Emerging Industry: The Purchase of Life Insurance Policies
Have you decided that you no longer need your seven-digit lifeinsurance policy, and would you like to receive significant cashfor it? A new industry has emerged mainly involving hedgefunds, investment speculators and large investors who acquire lifeinsurance policies with the hope of collecting hefty policy payoffsupon the insured’s demise. The price at which investors may…
Home Control Through Trust and Estate Planning
Living in a home of one’s own is a dream for many but it can bevery difficult to realize, especially for individuals with a disability.With proper planning, owning or renting a home of one’s own isa viable option for even those persons with severe developmentaldelays and/or health and physical challenges. Families can maximizepublic and private…
Social Host Responsibility: What Every Parent of a Teenager Ought to Know
The at-home consumption of alcohol by minors is an age-oldproblem. It has become more problematic in recent years asfamilies have two parents working, or a single parent workingfull-time. Until recently, the illegal consumption or possessionof alcohol by a minor at a private residence was not a violation ofcriminal or civil law. The only exception was…
Using a Power of Attorney
A power of attorney (POA) is a written document that authorizesan agent (called an “attorney-in-fact,” even though any competentadult can be named, and it need not be an attorney) to performcertain acts on behalf of another person. The POA is especiallyvaluable when the nature and extent of an individual’s assets do notwarrant the expense of…
Stateside Provisional Waivers Becomes Reality
Effective March 4, 2013, certain waiver applications, previouslyonly available by application made outside the US have becomeavailable on a provisional basis by application made here in the US.The new law will benefit certain family members of US citizens(particularly spouses and unmarried children under age 21)who are ineligible to receive green cards within the United Statesbecause…
Family Based Immigration
MARRIAGE TO A U.S. CITIZEN U.S. citizens, who are married to, or intend to marry, a foreignnational are able to take advantage of a relatively fast route to agreen card. A special fiancé (K-1) visa enables a US citizen whointends to marry a foreign national and has met their fiancé inperson to bring the foreign…
Will Comprehensive Immigration Reform Happen?
Since November, nearly everyone has put immigration reformat the top of the list of things Congress could accomplishthis year. The president has encouraged it, Republicans havesoftened their opposition, organized labor and the Chamber ofCommerce are coming together, and a bipartisan group of keylegislators is working behind the scenes to draft a bill that achievescomprehensive solutions…
Trapped − American Families in Limbo
Harsh immigration penalties put into effect approximately fifteenyears ago impose a 10 year bar on anyone “unlawfully present’in the US for more than 365 days. This law perhaps, more thanany other, has resulted in a significant increase in the numberof undocumented immigrants in the US. The reason is thatthe penalty or “bar” to re-entry is…
When Mom & Dad Both Need Care: The Case for an Increased Community Spouse Resource Allowance
We are often called upon to assist families with a lovedone facing imminent nursing home care. In someinstances, families may face the difficult situation of bothparents being ill and requiring additional care beyondwhat can be provided in the home setting. For example,one parent may require placement in an assisted livingfacility or rest home, while a…