Care Insurance: Long-Term Health Care Update

By Joseph E. Balmer   |   August 11th, 2012

How Ohio’s Long-Term Care Insurance Program Can Make Sense For You!

It is now almost 5 years since Ohio’s long-term care partnership program was implemented in order to allow Medicaid participants to protect more of their assets from the Medicaid spend down process.  With the rising cost of long-term care and the effect that the recession has had on most individual’s savings, this program is more valuable than ever.  A long-term health care insurance policy that meets certain criteria can provide tremendous savings and asset protection against future health care needs by allowing an individual to shelter an amount of assets equal to the amount of coverage under the policy.

Once again, the policy must meet the following criteria:

  1. Must be issued after September 10,2007;
  2. The insured must be a resident of Ohio when coverage first becomes effective;
  3. The policy must be a federally tax qualified plan based on IRS Code;
  4. The policy must meet strict consumer protection standards; and
  5. The policy must include certain protections against inflations.
… View Full Article → “Care Insurance: Long-Term Health Care Update”

School Resumes, How To Start The School Year Off Well!

By Robert "Chip" Mues   |   August 4th, 2012

Tips to help your children prepare for the challenges of a new school year

The lazy, hazy days of summer are coming to an end, as a new school year is quickly approaching. My wife, a school teacher of 30 plus years, suggested that we post an article about this topic of starting the school year well.  So with her help, here it is.

Although they may protest, most children like the routine that school brings, and they are ready to get back into the swing of the school year. The new school year is exciting because students get the opportunity to have a fresh start. However it can also be a time of anxiousness when kids worry about things such as will I like my new teacher or will my friends be in my class? It can also be nerve racking for those who are going from elementary to middle school, or middle school to high school, or for those who are moving to a new school district.… View Full Article → “School Resumes, How To Start The School Year Off Well!”

Child Abuse: Non-Abused Siblings Who Remain at Home

By Guest Contributor, Daniel Pollack   |   July 28th, 2012

Child Abuse: Non-Abused Siblings Who Remain at Home

A recent study identifies the nation’s most dangerous traffic intersection. It’s at Flamingo Road and Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The insurance company’s engineer who compiled the report notes that the intersection meets appropriate design standards and is regulated by traffic lights. He said traffic volume and driver error were two important factors in the high number of crashes.

Child Abuse and the Dangerous Child Protective Services Intersection

One of the most dangerous intersections of every state’s child welfare system is the decision whether to remove or leave non-abused siblings in a home in which another sibling has been a victim of child abuse or neglect.  Like the dangerous intersection in Pembroke Pines, CPS workers often face high caseloads (“traffic volume”) and constant life-threatening decisions (the possibility of “driver error”).

A Pennsylvania case involved “an appeal from the determination of dependency where the adoptive father committed sexual child abuse upon one of the children.… View Full Article → “Child Abuse: Non-Abused Siblings Who Remain at Home”

Divorce Time Out: Take Your Emotional Pulse

By Guest Contributor Donna F. Ferber, LPC, LADC   |   July 21st, 2012

Is Checking Your Emotional Pulse The Key To Dealing With Divorce?

“I am in the divorce process up to my elbows. I have paperwork for my lawyer, deadlines for my job, parent conferences for my kids, friends coming for dinner. I have a birthday party to plan, a lawn to mow, a dog with fleas. I haven’t slept more than five hours a night for months. My grey hairs are coming in with a vengeance and my skin is breaking out. Most of the food in my refrigerator looks like science experiments. I have no idea of world events, latest movies, or current songs. I have to get my kids to soccer practice, karate and guitar lessons. I have grocery shopping, vet appointments, orthodontics appointments, child therapy appointments, ob-gyn appointments. I have appointments with my lawyer, my accountant, my therapist. I have appointments with my children’s lawyers and therapists. I even have an appointment to sit down and talk with my soon to be ex- husband about vacation schedules!… View Full Article → “Divorce Time Out: Take Your Emotional Pulse”

Divorce Rates Double for Boomers

By Robert "Chip" Mues   |   July 14th, 2012

Longer Life Spans Factor Into Higher Divorce Rates

Divorce rates for the general population throughout the United States have stabilized over the past several decades.  However, that’s not true for baby boomers.  Divorce rates among couples over 50 have doubled over the last two decades according to a recent study by Bowling Green State University Professor Susan L. Brown.  In the 1990s, fewer than 1 in 10 people who divorced were 50 or older.  In 2009, that figure soared to 1 in 4.  Dr. Brown utilized data from the federal government’s 2009 American Community Survey.  She also looked at demographics and found the highest rates were among black couples and the lowest rates among white couples.  Older adults who divorced also tended to be less educated than those who remained married.

Dr. Brown identified a number of factors that might help explain the increase in the divorce rates among baby boomers including longer life spans.  … View Full Article → “Divorce Rates Double for Boomers”

Child Custody: Parents versus Grandparents

By Anne Shale   |   July 7th, 2012

An Overview Of The Child Custody Case Timothy Cantrell v. Erica Trinkle (2011-CA-17)

The Juvenile Court of Clark County, Ohio awarded custody of the minor child (“CC”) to the paternal grandparents. Mother appealed the decision.

Court of Appeals Holding:

The Juvenile Court’s finding that the Mother was an “unsuitable parent” was against the manifest weight of the evidence.

Parties to the action:

Timothy Cantrell:  Father of CC.
Erica Trinkle: Mother of CC.
Tracy and Randy Wood: Paternal grandparents of CC.

Facts of the child custody case:

Timothy Cantrell (“Father”) and Erica Trinkle (“Mother”) had a child, CC, out of wedlock in September 2007.  In March 2008, Mother’s Father was providing child care for CC while Mother was working.  An automobile accident occurred and the child was not injured. Allegations were made that the maternal Grandfather was intoxicated at the time of the accident.  That allegation was not substantiated. Following the automobile accident, a referral was made to the Clark County Children’s Services Board (“CSB”).… View Full Article → “Child Custody: Parents versus Grandparents”

Visitation: Stepparents are Parents Too!

By Jessica M. Shively   |   June 30th, 2012

Stepparents are Parents too! Stepparent Visitation!

I always like to talk about the connotations associated with the words we use every day. Whether they are positive or negative, the words we use can have a grave impact upon a person’s feelings. One such word that comes to mind is stepmom or stepdad. Generally, feelings associated with the word step anything can result in feelings of negativity. I am sure everyone remembers Cinderella’s EVIL stepmother! Being a stepchild, I understand why those feelings can sometimes arise. Blended families come with many obstacles. However, I also know why they can also be associated with very positive connotations and because of that I thank God every day for blessing me with my stepfather, my dad. In the spirit of Father’s Day, I would like to talk about laws in Ohio that have resulted in stepparent visitation and sometimes even custody!

Visitation and Ohio Law

Ohio has codified within its laws three (3) ways to seek visitation with a minor child.… View Full Article → “Visitation: Stepparents are Parents Too!”

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