In The News
Michael Gilfix and other attorneys are Gilfix & La Poll are regularly recognized as experts in local and national media. Michael Gilfix is a nationally known authority in the field of law, aging and estate planning. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a co-founder of NAELA, and a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.
Mr. Gilfix and other Gilfix & La Poll attorneys have been featured in national and local media outlets for their insight into the field of estate planning. Below is a selection of articles in which they are mentioned.
Common Elder Law Issues When Helping Aging Parents
Mark went on Dr. Leslie Kernisan's podcast to discuss elder law issues that may come from helping aging parents.
Advising Clients About Hospitalization and Operations with Myra Gerson Gilfix
Myra talks about why elder care lawyers should add patient advocacy to their legal arsenal.
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Aging at Home with Mark Gilfix
Mark talks about how technology and artificial intelligence can help the senior community live more comfortably.
Mark Gilfix on Bay Area People
Mark talks about the definition of Special Needs from a legal standpoint, the biggest fear he sees with parents, and more.
Michael Gilfix featured in Pacific Autism Center news
Read a recent profile of Michael Gilfix in the Pacific Autism Center (PACE) newsletter. Michael is featured on page 4.
Special Needs Trusts with Mark Gilfix
See Mark Gilfix explain how Special Needs Trusts are set up, and how they operate, in the Pacific Autism Center-sponsored “Porchlight” Video Series.
Senate GOP's proposed Medicaid cuts would slash aid for special needs kids
By Darla Mercado
Michael Gilfix discuss how to protect special needs children with the proposed health care bill cutting Medicaid funding.
Mesh Multigenerational Planning with New Economy Ideas
By Michael and Mark Gilfix
Broaden client service by giving estate planning a multigenerational scope and being alert to new economy opportunities. This would represent a paradigm shift in methods to serve client needs.
A New Paradigm: Truly Multigenerational Planning
By Michael and Mark Gilfix
Help Families Achieve a Diversity of Shared Goals. Regardless of wealth, most members of our client communities would benefit from multigenerational planning.
Mark and Michael Gilfix discuss services for families with special needs children
Michael Gilfix and Mark Gilfix recently appeared together on NBC Bay Area's “Asian Pacific America with Robert Handa.” The episode focused on families in Asian communities with special needs, particularly those with autistic children. They discussed the importance of Special Needs Trusts and their critical role in structuring an effective estate plan.
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Medi-Cal asset seizure bill heads to Gov. Jerry Brown
Even if the bill is vetoed, according to Palo Alto estate attorney Michael Gilfix, Medi-Cal reimbursement claims -- particularly those involving a recipient's home -- can be avoided through estate planning. Still, the bill's advocates say that route can be costly and discriminates against the poor.
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Medi-Cal has booby trap for some estates
Many low-income Californians who became eligible for Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid, under the Affordable Care Act were happy to get free health care. But for those 55 and older, it came with a booby trap. When they die, the state will attempt to recover anything it spent on their health care from their estates, including their home.
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Finances and the Aging Brain
The latest research on why even smart investors fall prey to financial predators. Some recent research has shown that highly intelligent retirees—even those with no signs of dementia—find it harder to distinguish safe investments from risky ones. Compared with younger investors, those over the age of 65 "showed striking and costly inconsistencies" in their financial behavior...
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How to protect assets from nursing home costs
By Matt Krantz, USA TODAY
Q: Are there ways for my father to protect his portfolio and real estate assets from being devoured by nursing home costs in the future by planning now?
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An Estate Plan Built For Special Needs
By Rachel Emma Silverman, The Wall Street Journal
Gabe Molitor is no ordinary trust-fund kid: He has epilepsy and Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. His mother, Shelby Valentine, recently set up what's known as a special-needs trust, which will provide funding to pay for some of her 30-year-old son's expenses when Ms. Valentine and her husband are no longer able to care for him...
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To Protect an Aging Parent's Assets, Plan Ahead
By Mike Krantz, USA Today
This is a question and answer piece. Q: My father may be put into a nursing home and would like to protect his investments, including his home and $250,000 in cash and stocks. Is there a way to do this? A: ...
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Limits Loom on Nursing-Home Aid
By Rachel Emma Silverman, The Wall Street Journal
Advisers urge elderly clients to act before rules tighten eligibility for Medicaid. With proposed new rules expected to take effect next month that would toughen eligibility for Medicaid-funded nursing-home stays, lawyers and financial advisers are urging elderly clients to make plans now that might increase their chances of being eligible for government aid...
