Britney Spears’ Story Is A Cautionary Tale
Could It Happen In New Hampshire? Rarely do guardianship arrangements make the national news. The story of Britney Spears is a notable exception, not only gaining the attention of national news outlets, but international ones as well. Her story even spawned a robust fan-driven “Free Britney” movement that, in addition to advocating for Spears, sought to raise awareness about guardianship abuses.
Can The Government Cancel My Medicaid Or SSI Benefits?
You rely on your Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) benefits to provide much-needed financial assistance, and have consistently received the same benefit amount on the same day every month. Then one month, it isn’t there. Or, you have been relying on Medicaid benefits to cover critical health care costs, including prescriptions, and you learn that your coverage has been terminated. Can the government
Special Needs Planning: What to Know About Age 18
In New Hampshire, an individual legally becomes an adult at age 18. As a result, there are a number of issues that require consideration well in advance of a family member’s 18th birthday. Health Care Decisions Medical information is subject to strict confidentiality rules and once a patient turns 18, medial information is only provided to the patient. A patient may sign a
Attorney Alisha Cahall Joins the Butenhof & Bomster Team
Alisha Cahall joined Butenhof & Bomster, PC in January 2022. Previously, she supported the Special Education Unit of the New York City Department of Education as an Agency Attorney in the Office of the General Counsel. In this important role, she ensured the Department of Education’s compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Alisha earned her J.D. with honors from Thomas
Attorney Judith Jones Leaving Butenhof & Bomster, PC To Expand Advocacy Role
Will Advocate for Seniors Statewide in New Position with NH Legal Assistance After 15 dedicated years of serving clients at Butenhof & Bomster, PC, Judith Jones is taking on a new role with New Hampshire Legal Assistance as their Home and Community Based Services Specialist. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to work on key policy issues, which impact many individuals who need
Is a Nursing Home the Right Solution?
One of the most difficult decisions facing seniors and their families is where they will best be cared for in later life. A study of 8,000 seniors reported in the Harvard Health Blog found that fully two-thirds of those individuals over the age of 65 needed help doing one or more daily activities (activities of daily living (ADLs) include moving, feeding, dressing,
What Happens If You Can No Longer Care for Your Disabled Child?
For the vast majority of families, parents have the sole responsibility for the care and support of a child with special needs or a disability. We’ve discussed the need to plan for the care of your child should you pre-decease them, but what happens if you yourself become incapacitated? With children living longer and 75% of adults with disabilities living at home,
Will Your Successor Trustee Also Be the Executor of Your Estate?
As complicated as life can be, reconciling an estate after our death can be a tremendous task for surviving loved ones. Even if a person dies leaving a Last Will and Testament (“Will”) that names an executor to oversee the disposition of an estate, assets that are owned in individual name without a beneficiary designation need to go through a legal process
What Is Probate and How To Avoid It
We all know at least one story of a family relationship harmed by a contentious inheritance fight after the death of loved one. The general rule of thumb is the more divided a family is before a person’s death, the more difficult the distribution of an estate becomes afterward. Even under the best of circumstances, reconciling an estate after death often is
Important Changes to Medicare Benefits in Response to COVID-19
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) is the federal agency that oversees the Medicare and Medicaid programs. On March 13, 2020, CMS made a number of rule changes that should help streamline the Medicare system for beneficiaries who need to access Medicare benefits during the COVID-19 outbreak. One element of the CMS rule changes will improve Medicare beneficiaries’ access to