Choosing a Trustee: Navigating the Complexities and Key Considerations
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 509: Listen and Learn -- Third-Party Rights in Contracts (Part 2 - Beneficiaries)
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 508: Listen and Learn -- Third-Party Rights in Contracts (Part 1 - Rules)
Mamma Mia!: Common Estate Planning Issues for Blended Families
Once Removed Episode 38: The Legacy Mindset: What It Is and How to Build It
John Wick - What You Need To Know about the Corporate Transparency Act
Once Removed Episode 24: Expressing Goals and Intent for the Trust
Once Removed Episode 23: Naming Guardians for Minor Children
Once Removed Episode 22: Building Flexibility into the Estate Plan
Once Removed Episode 20: Helping a Beneficiary Purchase a Home
Life After Love Gone Wrong Podcast: Season 3, Episode 6 - Reshaping Your Legacy: Estate Planning After Your Divorce
Charitable Planning With Guest Stephanie Hood: Navigating Complex Rules and Traps for the Unwary
A Primer On Trusts - A Podcast with Janathan Allen
Once Removed Episode 13: It’s 5 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Will Is? A Lesson From Aretha Franklin
Once Removed Episode 12: SLATs and the Case of McKim vs. McKim
Once Removed Episode 11: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts, or SLATs
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: Family Office Technology Solutions
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: The Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act
What is a self-proving affidavit?
The Importance of Beneficiary Designations
If you have money to give your children, you certainly can, but you should be aware that you may face consequences should you apply for Medicaid long-term care coverage within five years after each gift. Medicaid’s rules...more
Special Needs Trusts (SNTs) protect assets for individuals with disabilities while preserving eligibility for public benefits like SSI and Medicaid. Establishing an SNT early allows for long-term financial planning,...more
On June 26, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that Medicaid providers and beneficiaries lack the ability to enforce the Medicaid Act’s “any‑qualified‑provider” clause in federal court. In Medina v. Planned Parenthood, the Court...more
Managing a Special Needs Trust (SNT) comes with tremendous responsibility. Trustees are not only tasked with safeguarding the financial future of a beneficiary with special needs, but they must also ensure that trust assets...more
The Supreme Court of the United States has issued a significant healthcare decision in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a case which will likely have far-reaching implications for Medicaid beneficiaries and...more
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that the Medicaid Act’s any-qualified-provider provision does not confer individual rights enforceable under 42 U.S.C. §1983. This decision reverses the Fourth Circuit’s...more
In June 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a budget reconciliation bill titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The legislation proposes a number of administrative changes to existing federal health...more
As an estate planning attorney practicing in Pennsylvania with a strong focus on special needs planning, I frequently work alongside personal injury counsel to address a critical but often overlooked consequence of...more
Estate planning is a crucial process for anyone looking to protect their family and assets, but for families with a loved one who has special needs, it requires additional considerations. Without proper planning, a...more
Careful planning for a loved one with disabilities is one of the most important and compassionate acts you can take as a parent or caregiver. It’s not just about securing their financial future, it’s about preserving their...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a new Request for Information (RFI) aimed at transforming how digital health tools serve Medicare beneficiaries....more
For parents of children with special needs, planning for the future goes far beyond drafting a will. One of the most complex — and important — pieces of the puzzle is ensuring that your retirement assets are distributed in a...more
Careful planning for the future of a loved one with disabilities is crucial. Consider using legal entities such as a special needs trust to protect their ability to qualify for government benefits while meeting their...more
Applying for Medicaid benefits, particularly long-term care benefits, can be difficult and confusing. Yet, it is a necessary evil for many who rely on Medicaid to ensure that they can afford the room, board, care, and...more
For millions of seniors nationwide, Medicaid provides a safety net for people who find themselves requiring long-term care. Most Americans aged 65 and older – roughly 70 percent – will need these kinds of services in their...more
Do you employ an irrevocable trust or trusts as part of your estate plan? You need to review your irrevocable trust to ensure it still delivers the benefits intended. It is generally possible to modify an irrevocable trust,...more
On April 4, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Contract Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Advantage (MA) Final Rule (Final Rule), which will have significant implications for MA plans and other industry...more
On February 23, 2024, CMS published a final rule updating the regulatory requirements of the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program in response to the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2021. The final...more
With the goal of enhancing health care quality and outcomes for individuals with moderate to severe behavioral health conditions and substance use disorders (SUD), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently...more
Choosing the right person to serve as trustee of a special needs trust (SNT) is a key task when creating such a trust. It may also prove to be one of the most challenging. Trustees are responsible for the following: ...more
We’ve written recently about the process that states are undertaking to begin to wind down the Medicaid enrollment expansion that was necessitated by the enactment of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in March of...more
On November 6, 2023, CMS released a pre-publication version of a proposed rule (Proposed Rule) that is set to publish in the Federal Register on November 15, 2023, and that would amend the regulations governing Medicare...more
August 16, 2023 marked the one-year anniversary of the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”). The first 365 days since the IRA’s passage brought the implementation of a number of significant changes to the Medicare...more
The New York Department of Health (DOH) adopted regulations effective on September 13, 2023, that revised Medicaid Utilization Review for Medicaid fee-for-service benefits. The regulations were initially published on April...more
Estate planning can be a daunting task for individuals and families. The stakes can be high. The decisions are often numerous. Family dynamics frequently come into play. However, for those living with special needs or those...more