Thank you to Larrie & Diane Grenz! - The ALS Association Greater ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Resources Helpful Web Sites Americans with Disabilities Act www.usdoj.gov Page 8 The Joint Commissions on the Accreditation Healthcare Organizations www.jointcommission.org Paralyzed Veterans of America www.pva.org Medicare www.medicare.gov National Association of Area Agencies on Aging www.n4a.org U.S. House of Representatives www.house.gov U.S. Senate www.senate.gov Legislation Status thomas.loc.gov Identify your Member of Congress https://writerep.house.gove/writerep/welcome.shtlm California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA) Tele: 800-952-5626 (toll free) Web: www.cdva.ca.gov Reno VA Medical Center SCI Telehealth Clinic Tele: 775-786-7200< ext. 1378 VA Northern California Julie Moua, MSW, SCI/D Coordinator Tele: 916-843-9130 Social Security Administration Tele:800-772-1213 (toll free) Web:www.ssa.gov Free App for the IPAD Developed by an ALS Patient. For more information please visit: www.verballyapp.com In Memoriam: We extend our deepest sympathy and support to those families and friends who have recently lost their loved ones to ALS: Robert Allen Newell David Rogers Jan Pinkston
Advocacy and Public Policy PAGE 9 Advocacy and Public Policy— Senate Committee Approves $6 Million for the ALS Registry Great news! The Senate Appropriations Committee has voted to provide an additional $6 million for the ALS Registry in 2012!! The funding will allow the Registry to continue to identify cases of ALS across the country, collect additional information about the disease and expand exciting projects such as adding a biorepository and tools to help people with ALS learn about and enroll in clinical trials. This is a tremendous victory for every person with ALS. It is a clear sign that Congress recognizes the critical role the Registry can play in the fight to find the cause, treatment and cure for ALS. It also is clear that ALS is a priority for the Senate. The Committee reduced funding, or eliminated it entirely, for most other health care programs. In fact, funding for the entire Department of Health and Human Services was reduced. Yet, the Senate maintained strong support for the Registry by keeping funding at the current level. David Buchannan, PALS, Dan Lungren, Amy Sugimoto The full Senate still must vote on the Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations bill that includes the Registry funding, and the House Appropriations Committee also must vote on their version of the bill. Therefore, there are a number of steps remaining in the legislative process before we can declare victory this year. We will keep you updated on the latest news and let you know when your outreach to Congress is needed. Thank you! Protect Your Children with Maximum Creditor and Divorce Protection— An irrevocable trust set up by someone other than the beneficiary provides ultimate creditor protection. With divorce rate soaring, and an increase in lawsuits, creditor protection should be a very important objective for clients who prepare an estate plan. Generally, a Grantor of a trust can decide who may receive the benefit of the trust assets, and under what circumstances assets may be distributed. Property distributed outright to a trust beneficiary is subject to creditors’ claims. Property passed in trust may be protected. “I want my children to get one-third at age 25, one-third at age 30, and the final third at age 35.” STOP!! Don’t do it! This distribution scheme does not take into account that many of our beneficiaries will at some point in life, be sued or divorce. When assets are distributed, they are unshielded from the safety-net of the trust and exposed to creditors and soon-to-be ex-spouses. An Estate Planning Attorney is able to draft a trust to protect trust beneficiaries, such as surviving spouses and children, from creditors and divorcing spouses. This means that when you die, and your spouse remarries, the assests you left in trust are protected and directed to your beneficiaries of choice. Beneficiaries may even serve as the trustee of Support trusts. This way, they are able to use the trust assets for nearly any reason, but still have protection from creditors. Language of the trust is careful to limit distributions of both trust income and principal to reasons such as health, education, maintenance, and support. Further, the trust directs the trustee not to distribute assets to the beneficiary’s estate, his creditors, or creditors of his estate. This language keeps the trust out of the beneficiaries’ estate for estate tax purposes as well as provides creditor protection. Discretionary Trusts, which give an independent trustee complete discretion over distributions, provide the best creditor and divorce protection. Trusts drafted with mandatory distributions are inadequate. Forced trust distributions unnecessarily expose your beneficiaries to creditors and divorce. Support Trusts do a better job, and Discretionary Trusts offer maximum protection against creditors and divorce. This article is based on an article written by Steven J. Oshins in November 2008. Dustin MacFarane, Attoney Health Care Estate Planning www.MacFarlaneLegal.com Bob Scrivano www.AssetsandAging.com 800-999-8007
Page 1 and 2: Thank you to Larrie & Diane Grenz!
Page 3 and 4: Lend a Hand Page 3 VOLUNTEERS WANTE
Page 5 and 6: Care Services Page 5 This Year’s
Page 7: Understanding Medi-Care Page 7 Atte
Page 11 and 12: Research PAGE 11 Research Indicates
Page 13 and 14: A Special Thank You to our 2011 Wal
Page 15 and 16: Jim Hall Terry Hall Carol Hall Bria

Thank you to Larrie & Diane Grenz! - The ALS Association Greater ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?