Ketching Up on Estate Recovery

By Doug Chalgian on February 1, 2016

Tomorrow, Tuesday, is a red letter day in the elder law world. The Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in the matter of In Re Estate of...

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The Self-Inflicted Drafting Defect that Keeps on Giving

By Doug Chalgian on January 6, 2016

Discretionary trusts are important for all sorts of reasons. Essentially, the law holds that when a beneficiary’s interest in a trust is subject to the pure and unfettered...

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Important October BEM Changes

By Doug Chalgian on September 15, 2015

DHHS released new BEM language to take effect October 1, 2015. Click here to read them. Of particular note are the new provisions for long term care partnership...

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VA and LTC Planning

By Doug Chalgian on September 13, 2015

I recently responded to a post on a listserv in which the issue of using irrevocable trusts to “protect assets” in order to obtain VA Aid and Attendance...

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LTC Insurance Partnership Shows Signs of Life

By Doug Chalgian on March 29, 2015

This week, seemingly out of nowhere, the long awaited first blip of life for the long term care insurance public-private partnership appeared in the attached DHS memo. Click...

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Uncapping Property Taxes: The New Planning Conundrum

By Doug Chalgian on February 2, 2014

As of January 1, 2014, a new exception exists in Michigan’s property tax uncapping rules.  Generally, property taxes are uncapped (that is, the property taxes are based on...

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Striking the Balance of Financial Integrity and Quality of Care for the Spouse of an Impaired Adult

By Doug Chalgian on July 28, 2013

Here’s another balance that’s hard to strike - and hard to help clients understand and decide.Typical example: Husband and wife have been married 50 years.  They are both...

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Local Courts Hold Ground in Medicaid Cases

By Doug Chalgian on June 8, 2013

The bad news is that the Attorney General is actively shopping around for Medicaid cases to attack.  The good news is that local probate judges are - so...

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An Inconvenient Obstacle to Community Based LTC

By Doug Chalgian on February 12, 2013

SummaryBecause asset protection strategies commonly used in the context of nursing home Medicaid are problematic in the context of MI Choice Waiver and PACE programs, a significant number...

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Anatomy of a Senior Seminar Scam

By Doug Chalgian on December 20, 2012

When you reach a certain age you begin receiving invitations to "educational seminars."  Often bright colored postcards in the mail, sometimes formalistic letters, even advertisements in the local...

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Doug Chalgian

About The Author: Doug Chalgian

I am an estate planning, probate litigating, elder law attorney. This is a blog for clients and professional colleagues. In it I offer my ideas about the state of the law and the practice of law. I believe we are living through a unique period during which the law (which is traditionally slow to change) and society are attempting to evolve to address the explosion of people living long lives. I find these developments fascinating and enjoy being involved in this evolution.