing your family. You inspire us each day with your tenacity and care for vulnerable loved ones. We pride ourselves in working with you to make a…
Special Needs Trust Fairness Act Signed By President Obama
By Amy C. O’Hara, Esq. 12/14/2016 Update: President Obama signed the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act into law yesterday allowing individuals with disabilities to establish their own first party special needs trusts. Good news! While not much has gotten done in Washington recently, some good news to report from the beltway. Yesterday, the Senate passed…
New York State Announces 2017 Medicaid Regional Rates
By Alexis Gruttadauria, Esq., When applying for nursing home Medicaid benefits, there is always a review of the applicant’s financial picture of the five years prior to the filing of the application. This is the famous five-year look-back period. Medicaid reviews those five years of financial information in search of any gifts made by the…
The Special Needs Trust Fairness Act Passes
By Amy C. O’Hara, Esq., CELA® Good news! While not much has gotten done in Washington recently, some good news to report from the beltway. Yesterday, the Senate passed the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act, which had already passed in the House of Representatives. This Act allows individuals with disabilities, who have capacity, the ability…
Supreme Court Case on Service Dog Access to Schools has Broad Implications for all Students with Disabilities
By Marion M. Walsh, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP UPDATE (2/23/2017): The United States Supreme Court, in Fry v. Napoleon Community Schools, rendered an important victory for parents and students. Read more here. We stand with the student Ehlena Fry and her golden doodle Wonder, who ventured to the United States Supreme Court yesterday. On October…
Understanding Powers of Attorney (Video) By Bernard A. Krooks, Esq.
Understanding your Powers of Attorney is critical to estate planning.Bernard A. Krooks, Esq., shares his expertise in this video.
National Estate Planning Awareness Week is October 17-23, 2016
It is estimated that over 120,000,000 Americans do not have an up-to-date estate plan to protect themselves, and their families, making estate planning one of the most overlooked areas of personal financial management? Financial and estate planning is not just for the wealthy and is an important process for everyone. With advance planning, issues such as guardianship of children, managing bill paying and assets in the event of sickness or disability, care of a special needs child or parent, long-term care needs, and distribution of retirement assets can all be handled with sensitivity, care, and at a reasonable cost.