Voting: Absentee and Accessibility

By Nicholas Goodman, MiCAFE Network Specialist at Elder Law of Michigan Are you one of 7,503,397 registered voters in Michigan? If you want to verify your voter registration status, go to the Michigan Voter Information Center. There you will find two options to search: by Driver’s License number or your name (and additional details). ­You can then view important information such as the date and type of … Continue reading Voting: Absentee and Accessibility

last will and testament

Changes in Omitting Beneficiaries from a Will

By Jadranko Tomic Bobas, J.D., Managing Hotline Attorney, and Kathryn Petersen, Legal Hotline Intern    Effective August 8, 2018, Michigan Legislature amended a portion of the Estates and Protected Individuals Code (EPIC) to clarify a child’s right to the exempt property allowance.    The exempt property allowance is an additional benefit of a decedent’s estate that is available to the surviving spouse or to the decedent’s children and can include any household items, … Continue reading Changes in Omitting Beneficiaries from a Will

FTC to Begin Mailing Checks to Victims of Tech Support Scam

Via Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission will begin mailing 36,830 checks totaling $10,158,601, to consumers who lost money to a technical support scam. Inbound Call Experts, LLC, doing business as Advanced Tech Support, along with other defendants, agreed to pay more than $10 million as part of a settlement with the FTC. According to the FTC, the defendants used high-pressure sales pitches to … Continue reading FTC to Begin Mailing Checks to Victims of Tech Support Scam

Michigan Elder Coordinating Council Justice News

By Ron Tatro, Vice President ELDER ABUSE & LEGISLATURE The 2017-2018 legislative season is in full swing. Legislators listen to their constituents, hear their concerns, and many times introduce new bills into the legislature to address those concerns. A frequently expressed area of concern relates to the treatment of seniors and elder abuse. During this season both the House and Senate have introduced a wide … Continue reading Michigan Elder Coordinating Council Justice News

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Michigan Governor Signs a Teacher Pension Plan that creates a new 401(k)-style defined contribution plan with an automatic employer contribution of 4% of the employee’s salary.

via plansponsor.com, by Rebecca Moore, PlanSponsor July 27, 2017 The signed bill modernizes the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MSPERS), and increases the state’s share to defined contribution plans, while reducing the unfunded liabilities of the overall system. Read the full article. Continue reading Michigan Governor Signs a Teacher Pension Plan that creates a new 401(k)-style defined contribution plan with an automatic employer contribution of 4% of the employee’s salary.

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Funeral Representative Bill Signed into Law

by Jadranko Tomic-Bobas, Managing Hotline Attorney On March 29, 2016, Governor Snyder signed Senate Bill 551 into law. The bill makes it possible for a person to appoint a “funeral representative.” The funeral representative will be able to make funeral and other arrangements regarding the disposition of the remains. Currently, the next of kin has the authority to control the funeral and burial arrangement, which has … Continue reading Funeral Representative Bill Signed into Law

President Obama Signed the Farm Bill into Law at Michigan State University

by Lindsay Felsing, MSW; Director, Economic Security You may have heard about President Obama coming all the way to Michigan State University to sign the Farm Bill into law last Friday, but what does it all mean and how does it affect seniors in Michigan? Let’s break it down. What is the Farm Bill? The Farm Bill is a piece of legislation, typically passed every … Continue reading President Obama Signed the Farm Bill into Law at Michigan State University

Legislative Update Pertaining to Seniors

There are multiple pieces of current legislation that could be of interest to older adults and organizations that work with older adults. We regularly track these pieces of legislation, and have them posted on our website for your convenience. View the legislative updates here. We also give a summation of all current legislation in our monthly e-newsletter. To sign up for our e-newsletter and receive … Continue reading Legislative Update Pertaining to Seniors

Governor Snyder’s State Budget Proposal Reinforces Making Michigan a “No-Wait State”

The recent release of Governor Snyder’s FY 2015 budget reinforced the importance of making Michigan a “no-wait state” for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Last week, Governor Snyder announced his executive budget for 2015, recommending the following: $5 million to increase in-home services and home-delivered meals for seniors $9 million for the MI Choice Waiver Program, which helps seniors and individuals with disabilities receive in-home care … Continue reading Governor Snyder’s State Budget Proposal Reinforces Making Michigan a “No-Wait State”

Governor Snyder Seeks to Improve the Quality of Life for Seniors

On January 16, 2014 Governor Snyder gave his State of the State Address, part of which highlighted the numerous ways he seeks to create independence and improve the quality of life for seniors. He proposed making Michigan a “no-wait state” by increasing the funds dedicated to services such as Meals on Wheels and other in-home programs. Nearly 4,500 older adults are not receiving the in-home … Continue reading Governor Snyder Seeks to Improve the Quality of Life for Seniors