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Let us handle the hard stuff.
ELDER LAW • ESTATE PLANNING • WILLS & TRUSTS • GUARDIANSHIP & PROBATE LITIGATION
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Facing the Unknown: Law, Policy, and Community
If you are feeling like we are, 2025 has come at us like a bull in a china shop. So much uncertainty and fear and, for some, joy. Our institutions are being remade in front of us, the world is changing because of our Federal leadership, and we wonder what things will look like in a couple of years. This is part of a process our society goes through every lifetime or so (The Great Depression and World War II period was the last time), and if you are interested in reading more about our historical societal cycle, we liked this book. Until this cycle ends, we need to focus on our families, our friends and taking care of our communities. Together, we will pull through this.
Since the Federal landscape seems to change on a daily basis, we cannot predict where tax policy will go or what will happen to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. We will update you once we know. In the meantime, we have an article by attorney Rachel Anderle on new State and Federal law effective in 2025, a story about Medicaid planning gone well, and updates on what different members of the firm are doing outside of the office.
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JANUARY & FEBRUARY'S NEWS TO KNOW | | |
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Advocacy Alert: Contact Your Members of Congress About Cuts to Medicaid in House Budget Resolution
This week NAELA members received an urgent call to action to oppose the proposed budget scheduled for a vote in Congress. The linked email was sent to all NAELA members, and I want to share it with you as well. It contains instructions how you can help in the fight plus a sample letter that you can use to contact your Representative and Senators.
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Estate Planning, Long-Term Care, & Tax Changes in 2025 | |
As the new year begins, the latest legislative changes related to estate planning, long-term care, and Medicaid, as well as annual updates to the Federal tax code, begin to take effect. While some changes clarify the law in these areas, others will have a larger impact.
Here is an overview of legislation that took effect January 1, 2025.
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Medicaid Planning: A Love Story | |
Some love stories involve red roses and elaborate proposals. This one involves Medicaid and hallucinations.
At Generation Law, we often see what love and marriage looks like in the later years, when age and illnesses begin to take a toll. While it’s not the stuff of Hollywood rom-coms, we think real romance is about providing for those who matter most to us, no matter what.
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Congratulations to Melissa and Ben!
Melissa Johnson and Ben Neiburger were both given the award of a Illinois 2025 Super Lawyer, a distinction earned through rigorous peer review and independent evaluation. This prestigious honor, awarded to only the top 5% of attorneys in the state, reflects a proven track record of excellence, professional achievement, and unwavering dedication.
This is Melissa’s first time being honored and she received the award for Super Lawyer in the Elder Law category for protecting the rights and well-being of seniors. Ben continues his impressive streak - this is his 19th straight year of receiving the Elder Law award.
You can find out more about their achievement in "Super Lawyers 2025."
Congratulation to them both!
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More Exciting News for Melissa and Ben!
Melissa has been elected President of the Illinois Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and will also continue to chair the Litigation Committee.
Ben joins her in NAELA leadership, having been elected to the Board of Directors and continuing to serve as co-chair of the Legislative Committee.
Their leadership is a testament to their dedication to NAELA's mission of equipping attorneys for the complexity of serving older adults and people with disabilities through education, advocacy, and community.
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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS BEN?
In the November/December Newsletter, we reported that for 2025, Ben decided that it would be meaningful for the first part of his 2025 athletic season to be a part of a team that would both do something epic and raise funds for the good things that the American Lung Association does. So, in June 2025, he will be racing in one of the most difficult bike races on the planet, Race Across America (RAAM), covering 3000 miles from sea to sea.
We also reported that in September 2025, Ben will be heading, at age 56, to the Italian and Swiss Alps to complete the infamous ICON Livigno Xtreme Triathlon (swimming in an Alpine Lake, 15,000’ of climbing on the bike, and a trail marathon up a mountain) where he will scout one of the 2026 Winter Olympic venues.
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Other News
January and February have been very busy for members of the Generation Law team. They have been engaged in numerous presentations, discussions, and vampire-themed date nights all across Chicagoland. Below are a few highlights:
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Melissa moderated two video panel presentations for the Illinois State Bar Association in February:
- On February 11, she moderated Understanding the Planning Strategies and Opportunities Available for your Client's Trust and Estate Needs.
- Then on February 18, she moderated Challenging Assets: How to Handle Your Clients' Taxable Estates in Illinois.
In March, Melissa will moderate two additional events for the Illinois State Bar Association that we recommend you check out:
- On March 4th she will moderate a video panel for the presentation Probate 101: Openings, Closings and Common Issues.
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Then on March 25th, she will moderate another video panel presentation called Probate Pitfalls. You can sign up for the program here.
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Ben Neiburger:
Ben will be a panelist as well as the emcee at the inaugural KC Special Needs Planning Conference which will take place on May 1st in Overland Park, KS. This event was created to enhance the expertise of professionals in the Midwest - empowering attorneys, financial planners, healthcare professionals, educators, and advocates to better serve individuals with special needs.
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Roses are red, violets are blue, love bites, and vampires do too.
February is known as the month of love, and for those of us who celebrate Valentine's Day, February 14th is the unofficial day of love. Date night can be a critical component of a successful Valentine's Day, and if you don't tackle date night plans early, then your reservation options may be limited. Even the table service at White Castle fills up fast for Valentine's Day, and that's no joke!
So, let's say you are planning Valentine's Day well in advance and you are weighing your options. You look at the list of restaurants that your valentine enjoys, and you think but we've been there so many times, there has to be something else. Well, there is.
If you are ready to ditch dinner on a rose covered table under dim lighting but failing to find an alternative, you are in luck, I moonlight in the Valentine's Day industry.
Let's think outside of the box to rearrange traditional date night norms and spice things up a bit. Low lighting is great, make it even lower. Instead of quiet, calming background music, turn up the volume and adjust the vibe to something more exhilarating that stimulates the senses. Most importantly, get up, leave the table behind, and take a walk, maybe holding hands, maybe clutching to each other to stay close. You are not going to dinner anymore, well, unless you consider yourself the dinner. You are going to a Valentines Day themed show at a local haunted house, where you will find me, or the vampire version of me during Valentine's Day weekend.
You will walk through two Valentines Day themed houses with intricately designed scenes. But beware, this is no walking tour. Vampire hunters will guide you through an interactive experience with vampire encounters. Instead of signing the check at the restaurant, you will be presented with a contact to sign during your experience: will you sacrifice yourself to the vampires to obtain eternal life, or will you join the vampire hunters to vanquish the cursed blood suckers?
This experience may not be for everyone, but for those who enjoy haunted house thrills, it is a fun way to get close to your valentine, very close, like a 30-minute hug close.
As a devoted haunted house ghoul, it is quite the honor to be a part of so many Valentine's date nights. Even if my part is playing a vampire ranting and raving about centuries of darkness and the madness of eternal life. Hobbies are an important part of life, and mine happens to be the scare business. Maybe I'll see you some time. Next up is Halfway to Halloween at the old Joliet prison. Expect an update in April.
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Looking for More Information?
Explore our extensive Newsletter Archive for more in-depth insights and valuable information on elder law and estate planning. Click here to access links to all our past newsletters.
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Trust Code Questions?
Have questions about the Illinois Trust Code, but not sure where to start?
We’re here to help. Send your questions to us directly at generationlaw.com/contact
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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This email newsletter does not create an attorney-client relationship. It does not contain legal advice for you or anyone else (so don’t act on anything we say unless you speak with an attorney first). It does contain facts and stories we think you might be interested in. We tried to keep this short because we really like you.
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