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30 September 2010
I am participating in a free, public event on October 14, 2010. Below is the press release for this event. Please pass it along to anyone you think might benefit from this information. I participated last year as well and I can say there are really great people speaking and offering their expertise FOR FREE without a sales pitch.
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NEWS RELEASE
Ned McCormack, Communications Director (914) 995-2932
Contact: Barbara Woller (914) 813-6412
For Immediate Release: September 29, 2010
SENIOR LAW DAY OFFERS FREE LEGAL AND FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM EXPERTS
Topics of 18 workshops range from changes in tax laws to elder law basics and “what is probate?”
Legal and financial experts will give free advice on elder law topics such as estate planning, changes to Medicare, wills vs. trusts and how to make money last through the retirement years at the 11th annual Senior Law Day on Oct. 14 at the County Center in White Plains.
The program will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will feature 18 workshops – including two in Spanish – led by elder law attorneys, certified financial planners and professionals from agencies that serve Westchester County seniors and their families
“It’s the perfect opportunity for Westchester seniors to get firsthand advice from some of the county’s finest lawyers and financial professionals,” said Commissioner Mae Carpenter of the county’s Department of Senior Programs and Services, which presents the event with the Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services and the Ninth Judicial District of the New York State Office of Court Administration.“This knowledge is essential at any time but is especially important now for them to be able to protect themselves and their assets in today’s economy,” she said.
Carpenter said since Senior Law Day began, it has helped more than 2,500 seniors learn about their rights.
Pre-registration is required. To sign up, call (914) 813-6400.
In addition, Senior Law Day will again offer free one-on-one, 15-minute consultations with attorneys and certified financial planners. Register for these pro bono sessions on Senior Law Day.
Free copies of the updated “Elder Law Q&A: Answers to Questions About Estate and Financial Planning, Health Care Planning and Elder Abuse” in English and Spanish will be distributed at the event.
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SENIOR LAW DAY – PAGE 2 OF 3
New topics at this year’s program will be recent changes to tax laws, changes in New York’s power of attorney law and New York’s new Family Health Care Decisions Act. This act lets family members make
health care decisions – including ones about withdrawing life-sustaining treatment - for patients who are unable to make them and do not have advance directives about their wishes.
Workshops include the following:
o “Estate Planning/Elder Law 101” – Preserving your assets
o “When I Can’t Stay Home, What are my Choices?” How can I use veteran’s benefits to expand my options?
o “How the New Tax Laws will Affect You and Your Family”
o “Senior Crime Busters” – The pros teach you how to avoid identity theft, scams and fraud
o “What Happens If I Can’t Manage My Financial Affairs?” – New York’s power of attorney law and the use of guardianships
o “Medicare”– How Medicare Changes Impact your Medicare Benefits
o “What Happens If I Can’t Make Medical Decisions?” – Health care proxies, MOLST and the new New York Family Health Care Act
o “Who’s Afraid of Probate?” – Do I need a trust or is a will enough? What to do when someone dies
o “Nuts and Bolts of Financial Planning” – Making your money last through retirement
o “How Do I Pay for Long-Term Care?” – Medicaid, long-term care insurance or personal funds? Planning with and without long-term care insurance
o “Protecting Yourself from Age Discrimination at Home and on the Job”
o “Planning for the Care of a Loved One” – Experiencing Alzheimer’s or other dementias. What are the legal issues and caregiver considerations?
o “Managing Debt in Retirement” - Using reverse mortgages to continue to live in your home, how to choose a reputable credit counseling agency to reduce your credit care balance
o “Show Me the Way To Go Home” – Where to go for care after leaving the hospital
o Workshops in Spanish: “Senior Crime Busters” and “Basic Medicare”
Attorney Steven Schurkman, chair of Senior Law Day and a partner with Keane & Beane in White Plains, said seniors should not miss this program.
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SENIOR LAW DAY – PAGE 3 OF 3
“It’s an opportunity to receive advice from really the best legal and financial talent the county has to offer,” Schurkman said.
Carpenter said that Senior Law Day is also an important part of the county’s Livable Communities initiative, which aims to enable seniors to remain in their homes as they age with dignity, independence and civic involvement.
“When seniors know their rights and have some understanding of their finances, it can make all the difference in the world as to whether they can continue to grow older in their homes and communities or have to move elsewhere,” Carpenter said.
Senior Law Day sponsors are AARP, the Collaborative for Palliative Care, Fordham University’s Ravazzin Center on Aging, Keane & Beane PC, Anthony J. DeVito ADV Investment Management and Financial Planning, Littman Krooks LLP, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse Prevention at The Hebrew Home at Riverdale, Marcus, Ollman & Kommer. LLP and Walsh, Amicucci & Pantaleo, LLP.
A smaller Senior Law Day will take place on Oct. 21 at United Hebrew, 391 Pelham Road, New Rochelle, from 10 a.m. to noon. Topics to include advance directives such as health care proxies, estate planning, asset protection and Medicaid planning. For more information about the United Hebrew program, call (914) 632-2804.
