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Monthly Archives

November 2010

Services Testimony with Babette and Fred (VIDEO)

By Elder Law, Firm News, Tax Law

 

Babette: At Bach Elder Law, we are committed to viewing our clients and their multi-generational families in a very holistic way. We try to be very active listeners. We want to preserve the integrity of the family and give them the level of service that they need, particularly when they’re in crisis, because when you’re in crisis you need to be taken care of, you need to have your phone call returned, you need to know your case is a priority, so that you can feel the relief that someone is servicing you and solving the problems for you.

Fred: One of things that I enjoy so much in working with Babette, having done this for a lot of years, is the standard of excellence that we have in the office. Nothing goes out of that office unless it’s perfect, unless it’s been reviewed, unless it’s well thought out, unless it’s in the best interests of the client and achieves the best possible result for the client. Nothing else is acceptable.

Babette: In order to obtain the type of services and the level of knowledge that we would like to present to our clients, we are very involved in the Florida Bar. I am often putting on CLEs on behalf of the bar as chair of the elder law section. I have frequently written articles or lectured in the field of elder law. I am frequently attending different continuing legal education programs, and also tracking programs that are provided by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys so that I am appraised of all of the newest events that occur in my field.

Fred: In the field of taxation, you must absolutely be current and up to date. In addition to practicing with Babette, I am also a tax law professor at Stetson Law School, which is in St. Petersburg, Fla., approximately 30 miles north of here. In order to stand in front of 25 law students two and three times a week, you must be absolutely current in the tax law. You have to know what you’re talking about and as a result of that experience, the give and take with students, you are obligated to know and understand the law including the most recent changes and additions to the tax law.

Veterans with Babette (VIDEO)

By Veterans Affairs

 

Babette: In addition to being certified by the state of Florida as a board-certified elder law attorney, I’m certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs as a certified V.A. attorney. What that means is that I am able to represent veterans applying for benefits. There are V.A. benefits that are very beneficial to married veterans who were dishonorably discharged and served during wartime that are non-service connected. And that’s very important because if you develop Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s and you need care at home, you may be able to get substantial governmental benefits to cover your at-home care costs or your assisted-living care costs even though your disability has absolutely nothing to do with service-connected disability. Sometimes I get to tell the widows/widowers of deceased veterans that even though their husband or wife may have passed away 20 years ago they, as a surviving spouse of a war-time veteran, can also access these programs. The benefits are not quite as rich as they are for the veterans but they are very substantial, and it is one of the areas where I frequently council clients.