RothamelBratton is pleased to announce that John Rothamel, real estate attorney and one of its founding members, has been selected as one of South Jersey Biz “20 Under 40” for 2013.

Each year South Jersey Biz Magazine runs a special issue called “20 under 40,” in which they recognize young people under the age of forty shaping the South Jersey business landscape. Candidates are picked through reader nominations and editorial selections.

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Rothamel Bratton Attorneys at Law LLC is pleased to announce its official expansion into the sunshine state. A new satellite office has opened for business in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, servicing from West Palm Beach to Miami. We are conveniently located off Las Olas Blvd at 500 E. Broward Boulevard, Suite 1820 Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

The new location will be headed by Rothamel Bratton real estate attorney and founding partner, John Rothamel.  “We have opened our new location in Ft. Lauderdale, FL to better serve our clients and be more accessible” remarked partner John Rothamel. “We are proud to now be part of the Ft. Lauderdale area and look forward to growing long-lasting relationships with the Florida residents.”

The new Florida office is the firm’s fourth location, adding to the current Haddonfield, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, and Lawrenceville, NJ offices. We will continue to offer the same great service and focused expertise currently practiced in NJ and PA, including residential and commercial real estate, estate planning, elder law, and asset protection.

Florida appointments can be arranged by contacting john.rothamel@rothamelbratton.com

About Rothamel Bratton LLC

Rothamel Bratton LLC is a New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida law firm providing focused expertise, innovative thinking and unprecedented service. Their professionals have a diverse background that includes the representation of thousands of homeowners purchasing and selling homes, estate planning and administration, tax planning, elder law, asset protection, representing small to large corporations, bankruptcy, business succession planning, commercial real estate, civil litigation, and estate litigation. Rothamel Bratton LLC offers four convenient locations in Haddonfield, NJ, Philadelphia,PA, Lawrenceville, NJ, and Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

For more information about Rothamel Bratton LLC, visit rothamelbratton.com.

THREE LEGAL ISSUES NEW JERSEY SENIORS NEED TO CONSIDER

May is National Elder Law Month.  Elder law is an area of legal practice that serves the senior population.  The bulk of Rothamel Bratton’s elder law work is focused on helping families pay for long term care.  Qualifying for Medicaid is incredibly important to millions of families.  However, just as important are many other areas of elder law such as financial planning, estate planning, and elder abuse prevention.

Although there are many facets to elder law and estate planning, let’s just consider three of the basics that are often on people’s minds.

#1         Do I Need a Power of Attorney?  The bottom line to the question is, absolutely and unequivocally, yes.  Each and every adult needs a power of attorney to authorize a trusted adult to act on his or her behalf to handle financial, day-to-day business, and medical decisions.  The two main types of powers of attorney are the general durable power of attorney and the medical power of attorney.

#2        How will I pay for long term care if an illness strikes?   It’s not something you look forward to thinking about; however, consider that the cost of one year of nursing home care, in a private room, hovers around $110,000 (perhaps $220,000 if both spouses require care) in the South Jersey area. Our firm helps thousands of clients figure out exactly how to pay for their care and continue to provide for their family, whether through the use of private funds, long term care insurance, or through Medicaid.

#3        Will my heirs pay taxes when I die? It depends on a number of factors, including where you reside, the value of your entire estate, and who receives your assets.  The recent federal law changes do not make any changes to the NJ Estate and Inheritance taxes and it is just as important now as it ever was to plan for New Jersey’s paltry estate tax exemption of $675,000 as well as the New Jersey Inheritance tax. These taxes can range anywhere from 4.5% to 16%.

As with all estate planning, the sooner you consult with an attorney and map out a plan, the more money you’ll be able to protect, and the more choices you will have.  But, it’s never too late to start.

Protect the ones you love. Request a free copy of our Elder Law Checklist – Email Tina.Lutts@RothamelBratton.com for your free copy. For a free consult, contact Rothamel Bratton’s Attorney, Charles Bratton, at 856-857-6000.

If you’re age 50 or older – or you care about someone who’s that age – let Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month serve as a good reminder that we all need long term care planning at some point in our lives.

• For most folks, age 50 is the perfect time to start long term care planning.  Most, but not all, cases of Parkinson’s disease appear after age 50.

• However, if early onset dementia runs in your family, 40 is not too early to starting planning, especially if long term care insurance is the best way for you to plan for long term care.

The key to any good long term planning is to plan ahead, before you need it.  When you plan ahead, you have more choices and it costs you less.

Because Parkinson’s disease is a degeneration of the central nervous system, most people do end up needing some form of long-term care.  Symptoms start with shaking, slowness, rigidity, and difficulty walking.  Symptoms then progress to cognitive and behavioral problems and dementia is common.

4 Ways to Pay for Long Term Care

Although we often associate nursing home care with long-term care, “long term care” also refers to care at home and care in an assisted living facility.

For most folks, there are 4 potential ways to pay for long-term care.

1. Private Pay
2. Medicaid
3. Veteran’s Benefits
4. Long Term Care Insurance

NOTE:  It’s important to note that Medicare is not listed.  Why?  Medicare does not pay for long-term care.  Medicare is medical insurance, not long-term care insurance.  You cannot count on it to pay for long term care.

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Rothamel Bratton strongly supports April as “Autism Awareness Month” because this annual designation does indeed raise awareness, both to the challenges and the solutions available to families.

Autism’s Legal Challenges and Solutions

One in 88 children are born with some form of autism.  All of the affected families, at some point, must deal with autism’s legal challenges and it is important to know that there are legal solutions available to you.

The top 3 things you need to know about Autism Awareness Month, from a legal perspective, are:

1. When Your Child Attains the Age of 18 You Will Likely Need to Request a Guardianship.
2. You Do Not Need to Disinherit Your Child from Your Estate.
3. Special Needs Planning is Available.

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I often have clients come to my office to tell me that they need a trust.  When asked what type of trust, I typically get a blank stare.  And this is nothing to be ashamed of.  Many attorneys that do not specifically practice in this area of law are also baffled.   There are many, many types of trust, each with its own purpose.  The type of trust, if any, that is right for you will vary depending on your goals and objectives, whether that be tax planning, asset protection, spendthrift issues, or otherwise.

In this article from estateplanning.com, they review some trust basics and then provide an introduction to a number of these lesser-known trusts and things called “trusts.”

It is the job of your attorney to explain the differing types of trusts and the pros and cons.  For more information, please call Charles Bratton for an appointment to answer any questions you may have. 856-857-6000

As we get ready to celebrate National Healthcare Decision Day tomorrow, April 16th, we have a question for you to think about. When is the right time to name someone to speak for you in case of serious illness?

A: WHEN YOU’RE IN GOOD HEALTH

B: WHEN YOU’RE IN A COMA

The answer, of course, is “A”. The problem is we’re reluctant to talk about our medical wishes in case of serious illness or end of life. April 16^th is National Healthcare Decisions Day, the day to name someone to speak for you when you can no longer speak for yourself!

National Healthcare Decisions Day exists to educate the public & medical providers about the importance of planning as it relates to health care decision making. It encourages people to express their wishes regarding healthcare and for providers and facilities to respect those wishes.  An Advanced Directive can be a proxy directive (appointing a Health Care Power of Attorney) and/or an instructive directive (Living Will).

A “healthcare power of attorney“ allows your agent to be your voice for your healthcare decisions if you cannot speak for yourself.  A “living will” indicates what kinds of medical treatments you would or would not want at the end of life.  Both are extremely important so we urge you to take some time and plan ahead.

For more information, contact Charles Bratton at 856-857-6000 for a free consultation appointment.

We encourage you to watch this informative video!

Rothamel Bratton Attorneys at Law LLC is honored to announce the firm’s partner John D. Rothamel has been named New Jersey Super Lawyers “Rising Star” for 2013 by Super Lawyers magazine.

Super Lawyers magazine, published in all 50 states, recognizes the top up and coming attorneys under the age of forty each year for their “Rising Star” award list. Less than 2.5% of New Jersey lawyers are selected for this recognition. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement including, awards, peer evaluation, special certifications, bar and/or other professional activity, lectures and writings, and other outstanding achievements.

After the rigorous, multiphase rating process is complete, they publish their complete list of New Jersey 2013 Super Lawyer/Rising Stars. Reference page 72 for the “Rising Star” award list including John Rothamel for Real Estate Law.

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The Supreme Courts pending decision on DOMA (The Defense of Marriage Act) could drastically change estate planning for the LGBT community.

DOMA, passed in 1996, defines marriage under federal law as a union between a man and a woman as husband and wife. In addition, DOMA states that a “spouse” may only include a person of the opposite sex. As such, for federal law purposes, there is no recognition of same-sex spouses, even if recognized under state law.

If the Supreme Court declares DOMA unconstitutional it could make over 1,000 federal benefits available to legally married same-sex partners. Anyone who could be affected by the outcome of this case should contact Charles Bratton, Estate Planning Attorney, to make any necessary changes to your estate plan.

856-857-6000