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    Vol. 34, Issue 5 (May - June 2013)

      April 2013

    Elder

    Pooled Trusts: An Approach to Special Needs Planning for Families of Modest Means

    Estate planning to protect assets for the benefit of children, a spouse or partner, or other family members is important. For those with loved ones who have special needs, this planning is even more vital, as improper planning could leave the individual vulnerable to predators or impact eligibility for means-tested public benefits such as SSI or Medicaid.

    Elder

    Interstate Guardianship Issues

    Benjamin Orzeske

    The Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (UAGPPJA) was first presented to state legislatures in 2008, with the goal of universal enactment. Today UAGPPJA is the law in 36 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. As of this writing, a bill to enact UAGPPJA sits on Governor Cuomo’s desk, and New York State is poised to become number 37.

    Elder

    No Higher Calling: Representing Victims of Financial Exploitation

    Elder abuse cases often highlight the reality that the same frailties and vulnerabilities that make older clients easy victims also make them imperfect witnesses and poor advocates for their cause. Despite the difficulties and resource demands that financial exploitation cases involving the elderly present, there are no cases where a legal aid provider such as ours, Legal Services for the Elderly (LSE) in Maine, believes we are more clearly discharging our duties as advocates for our vulnerable elderly clients.

    SPOTLIGHT

    Elder

    Common Ground on Older Americans Act Reauthorization

    David Godfrey

    I began early this year hosting calls for a broad group of aging advocates a couple of times per month to develop a statement that the largest group of advocates could agree on regarding legal assistance in reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. My goal was to be inclusive, inviting a wide array of participants, and to concentrate on a broad vision and principles all participants could agree on. The product is the following statement regarding legal assistance in reauthorization of the Older Americans Act.

    ABOUT BIFOCAL

    BIFOCAL, the Commission on Law and Aging's bi-monthly journal, provides timely, valuable legal resources pertaining to older persons, generated through the joint efforts of public and private bar groups and the aging network

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