by

Earth-in-grass-300x200The COVID-19 pandemic may be putting our human lives on pause, but it hasn’t slowed nature down at all. In fact, in many instances around the world, the slowing of human activity has led to what many see as an opportunity for the Earth to rest and heal.

What a beautiful thing to ponder.

The slowing of industry in places like India and China has reduced pollution to its lowest levels in years. Many cities in India are being treated to views of the majestic Himalayas for the first time in three decades. Even Los Angeles has seen a striking drop in its trademark smog.

Continue reading

by

Last Will and TestamentA woman recently came to us very upset because her deceased husband’s estate will not all go to her – a certain amount will go to his parents. That’s the rule in Connecticut.

That’s right.

When you die without a Last Will and Testament in place, you’re giving the state permission to make decisions for you.

Did you know that 58% of all adults have no Will? Even people with high net worth are guilty of this sin of omission. According to Forbes Magazine, a survey found that 30% of people with $500,000 in assets or more do not have a Last Will and Testament.

If you don’t have a Will, maybe you think you have plenty of time to get your ducks in a row and it’s just not a priority for you right now. With that belief, you may leave your loved ones with a big headache if your future turns out to be shorter than you thought.

Without a Will, what happens to your minor children? Connecticut law gives the surviving parent Continue reading

by

WomanRelaxingIf you’re a caregiver, you need some time for yourself. Away from the juggling of your family’s needs, medical appointments, and responsibilities of work.  You need respite care.

Respite care is substitute care given to your loved one so you can take a break and get some relief from the burden of care giving.

It can be for an hour, a day, a weekend, on a regular basis or just one time.

Studies have shown that caregivers are at increased risk of depression and other health problems. By taking care of yourself, with adequate sleep, nutritious meals and exercise, you will increase your energy, your well-being, your morale, and your ability to provide that care. Reaching out for help from a respite program can be just what you need. Continue reading

by

work-from-home-300x200If you are one of the millions of people suddenly working remotely from home as a result of COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders, you may still be trying to find your “WFH (work from home) groove.” While working from home has a certain appeal (casual Friday every day, canine office mates, no commute), it also creates quite a few challenges (a blurring of the line between home and work, lack of routine or structure, inability to focus).

Luckily for people who are new to remote working, there are entire networks of people who have been working from home for years. (Remote or “dispersed” teams were actually a growing trend long before the pandemic struck and changed the work landscape overnight.) These WFH veterans have plenty of advice to offer.

As our own team adjusts to the WFH lifestyle, we thought it might be helpful to share some of our favorite tips for becoming a WFH master.

Continue reading

by

Do-it-now-300x200
The Importance of Advance Healthcare Directives in a Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only brought the world to a standstill. It has brought us face to face with our own mortality. The news headlines are filled with daily stories about the tragic loss of life and those stories make it clear that this virus is deadly to people of all ages and lifestyles.

A recent piece published by Dr. Asha Shajahan, a primary care physician in metro Detroit, poignantly conveyed the reality of life and death in a COVID-19 unit. Dr. Shajahan opened his piece with the following,

Continue reading

by

By Jill Brightman

AdobeStock_247257412-300x200
In the time before Coronavirus and Covid-19 became the common phrases in our lexicon, life was already a bit hectic and at times, overwhelming.  Anyone, like me, who is a card-carrying member of the “Sandwich Generation” knows the challenges of balancing responsibilities to your spouse and children (and their own busy schedules), to your employer, and to your aging parents. Juggling all of these balls in the air is tough, but something I was learning to manage and adapt to.

But, just when I thought I had some of this stuff figured out, the world was turned upside-down, blanketed by a vicious pandemic and everything that was normal before is anything but normal now.

Continue reading

by

By  Colleen Masse

AdobeStock_330235599-300x200These are strange times. We all feel it. We’re in our homes, venturing out cautiously, masks have become a part of daily life. I constantly have the eerie feeling I’m in a dystopian movie. All families are finding new ways to be together and take care of each other. In families already dealing with underlying disabilities these new stressors can be terrifying. 

Families with members who have disabilities have always had to learn to zig and zag since society isn’t always easy to navigate, so adaptability is a skill that has been developed by necessity. Now more than ever that adaptability is being tested. It’s no news to you that advocacy and determination are now, more than ever needed.

Continue reading

by

AdobeStock_61297585-300x200
Contrary to popular belief, a Will or Last Will and Testament, isn’t always written in stone.

Quite frequently, disputes arise over the contents of a Will and the parties who are at odds must seek outside help to resolve the issues. Because there are often conflicts of interest around such disputes, it’s important for each party Continue reading

by

 

MotherBoy_swingIf you have custody of your minor child and your spouse is paying child support, chances are your spouse was required by court order to maintain a life insurance policy for the benefit of the child.

So what happens if your spouse dies and your child is the beneficiary of the policy?

Since most policies do not permit a minor to receive the funds, you want to be sure that the proceeds are protected for the children.

Custodial Account

Under the Uniform Transfers to Minor Act, a custodian, usually the surviving parent, can hold the funds for the benefit of the child. The account would be set up in your own name, followed by the words “as custodian for [child] under the Connecticut Uniform Transfers to Minors Act.” Continue reading

by

AdobeStock_335072439-300x200Like so many others, our team has spent the last few weeks acclimating to the new reality of working from home. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, everyone on our staff began telecommuting in mid March. The experience has been different for each of us, but we’re happy to report that we’re not only able to service clients, we’re also maintaining our collective sense of humor.

Because we’re all in this together, we thought it would be fun to share a few personal stories and photos from our crew. So, without further ado, here are some real-life snippets and words of wisdom from some members of our intrepid team.

Erins-dog-300x296Erin Duques…

Continue reading
Members of:
Contact Information
Berlin Office
15 Massirio Dr
Berlin, CT 06037
Simsbury Office
92 Hopmeadow St
Simsbury, CT 06089
South Windsor Office
1741 Ellington Rd 2nd Floor
South Windsor, CT 06074
New Milford Office
15 S Main St
New Milford, CT 06776
Madison Office
64 Wall St
Madison, CT 06443
Phone: (860) 236-7673 Fax: (866) 540-4616

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Please do not include any confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail. The contact form sends information by non-encrypted email, which is not secure. Submitting a contact form, sending a text message, making a phone call, or leaving a voicemail does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Copyright © 2016 – 2024, Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC
JUSTIA Law Firm Blog Design
pixel