Life Long Planning

sutton — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:55:50 +0000

SUMMER IDENTITY THEFT AND FRAUD PREVENTION TIPS

sutton — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:13:32 +0000

ALWAYS treat personal identifying information like it was cash or a great treasure.
NEVER give your personal information to someone you do not know.
When you are required to provide personal information, ask WHY it is needed, HOW it will be used and HOW it will be protected.
Clean out your WALLET.
Take care with your Medicare card and your Military ID card.
HANG UP on callers trying to get your personal information.
REMEMBER, foreign lotteries are illegal in the U.S.
If you have won something, never pay anything to collect your winnings.
NEVER invite a stranger into your home.
Hire only PROFESSIONALS to provide home health care, homemaker services, lawn care, maid services or handyman services.
DO NOT wire money to someone you do not know or someone you met online.
ALWAYS check out stories of a loved one in trouble and needing money.
Discuss your end-of-life desires with family members and obtain legal documents from an attorney you trust. Attorney David Sutton offers a no charge consultation to determine what you need.
CAREFULLY review your bank and credit card statements and immediately report any questionable items.
Get a copy of your credit report for FREE at www.annualcreditreport.com
REPORT identity theft and fraud to police.

Consumer Alert! Don't Join the mass Joinder Lawsuit

sutton — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:01:38 +0000

Don't Join the mass joinder lawsuit
Consumers in the Denver area are receiving official-looking forms that declare
"You may be a plaintiff in a national mass joinder suit." The mailing implies that
fraud may have occurred when you financed your home, and that the author of
the mailing can assist you in seeking restitution. The form explains that you
might be eligible to "become a joined named plaintiff in a national lawsuit that
will seek, among other things, to void your note(s), to give you your home free
and clear, and/or to award you relief and monetary damages." In each case,
the notice contains the name of the company that currently holds the mortgage
- on the recipient's home. While this may tend to provide credibility to the notice,
that information is easily obtained from public records.

In order to determine if violations were committed by the consumer's mortgage
company, a $995.00 fee is required to generate a "violations report". The
potential victim is assured that if no violations are found, their deposit will be
refunded in full.

The District Attorney's Office believes these mailings are a scam, and
recommends that anyone receiving this mailing not respond. The perpetrators
are alleged to have copied another business' website, and are using the phony
website to collect fraudulent fees. This is just another example of the need to
investigate any offer or solicitation, no matter how legitimate it may appear. In
today's world, you cannot depend on appearance alone to determine if
something is legitimate.

Need help? Have Questions? Call the Consumer Protection Line: 720-874-8547

A sample form below:

The VA Aid & Attendance

admin — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 22:33:29 +0000

The VA Aid & Attendance benefit provides significant help to pay the medical expenses of Veterans and their spouses or their widows. This benefit can help keep the family together at home by assisting with the costs of home health care or it can help cover the costs of Assisted Living arrangements. There are some simple techniques that Veterans and their families can use to gift or transfer ownership of their assets so as to qualify for this benefit. The Veterans Administration does not penalize a Veteran for making a gift or a transfer.

However, before making any gifts or transfers. Veterans and their families must understand the impact these gifts and transfers create if they later need to apply for Medicaid. Medicaid will impose a penalty period for any gifts made within five years of applying for Medicaid benefits.

This does not mean you should not make any gifts or transfers. It just means you need to understand how to coordinate your actions so they don't create disastrous consequences for you and your loved ones.

6 Common Misunderstandings About Nursing Home Costs

admin — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:07:46 +0000

Many think that qualifying for Medicaid to assist with long term care costs means giving up comptets control of their assets. However, this is a myth. You can control your assets and be on Medicaid at the same time.

You may be wary of Medicaid. fearing that the State will take your home. The truth is that if your spouse lives in the home or if your child has provided care for two years of more that has kept you out of a nursing home, the State will not take your home. Even if you lived alone and are now in a nursing home, you may be able to keep your home during your lifetime.

You may have considered giving your home to your children with a quit claim deed. This is very dangerous. You could incur capital gains taxes and be penalized for a significant gift when II comes time to apply for Medicaid. You may be generous with small gifts for special occasions to your loved ones. You may donate a few dollars here and there to charitable or political causes. Beware. Medicaid will add up an of these items and penalize you for gifting. The cumulative effect of these gifts over five years can be astounding. With a generosity check-up, you can maximize both your gifts and your eligibility for

Medicaid.

You may have placed your children in joint tenancy on your accounts so they can help you manage your affairs. The ownership you have given them can cause gifting penalties and may create squabbles among your children that have been left out.

You may feel tempted to give your assets away to avoid probate. This is risky. You could be left with nothing when you need long term care. There are ways to preserve your assets for your own care and your children.