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The Importance of a Last Will and Testament

Perhaps the most surprising fact reported following the death of musician Prince Rogers Nelson was that the celebrity died without a Last Will and Testament. As mentioned in a previous blog article, Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson filed an Emergency Petition in a Minnesota court seeking the appointment of a Special Administrator. The circumstances surrounding the celebrity’s death is not uncommon, as 55 percent of Americans do not have a will or an estate plan in place, according to LexisNexis.

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Landlord Who Bilked Banks out of Millions of Dollars Sued for Harassment

An East Village landlord who was recently arrested for allegedly taking out millions of dollars in loans through fraudulent means is also facing a civil lawsuit filed by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. According to an article by Crains New York Business, it is alleged that the landlord illegally harassed tenants in the rent-regulated apartments he owned by attempting to have them evicted so he could charge higher rents.

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New York Required to Hand Over Records on Disabled Patients

On March 18, 2016, U.S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe ruled that the Cuomo administration and New York’s Justice Center must disclose records related to the abuse of disabled and mentally ill patients in the State’s care. Disability Rights New York (DRNY) has requested records involving disabled youths and adults who were allegedly abused, on multiple occasions but all of the requests were denied.

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The Musical Icon Prince May Have Died Without a Will

According to documents obtained by People Magazine, Prince did not have a Last Will and Testament. Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson filed an Emergency Petition in a Minnesota Court seeking the appointment of a Special Administrator.

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Protecting Loved Ones from Elder Abuse

Finding professional and caring home care services for an elderly family member can be challenging.  Families express concerns over the prevention of elder abuse and how they can protect a loved one’s legal rights.  Seeking advice from an experienced elder law attorney can help you make the right decisions when it comes to your elderly loved ones.

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Caregivers Kept in the Loop with NY CARE Law

The Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable Act (CARE), signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on October 14, 2015, has been fully enacted as of January 7, 2016.  The law requires hospitals to allow a caregiver to be added to a patient’s record when being admitted.  The law goes further in requiring hospitals to keep the caregiver well informed about how to care for the patient, even training the caregiver before the patient is discharged.

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Operation Cocoon

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Customs and Border Protection Agency are working together to combat a new trend of drug traffickers who fool seniors into becoming international drug mules.  Traffickers either forge a relationship with seniors or promise inheritance or other monetary incentives.  In targeting the elderly, traffickers hope that the drugs pass through security undetected.  This scheme has worked to some degree because eighty-three U.S. citizens who fell victim to drug trafficking tricks have been arrested in foreign countries since 2013.

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Third-Party Debt Collectors Need to Follow New Regulations

As of 2015, new rules under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) went into effect.  These rules regulate third-party debt collector communication and disclosure requirements.  The aim of these reforms is to prevent predatory practices that deceive consumers for financial gain.

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No COLA Means Higher Medical Costs for Seniors

Approximately 65 million people collect Social Security benefits on a monthly basis, including retired and disabled workers. Typically the government adjusts Social Security benefits annually to reflect cost-of-living increases. The government recently announced that there will be no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2016. This is only the third time in the past 40 years that the Social Security Administration has not increased its payments.

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Nursing Home Chain Settles with New York Attorney General for $600K

Recently, the New York State Office of the Attorney General announced that a New York nursing home chain, Elant, settled with its office for $600,000 stemming from claims that they benefited financially by prolonging residents’ stays longer than necessary.  The nursing home chain admitted that several patients who were meant to be short term were transferred to one of their locations in financial peril.  The transfer was against the wishes and consent of the residents and their families, and was meant to generate income for the location and assist in remedying the financial condition.  Attorney General Schneiderman remarked that his office is dedicated to combating such practices and will “find those who use patients to siphon off critical taxpayer funds.”

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Testimonials

“I want to take this time to thank Tanya and Keith for their professionalism and their ability to keep me calm during this process. Tanya was very helpful in explaining the whole guardianship process and my next steps. Despite my numerous emails, I never felt ignored or that they were growing weary of me. Even after being granted guardianship when I had an issue with the bank releasing money Tanya stayed calm and found a way to get what I was entitled to. I hope I never need to do this again but if I do, I will definitely come back to Tanya and her team. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Love from Bermuda.”

-K. Durham.
(An attorney in Bermuda transferring a Bermudian guardianship to NY)

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    Elder Law

    Elder Law encompasses a broad range of legal matters. It is important for everyone, regardless of age or health, to plan for the future.

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    Landlord Tenant law can be a complex and confusing subject. Disputes over leases and rent payments are often emotionally...

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    From the initial startup of your business to any issues you may encounter along the way, you can rely on Hobson-Williams, P.C. for effective...

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    Collections

    Hobson-Williams, P.C. has a full-service debt collections department, with experienced debt-collection attorneys who will...

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    Real Estate Transactions

    Many people question why they need an attorney to purchase or sell a home.

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