Kenneth Vercammen, Esq is Chair of the ABA Elder Law Committee and presents seminars to attorneys and the public on Wills, Probate and other legal topics related to Estate Planning and Elder law. He is author of the ABA's book "Wills and Estate Administration. Kenneth Vercammen & Associates,
2053 Woodbridge Avenue - Edison, NJ 08817
(732) 572-0500 More information at www.njlaws.com/

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

ABA ELDER LAW COMMITTEE Newsletter May, 2007 ABA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division

Chairs - Kenneth Vercammen, Edison, NJ and Jay Foonberg, Beverly Hills, CA

In this issue:
1. Meeting Friday, May 11, 2007 12:10- 1pm
2. Medicaid, Public Benefits and Tax Numbers 2007
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1. Meeting Friday, May 11, 2007 12:10- 1pm
Washington Court Hotel ABA Elder Law Committee meeting
Topic: Elder Law Practice- Changes in the law and ideas to Improve Your Practice by Giving Clients What They Want and Need, plus Marketing and Expanding an Elder Law Practice

, Chair's Suite

American Bar Association General Practice Section, Elder Law Committee
Chairs/ Speakers:
Jay Foonberg, Beverly Hills, CA
-Kenneth A. Vercammen, Esq. , Edison, NJ Chair- Elder Law Committee

If you are attending, email Kenneth Vercammen, Esq. at Kenv@njlaws.com

Elder Law may be the biggest practice area of your career. 50,000 baby boomers/ day turning 60 and soon to be on Medicaid and needing your help.

Topics:
New Medicaid Law 2006- Protect yourself from inaccurate advice and malpractice
Getting referrals from other professionals
The aftermath of the Terry Schiavo case.
Email newsletters
How to get more referrals and repeat business
How to manage telephone conversations with your clients
Marketing with written fee agreements
-Networking the Internet without backlash
-Ethics and marketing without violating the Rules of Professional Conduct

[Contact Kenneth Vercammen, Esq. for program information 732-572-0500]


2. Medicaid, Public Benefits and Tax Numbers 2007

By Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire

Every year selected public benefits and tax numbers change. These are indexed to the cost of living. Here are some of the important numbers for 2007:
Medicaid

$1,869 Income Cap

$101,640 Maximum CSRA

$20,328 Minimum CSRA

$2,541 Maximum MMMNA

$1650 MMMNA (until July 1, 2007)

$495 Excess Shelter Allowance (until July 1, 2007)

Social Security

3.3% Social Security Increase

$623 SSI – Single

$934 SSI – Couple

$900 SGA - Disabled

$1,500 SGA – Blind

Medicare

$124 Medicare Co-Payment – NSF

$93.50 Medicare Part B Standard Premium (less than $80,000 income)
Medicare Part B –Related Premium

$106 Medicare Part B ($80,000-$100,000 income)

$124.70 Medicare Part B ($100,000-$150,000 income)

$143.40 Medicare Part B ($150,000-$200,000 income)

$162.10 Medicare Part B (more than $200,000 income)

Married and filing separate return

$143.40 Medicare Part B ($80,000-$120,000 income)

$162.10 Medicare Part B (more than $120,000



$131 Medicare Part B Deductible

$992 Medicare Part A Deductible

Tax

$12,000 Annual Gift Tax Exclusion

$125,000 Gifts to Non-Citizen Spouse

$10,450 Maximum Tax Estates and Trust

$2,000,000 Federal Estate Tax Exemption

$3,400.00 Personal Exemption *

$97,500 Max SSA Wage Base



PAAD/Senior Gold – NJ Prescription Plan
$22,572 PAAD Single Limit

$27,676 PAAD Married Limit
$32,572 Senior Gold Single Limit

$37,676 Senior Gold Married Limit


Eligible Long-Term Care Insurance

$290 40 or less

$550 more than 40 but not more than 50

$1,110 more than 50 but not more than 60

$2,950 more than 60 but not more than 70

$3,680 more than 70

*Subject to phase out for income above certain levels for various types of filers.
Begley & Bookbinder, P.C. is an Elder & Disability Law Firm with offices in Moorestown, Stone Harbor and Lawrenceville, New Jersey and can be contacted at 800-533-7227. The firm services southern and central New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.

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Send us your articles & ideas

To help your practice, we feature in this newsletter edition a few articles and tips on marketing and improving service to clients. But your Editor and chairs can't do it all. Please send articles, suggestions or ideas you wish to share with others.

General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division:
Elder Law Committee and the ESTATE PLANNING, PROBATE & TRUST COMMITTEE

Who We Are

This committee focuses on improving estate planning skills, substantive law knowledge and office procedures for the attorney who practices estate planning, probate and trust law. This committee also serves as a network resource in educating attorneys regarding Elder Law situations.

To help your practice, we feature in this newsletter edition a few articles and tips on marketing and improving service to clients. But your Editor and chairs can't do it all. Please send articles, suggestions or ideas you wish to share with others.
Let us know if you are finding any useful information or anything you can share with the other members. You will receive written credit as the source and thus you can advise your clients and friends you were published in an ABA publication. We will try to meet you needs.
We also seek articles on Elder Law, Probate, Wills, Medicaid and Marketing. Please send your marketing ideas and articles to us. You can become a published ABA author.

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The Elder Law Committee of the ABA General Practice Division is directed towards general practitioners and more experienced elder law attorneys. The committee consistently sponsors programs at the Annual Meeting, the focus of which is shifting to advanced topics for the more experienced elder lawyer.
This committee also focuses on improving estate planning skills, substantive law knowledge and office procedures for the attorney who practices estate planning, probate and trust law. This committee also serves as a network resource in educating attorneys regarding Elder Law situations.
Kenneth Vercammen, Esq. co-Chair
Jay Foonberg, Beverly Hills Co-chair, Author of Best Sellers "How to
Start and Build a Law Practice" and "How to get and keep good clients', Beverly Hills, CA jayfoonberg@aol.com>

We will also provide tips on how to promote your law office, your practice and Personal Marketing Skills in general. It does not deal with government funded "legal services" for indigent, welfare cases.

KENNETH VERCAMMEN & ASSOCIATES, PC
ATTORNEY AT LAW
2053 Woodbridge Ave.
Edison, NJ 08817
(Phone) 732-572-0500
(Fax) 732-572-0030
Kenv@njlaws.com