The Brennan & Rogers, PLLC Journal
February 2021 Edition
Office Operations During the Pandemic
 In the ever-changing landscape in which we find ourselves due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we wanted to remind you that we are open during the Pandemic and here to make sure you are prepared; however, we have limited how, when, and where we work with clients to protect our clients and staff utilizing remote services and responsible social distancing measures.

  1. Call us if you need assistance at 207-361-4680. Please don't come by unannounced as the office door will be locked. If you have documents you would like us to review in advance of a meeting, please send them via e-mail, US Mail, fax, or drop them in the locked box outside our main office door to the left.  
  2. We continue to conduct most meetings and document reviews by phone and Zoom. In-person document signings are brief and to the point.
  3. We offer remote pre-signing document reviews and by telephone or video conference.
  4. Upon entering our offices, we will require that you wear a mask and respect social distancing guidelines.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please stay safe and be well. We look forward to talking with you and seeing you soon.
Limited-Time Free Virtual Meet & Greet Sessions in March and April 2021
Reserve Your Free Virtual Meet & Greet Session with One of Our Attorneys,
Smilie G. Rogers, Esq., or
Mary Kathryn Brennan, Esq.

Allow us to introduce you to ourselves and the basic concepts surrounding estate planning. Learn more about Revocable Trusts (“Living Trusts”), Transfer on Death Deeds (aka TODD which you can also read about in Smilie’s Blog), Advance Healthcare Directives, Powers of Attorney, Wills, and their importance under normal circumstances, but more so now during the pandemic.

*During a Virtual Meet & Greet, our lawyers cannot give specific legal answers or advice, and sessions shall not constitute the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Sessions last for thirty (30) minutes. 
Private Session Availability with
Smilie G. Rogers, Esq.



Wednesday, March 17, 2021
5:00 pm- 5:30 pm


Wednesday, March 31, 2021 5:00 pm- 5:30 pm

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 5:00 pm- 5:30 pm


Private Session Availability with
Mary Kathryn Brennan, Esq.


Wednesday, March 10, 2021
5:00 pm- 5:30 pm

Wednesday, March 24, 2021
5:00 pm- 5:30 pm

Wednesday, April 7, 2021
5:00 pm- 5:30 pm

Wednesday, April 21, 2021
5:00 pm- 5:30 pm
What to Do with Your Stimulus Check if You Are in a Nursing Home
Medicaid recipients who receive a stimulus check that puts them above Medicaid’s resource limit will need to spend down the money within a year or risk losing benefits. The Social Security Administration has said that it will not consider stimulus payments as income, and that the payments will be excluded from a Medicaid recipient’s resources for 12 months.
Tax Season is Here!
To make filing easier, taxpayers should:
  1. File electronically and use direct deposit for the quickest refunds.
  2. Check IRS.gov for the latest tax information. There is no need to call the IRS.
Those who may have been eligible for stimulus payments should carefully review their eligibility for the recovery rebate credit. Most people received Economic Impact Payments automatically and those who received the maximum amount don't need to include any information about their payments when they file.

You received the full amounts of both Economic Impact Payments if:
  1. Their first Economic Impact Payment was $1,200 for individuals; $2,400 married filing jointly for 2020, plus $500 for each qualifying child including those born in 2020.
  2. Their second Economic Impact Payment was $600 for individuals; $1,200 married filing jointly for 2020, plus $600 for each qualifying child including those born in 2020.
People who didn't receive the payments or only received partial payments may be eligible to claim the recovery rebate credit when they file their 2020 tax return, even if they are normally not required to file a tax return. Tax preparation software, including IRS Free File, will help taxpayers figure the amount.
Taxpayers should remember that stimulus payments they received are not taxable, and don't reduce the amount of their refund.

Important filing season dates!
  1. Friday, February 12. IRS begins 2021 tax season. Individual tax returns start being accepted and processing begins.
  2. Thursday, April 15. The due date for filing 2020 tax returns or requesting an extension of time to file.
  3. Thursday, April 15. The due date for paying 2020 tax owed to avoid owing interest and penalties.
  4. Friday, October 15. Due date to file for those requesting an extension on their 2020 tax returns.



Maine Phase 1b Vaccination Plan:
Mainers 70+ Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine
Updates to Phase 1b: Phase 1b is dedicated to protecting vulnerable residents and frontline workers. Maine is updating Phase 1b to include:

  1. Older Mainers: Maine will first focus in Phase 1b on vaccinating older Maine people, beginning with people age 70 and older because they are at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. In Maine, more than 85 percent of COVID-related deaths have been of people in that age range. The death rate for this age range is 10 percent of those who contract the virus compared to 1 percent for people in their 60s and less than one percent for all other ages. Further, the COVID-19 hospitalization rate in Maine for people age 70 and older is 17 percent, which is markedly higher than the six percent for people ages 60-69; the three percent for people ages 40 to 59, and the less than one percent for younger people. Approximately 193,000 Maine people are 70 or older, some of whom already qualify to be vaccinated in Phase 1a because they are in long-term care settings or are health care workers.
  2. Additional information on vaccination for people age 70 and older in Maine will be available the week of January 18. Older Mainers should wait to contact their health care providers about getting vaccinated. Maine’s decision to initiate Phase 1b with older residents is in line with a growing number of states, such as Vermont and Texas, and also generally follows new recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). After a significant number of people 70 and older have been vaccinated, or if the supply of the vaccine increases, Maine will move to vaccinate those between the ages of 65-69, in line with yesterday’s new Federal recommendations.

Read the State of Maine's full update as of January 13, 2021 here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Availability at York Hospital

York Hospital has streamlined its vaccination process for
Phase 1B- 70+ years old .

4 Barrel Lane, York, ME 03909


Option 2: Call 207-752-8685 Monday-Friday 8:00 am- 5:00 pm to add yourself to the waiting list.

Save time! Print and fill out the
prior to your appointment!

Alternative Vaccination Sites
Helpful Links
Do you have something helpful you have found while spending more time at home? If you find something useful, please forward them to either Smilie or Kim. We will make sure they get shared with others!
General Information

End of Life

Documents
Free Advance Health Care Directive published by the Maine Hospital Association - Maine requires two witnesses to witness it and having it notarized is preferable. We encourage you to print, fill it out and please forward this to anyone you think would find this information useful.

Religious

Religious Services Available Online

The Parish of the Ascension of the Lord which collectively consists of St. Rafael's, St. Christopher's, and Our Lady of the Angels live stream their Masses via Facebook and are now taking Reservations for live Masses.

The Eliot Baptist Church has also moved its services online or by Reservation for live services.

Temple Israel in Portsmouth, NH is beginning to hold outdoor services or online via Zoom.

Organization of Personal Information
Our "Day After Guide" is available on our website for free to help you organize your everyday information.

Shopping Hours for Senior Citizens and the At-Risk Population
These and other stores may also be limiting the number of people in the store at one time to promote proper social distancing, and wearing masks is being enforced! Please be prepared. This list could be changing daily, so please check with the store before you go!

1) BJ's Wholesale Club
(Members 60+)
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
8:00 am -9:00 am

(First Responders)
Sunday
8:00 am- 9:00 am

2) Hannaford
(60+ and those who are immune-compromised)
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
7:00 am -8:00 am

3) Market Basket
(60 years+)
Daily
6:00 am -7:00 am

4) Shaw's
(senior citizens, immune-compromised, at-risk, pregnant, etc.)
Tuesdays and Thursdays
7:00 am - 9:00 am

5) Target
(65+, pregnant and those with underlying health conditions)
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
The first hour the store is open
Socialize with Us

279 York Street
P.O. Box 467
York, Maine 03909

(207) 361-4680

Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm
Saturday: By appointment
Sunday: Closed

*Satellite office located in 
Kennebunk, Maine is staffed for scheduled appointments made through the York office only * 
Terms of Service
The information and/or materials appearing or contained in this newsletter of Brennan & Rogers, PLLC has been prepared for and made available for informational purposes only. The transmission and receipt of information contained in this newsletter, to clients or otherwise, do not constitute the giving of legal advice, professional advice and/or services, nor does it constitute the formation of an attorney-client relationship. No recipient of this newsletter should 1) act or 2) refrain from acting based upon any information contained herein without seeking legal advice. Links on this newsletter may lead to other websites. Brennan & Rogers, PLLC does not necessarily endorse or approve of any materials or information on linked sites and is not responsible for any contents on such linked websites. 

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Brennan & Rogers, PLLC
279 York Street (PO Box 467) 
York, Maine 03909 (207) 361-4680