Westerbeke Law Firm, PLLC

It was an honor to deliver checks to 8 different non-profits in West Michigan. A client bequeathed money to a senior center, a church youth program, a homeless shelter, a long term care facility and others. Through this legacy, their dedication to these causes will result in many positive outcomes. To learn more about how your estate plan can include causes near and dear to you in addition to loved ones, contact Westerbeke at michiganlegacyplan.com or 616—965-2060 or 269-906-9782.

August is “National Make a Will Month.” Is your excuse that you don’t have money or other assets or perhaps you don’t have children or even you don’t think you’re old enough. Many people put this off only to find out that it wasn’t as tedious or costly as they expected. A will provides peace of mind and allows you to take control instead of leaving it up to others to decide when you are gone. Your estate plan should provide you with security now and your loved ones later. A will is only one of the estate planning services we provide at Westerbeke Law Firm. Contact us to see if this is the best option for your needs. By phone at 616-965-2060 or online at

Westerbeke Law Firm, PLLC Site Map | DISCLAIMER | About | Services | Estate Planning | Elder Law | Special Needs | Probate and Trust Administration | Seminars | Meet | Contact | Grand Rapids | St. Joseph | Cass County | Van Buren County | Holland |

Tuesday, August 6 is Election Day. Many counties have millages on the ballot that provide funding for key groups like seniors, veterans and libraries. This is in addition to the variety of candidates running in the primaries. You can see your personalized ballot at this this site: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/PublicBallot/Index.

What's on the ballot?

Westerbeke Law Firm was proud to be a hole sponsor for the July golf outing benefitting the Trinity Health Grand Rapids Kidney Transplant Center. Thanks to Melissa Bunce for volunteering with this event. Founded 50 years ago, the center is one of the largest and most successful community hospital-based transplant programs in the county. You can learn more at https://www.trinityhealthmichigan.org/location/trinity-health-kidney-transplant-center-grand-rapids-campus

Advance care planning is designed to help a patient define their wishes and preferences for future medical and end-of-life care. In addition to the patient and family, the team can also include healthcare professionals, social worker or lawyer. Here’s a nice graphic from the National Institute on Aging dispelling 5 myths about advanced care planning.

www.nia.nih.gov

We wish you a celebratory Fourth of July with friends and family, food and fun and fireworks. Here is a moment to reflect on the history of the day which recognizes the 13 American colonies separation from Great Britain by issuing the Declaration of Independence. Probably the most memorable line is “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” You can read more at

Declaration of Independence: A Transcription [get-content name="print-page-left" include-tag="false" /] Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original.

The Area Agencies on Aging were created 50 years ago in 1974. They serve older adults desiring to age at home which allows them to feel empowered and independent. They work along with partner organizations receiving funding from senior millages to make this dream a reality. If you need personal care assistance, transportation, meals, home modifications, adaptive equipment or support groups, learn more about services at these links. https://www.aaawm.org/home or https://areaagencyonaging.org/

Home | AAAWM If you're looking to find out what services are available to you in order to remain in your home, Care Management is the place to start. 

There were more than 2,300 heat-related deaths in the summer of 2023, according to federal data. When temperatures soar, steps like drinking enough fluids and heading to an air-conditioned location can avoid serious health emergencies. You should avoid the sun especially between 10:30 am and 2 pm. If you are outside in the middle of the day, take frequent breaks and stay hydrated. Loose-fitting clothing leaves room for air to circulate and allows you to sweat. Clothing that is light in color reflects the sun and deflects the heat. Most communities offer cooling centers during the day if needed.

We are grateful to clients for giving us the opportunity to provide peace of mind for them and their loved ones. Here is what one couple shared with us about their experience. “Mr. Westerbeke went beyond to help my sister in AZ (for a Michigan deed). The staff is very pleasant and helpful and go the extra mile for you. This is the best staff I have ever worked with for legal purposes. We appreciate all you did for us and being patient with us.” How can we help you and your family?

Do you have a family member whose care needs are beyond what your ability to assist with are? Are you worried about them being safe in their home? Instead of panicking over long term care costs, families should begin planning. Westerbeke’s elder care team has the experience you need. We are knowledgeable about Medicaid law in Michigan. Equally important, we know and can connect you with the community resources and facilities who can help. Call us for a consult at 616-965-2060 or 269-906-9782.

FREE "Estate Planning and Elder Law" seminar on Wednesday, June 12 from 10:30 am to 12 noon. It includes providing for security with Powers of Attorney, avoiding probate, drafting a will, creating a trust, protecting assets, making informed health and elder care decisions, and planning for stages of long-term care. It will be held at Maude Preston Palenske Library at 500 Market in St. Joseph. You can register by calling 616-965-2060 or 269-906-9782.

Leaving a legacy means giving something that will be valued and treasured by those who survive after your death. May is Leave a Legacy Month to inspire people to make charitable bequests to organizations they value. These include ones focused on faith, education, healthcare and social service. Westerbeke Law can assist you with this.

Westerbeke Law Firm, PLLC Site Map | DISCLAIMER | About | Services | Estate Planning | Elder Law | Special Needs | Probate and Trust Administration | Seminars | Meet | Contact | Grand Rapids | St. Joseph | Cass County | Van Buren County | Holland |

“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.” — Rudyard Kipling. This is the 110th year we are celebrating the official Mothers Day (1914 presidential proclamation declaring the second Sunday of every May). Having a Mother is one thing we all share. How Mothers are celebrated and honored varies. Do you go all out showering her with gifts, honor her in a more private way, or wish she was still here? We wish all mothers and families a joyful day!

U.S. nursing homes would need to meet certain staffing benchmarks for the first time. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the final rules for the Biden administration highly anticipated plan to improve nursing homes. Starting in two years, most homes must provide an average of at least 3.48 hours of daily care per resident. CMS also mandated that an RN must be on duty at all times in case of a patient crisis. Other goals of the plan include reducing resident room crowding, increasing accountability for chain owners of substandard facilities, improving transparency of facility ownership and finances, and examining the growing role of private equity firms as investors in the sector. CMS regulates Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes which is the majority of the country’s roughly 15,000 nursing homes. Westerbeke’s elder law team is led by Bill who has years of experience as an elder law attorney and is supported by Amy, Medicaid specialist and Heather, care coordinator.

According to the CDC, 6.2 million people in the US have Alzheimers. Dementia patients face a decline interfering with daily life – completing tasks, remembering names of people and places and misplacing items. A healthcare professional can diagnose it by cognitive and physical tests. Westerbeke’s elder law team is led by Bill who has years of experience as an elder law attorney and is supported by Amy, Medicaid specialist and Heather, care coordinator. We are qualified to help with your legal needs and connected in the community to provide you with resources.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging residents to be on high alert for a new impersonation scam after the Social Security Administration Office issued an alert warning about criminals posing as agents demanding in-person meetings to hand off cash. She says the government will never threaten you and consumers should block calls, delete text and emails and not open attachments. To read more about precautions, how the government does contact citizens and reporting scams to her office and the FBI, read the attached information.

AG Nessel Warns Michigan Residents of New SSA Impersonation Scam AG Nessel Warns Michigan Residents of New SSA Impersonation Scam

FREE "Estate Planning and Elder Law" seminar on Wednesday, March 20 at 10:30 am. “Legacy Planning: Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail.” Bill Westerbeke will cover providing for security with Powers of Attorney, avoiding probate, drafting a will, creating a trust, protecting assets, making informed health and elder care decisions and planning for stages of long-term care. It will be held at Maude Preston Palenske Library at 500 Market in St. Joseph. https://www.youseemore.com/maudpreston/ You can register by calling 616-965-2060 or 269-906-9782 on online at https://lnkd.in/gcGSihsz

Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library: Home Page This is the Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library online catalog home page.

Where is everybody? Bill, Amy, Sara, Melissa and Heather are at the Life Care Planning Conference. We are dedicated to providing the best counsel to our clients. Our professional development is a part of that. Sessions this week are presented by nationally renowned experts and include Elder Financial Fraud, Identifying the Exploitable Brain, Medicare Advantage Marketing Misconduct, and Improving Client Care Programs. Another great benefit is learning from other attorneys, paralegals and peer elder care coordinators and Medicaid specialists.

First video in a year (delayed post) . . . on IP Identity Protection PINs

Identity Protection "IP" PIN | e49 For more information, go to: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayer-guide-to-identity-theftFor Educational Purposes onlyhttps://www.eldertipzone.comhttps://ww...

Our clients say it better! “My husband and I decided to have Bill help us with a revocable living trust to insure that we would be protected in case of death. We thought we would not have to discuss our trust for several years. Unfortunately my husband died suddenly a year and half later. I was devastated and heart broken to lose my best friend. Unlike so many other things we procrastinated about, having the trust left me financially secure with little effort on my part.”

FREE "Estate Planning and Elder Law" seminar on Tuesday, November 7 from 6 to 7:30 pm. It is at Candlewood Suites at 2567 W Marquette Woods Rd, Stevensville. Topics include providing for security with Powers of Attorney, avoiding probate, drafting a will, creating a trust, protecting assets, and planning for stages of long-term care. You can register by calling 616-965-2060 or 269-906-9782.

What do dumpster diving and identity theft have in common? When you’ve lost someone close, the loss and grief can seem overwhelming. The last thing on your mind is organizing the paperwork. Did you know, some documents must be kept in physical form indefinitely? This includes legal documents like wills or trusts and power of attorney; vital records including birth, marriage/divorce and death; and other things like life insurance policies, bank information and three years of tax records. It is also a good idea to have a digital storage file as a back-up. It’s important for you need to be mindful about correctly shredding other personal papers after all dumpster diving is legal and deceased persons can be victims of identity theft.

Not sure where to begin looking for services and providers to help when you or a family member needs support. The Area Agency on Aging has a directory available. Attached is a link to the one for Kent County and they have another for the other counties they serve. A wide variety of services are available to assist seniors to stay in their homes. The services are listed alphabetically with a service description and the organizations providing that service. For general information on senior services, contact AAAWM at (616) 456-5664.

www.aaawm.org

FREE "Estate Planning and Elder Law" seminar on Wednesday, October 4 from 10:30 am to 12 noon. It includes providing for security with Powers of Attorney, avoiding probate, drafting a will, creating a trust, protecting assets, making informed health and elder care decisions, and planning for stages of long-term care. It will be held at Maude Preston Palenske Library at 500 Market in St. Joseph. You can register by calling 616-965-2060 or 269-906-9782 on online at https://bit.ly/45XvMUm

LinkedIn This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

Do you wonder who the people are that make up Westerbeke Law Firm? Maybe you’ve talked on the phone or met in person. You can learn more about our team: roles, experience and interests on our web site at https://bit.ly/46HUvMn

Westerbeke Law Firm, PLLC Attorney Bill Westerbeke combines his background as an accountant with a wide range of legal experience to provide his clients with a uniquely practical perspective. Mr. Westerbeke's primary focus is to help clients avoid probate, protect their assets, make informed health and elder care decisions,....

When something happens to you, is your family and advisors prepared to make decisions? You have accumulated many important papers – personal, financial and legal - over the years. Now is a good time to prepare for the future and organize these. Here is a guide from the National Institute on Aging to help you. https://bit.ly/44VXUFU

order.nia.nih.gov

We have the most caring clients who lovingly take care of their families. Here is what one said about her experience. "It is not easy to make end-of-life decisions for our mother. But Westerbeke Law Firm has helped us so much and especially Amy Timm went above and beyond the call of duty to get our Mom in a long term care facility. She called the facility many times and kept in touch with me. They made a difficult process easier and clear."

FREE "Estate Planning and Elder Law" seminar on Tuesday, September 12 from 6 to 7:30 pm. It is at Candlewood Suites at 2567 W Marquette Woods Rd, Stevensville. Topics include providing for security with Powers of Attorney, avoiding probate, drafting a will, creating a trust, protecting assets, and planning for stages of long-term care. You can register by calling 616-965-2060 or 269-906-9782.

August is “National Make a Will Month,” a perfect time to create or update your will. A will provides peace of mind and allows you to take control instead of leaving it up to others to decide when you are gone. Wills make the administration of your estate run smoothly. You can choose the person to administer your estate and distribute it according to your instructions. A will is only one of the estate planning services we provide at Westerbeke Law Firm. Contact us to see if this is the best option for you and your family’s needs. https://bit.ly/43G1d41

Westerbeke Law Firm, PLLC We provide estate planning and elder law services for clients from Grand Rapids, Ada, Forest Hills, East Grand Rapids, Caledonia, Lowell, Kentwood, Wyoming, Grandville, Hudsonville, Jenison, Cedar Springs, Middleville, Moline, Dorr, Shelbyville, Cutlerville, Greenville, and Rockford.

AARP Report from June 2023 found $28.3 billion a year is stolen from U.S. adults over age 60. Of that amount, $20.3 billion, or 72% is stolen by someone they know such as a friend, family member or caregiver. So, while we are all aware of scams like the authority needing access to your account numbers, Nigerian or the grandchild in an accident asking for prepaid gift cards, it goes well beyond that. Even more shocking is that as victims, seniors aren’t reporting these for a variety of reasons: embarrassment, feeling incompetent or worried about retaliation. You can – and should – report incidents to either your local police authority, state attorney general or the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.