Long-term care insurance claims are just one of the many things that can overwhelm family caregivers. Policy documents are long, filled with exclusions, and written in difficult language. The claims process is complicated.

If you’re filing a claim for a VA pension for a loved one, is there anything you can do to speed up the process? We posed this question to Steven Rubin, a Certified Elder Law Attorney and a VA accredited attorney at Drazen Rubin Law, LLC, a Life Care Planning Law Firm in Milford, Connecticut. Steven has been advising clients on VA-related issues for more than eight years.

By Linda Strohschein, CELA

If you’re a certain age, you may remember Sonny Bono. He was one half of the popular duo Sonny and Cher who were riding high in the 1960s and 1970s. After Sonny left the music business, he went into politics. He served as mayor of Palm Springs, California, and then ran for the U.S. House of Representatives and won.

You might also recall that Sonny died on a ski slope in 1998 after an unfortunate encounter with a tree. When he died, he was married to wife number four, and had two adult children and two minor children.

By Linda Strohschein, CELA

Do you think that celebrities have it better?

When it comes to estate planning, the answer may be no. You would think that anyone with so much money would automatically have access to the best legal advice. What we find is that celebrities are just like the rest of us. They make estate planning mistakes. Unfortunately, their mistakes make headlines.

When an aging parent needs help, it’s the family who steps in to provide the needed care. What happens when family members disagree about what should be done? What happens when there are disputes about what type of care is needed and who will provide that care?

This scenario is more common than you might think. There’s nothing like an elder care crisis to resurrect simmering sibling rivalries and ancient power struggles. If you’re in this situation (or think you might be someday), what can you do?

Do you love Halloween? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone. Halloween is the nation’s second most popular holiday (Christmas holds the top spot).

Though Halloween is a beloved tradition, it creates unique challenges for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. For those who suffer from confusion, disorientation and other symptoms, Halloween can be a truly frightening holiday.

If you’re looking after an older adult who suffers from one of these cognitive conditions, here are a few things to keep in mind.

When Older Adults Live Alone

Every so often, a story pops up in your news feed about a high-profile family conflict following a celebrity death. Maybe the celebrity died without a will. Maybe the family disagrees with the will. Maybe there’s feuding between the celebrity’s children from an earlier marriage and the current spouse.

Conflicts like these happen all the time—and not just to the rich and famous. They happen to your neighbors. They happen to your friends. They could happen to you if you are not careful.

If you’re thinking of applying for VA Pension benefits for yourself or someone you love, you need to know that it could be a long, hard slog. The VA isn’t known for its efficiency. Though you don’t have any control over the employees of the VA and their skill (or lack thereof) at processing applications, you do have control over what you submit. Here’s what to do if you want the best possible results.