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I am a 75-year-old tenant of the Arlington Housing Authority. I've been complaining about a heavy tobacco smell in the hallway in front of my apartment since last July. My lease states that smokers in this non-smoking building will be evicted, yet despite my numerous emails to the landlord,... View More 
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answered on Apr 12, 2025
It sounds like you're dealing with a difficult situation, especially given the impact the secondhand smoke is having on your health. Since your lease specifically prohibits smoking, and you've already made numerous attempts to address the issue with both the landlord and housing... View More
I am my father's durable power of attorney and need to change his address with Social Security and Medicare to ensure all his mail is sent to me in California, while he resides in a skilled nursing facility in Massachusetts with dementia. This is crucial to avoid any disruption in his Social... View More
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answered on Mar 25, 2025
As your father's durable power of attorney, you can update his address with Social Security by calling their national number at 1-800-772-1213 or visiting your local Social Security office with your power of attorney documentation, your ID, and your father's Social Security number.... View More
They said I cannot accept gifts from clients, but this was only told to me afterwards, and I couldn't find anything in my employee handbook about it either. The truck was legally purchased with a bill of sales, and the title signed over. Do I have to give the truck back? Besides termination,... View More
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answered on Feb 8, 2024
In Massachusetts, if you purchased a truck from an elderly client while working for an Adult Foster Care company, and the company is now requesting you to return the vehicle citing policies against accepting gifts from clients, the legality of keeping the truck depends on several factors. If the... View More
My mother-in-law lost her husband 10 years ago. The grandson who has been living there with them rent free for over 20 years is now trying to take the house away from her. My mother-in- law is 83 years old and is alert, drives a car and manages and pays all the bills. She thinks the grandson stole... View More
answered on Nov 17, 2023
If she is missing her Will she can "replace" it by doing a new one if she is competent.
The amount ranges from 15k to 20k. The fraudster lives in CT and my grandmother lives MA and she refuses to divulge any information.
answered on Aug 16, 2023
There are a number of options available to your grandmother. Under Massachusetts General Laws, Title II, Chap. 19A, financial exploitation is defined as "an act or omission by another person, which causes a substantial monetary or property loss to an elderly person, or causes a substantial... View More
She wanted to purchase our home and build an addition on it for us to live in. We allowed her to move in after she sold her house so the kids could go to school here. When she found out it would be too costly for her to do that she asked me if she should buy another house and I agreed but she... View More
answered on Aug 14, 2023
Likely, you would have to do a partition action and buy out her interest in the property. Contact a real estate attorney in your county.
I was not present when the Trust was signed did not know i was a beneficiary but a family member was present witnessed this as Trustee and the settlor signed it . If for some odd reason this doesnt go in my favor do I have a lawsuit against the attorney who notarized the Trust as a benificary.
answered on Jul 12, 2023
Is the Settlor lacking competence or under duress or undue influence in the transfer into Trust? These are the issues.
My mom is 92 years old and she is living with me right now as her home is being repaired. I have been taking care of her since 2/2023 when my dad passed away. How can a person qualify for the caretaker child exemption law?
Thank you
answered on Jul 12, 2023
The Caregiver Child Exemption generally enables an elderly individual to transfer their home to their adult child without violating Medicaid's Look Back 60-month period on asset transfers. Under 130 CMR 520.019(D)(6)(d), a transfer of a former principal residence by a nursing home resident to... View More
I have a tenant that live above me that have two kids in there and they're very noisy and I could understand that kids can be kids but they're not even trying to calm them down even with the dog dropping things and all kinds of stuff I am 62 years old and I don't need the extra... View More
answered on Jan 26, 2023
This sounds like a Landlord Tenant issue and you should review your Section 8 agreement with the Housing Entity you have before proceeding toward eviction.
lived there has already paid through the end of the month?
2.) In an ALF is it legal for the facility to take a bed that I purchased for my father and give it to someone else to use?
answered on Oct 26, 2022
As to question 1, the ALF agreement likely addresses the rights and obligations of the parties if an occupant vacates a unit for which he has already paid rent. The ALF agreement may also address the disposition of an occupant's personal property once the occupant vacates the unit. Also, you... View More
Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. My dad was a resident at Life Care Center Billerica, MA from May 25, 2021 - July 11, 2022(death). I had him transfer House deed to me and my sister in Sept 2021 recorded on 10/8/2021. His balance is 8,600. I was aware of the balance, however, explained how he has... View More
answered on Sep 26, 2022
So, there was a house transfer close to the date of death and includable in the lookback period so that there probably would not have been Medicaid/MassHealth eligibility . Contact a Medicaid specialist on this issue ASAP to present your set of facts to see if there is something recommended at... View More
On paper, she is not low-income ($42,000/year) but owes $7K for electric and many other debts. If she foreclosures is she still responsible for the mortgage? (She cannot pay that and rent also.) Would Chapter 11 be a better option for her? Can she rent an apartment after Chapter 11 or will... View More
answered on Jul 13, 2022
A Chapter 7 bankruptcy sounds like it may be in her best interest at this time however I can not say this absolutely without a full interview. You can call me or another experienced bankruptcy attorney and they should be able to give you a good solid answer and plan to move forward. A chapter 7... View More
She was living with my sister and my sister was a domestic violence victim,he is in jail. She,my mom, has dementia,but if am the guardian of my mom can I tell elderly serviceI want my mom with my sister?
answered on May 2, 2022
A guardian can make decisions in the incapacitated person's best interests and there seems to be an issue of sister's husband being a domestic abuser which could subject your mother to potential violence if I am reading your question correctly. Inasmuch as elder abuse could be claimed... View More
I'm not positive about Medicaid. She receives $1500.00/mo from separated spouse & $200.00/mo in socal security. She has no other assets...Until...a sister died & has left her an inheritance of $200,000.00+.
She has 8 children. Our questions are, if she stays in the nursing... View More
answered on Apr 26, 2022
If her mental status is in doubt then there should be a Conservator appointed by the Probae Court where mother resides to handle her finances and also a Guardian to handle her care if there are not agents under a Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy granted authority to act by her prior to... View More
My father passed away and left an irrevocable trust. My sister and I are co-executors and everything is divided 50/50. She has gone behind my back and taken things (of significant value). Is that legal and if not what can I do to stop her? My sister and I have been estranged for many years so there... View More
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answered on Jul 10, 2021
Your probate attorney can help you file a petition to require your sister to account for all assets or to have her removed as executor if she is engaging in malfeasance.
A second cousin is named as an alternate in a will. The first cousins are the heirs-at-law. The second cousin is contesting the will.
answered on Jun 28, 2021
If the devisees under the Will are all alive, then it would seem that an alternate designated or conditional beneficiary-devisee would not take under the Will. If the Will is disallowed the heirs under intestacy would take.
answered on Mar 29, 2021
You have not supplied any details as to what the circumstances were and it is possible that you were victimized and coerced into doing so or not competent at the time and may be able to pursue an equity action. Pursuing action sooner is better than later and you don't want to run into any... View More
It is impossible to sell my house with all the heavy junks they dumped into my property. I need to sell my house.
Would the house still fall under part of his estate
answered on Jan 20, 2021
While it appears that If the title to the real estate was not in grandfather's name then he already transferred it to your mother and thus does not appear to be in grandfather's estate, but were there other facts??? This question is Not susceptible to a black and white answer without... View More
The judge did not mandate placement in a long term care facility. She continues to relapse and put her safety at risk and our next court date is not until January 2021. The medical certificate said that she is incapacitated but now an independent medical evaluation was ordered. Can I mandate that... View More
answered on Oct 22, 2020
If your order does not give you the ability to place her in a facility then you will need to file and serve an appropriate Motion with Affidavit seeking such.
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