LEEDS—Attorney Karen G. Jackson of Jackson Law in Holyoke will lead an estate planning workshop at Linda Manor Assisted Living in Leeds on April 5 at 1 p.m., highlighting the latest developments in elder law and estate planning. 

An elder law and estate planning attorney, Jackson will present “The Big Five: Core Estate Plan,” explaining the importance of each document in a solid estate plan: the will, health care proxy, advance directive, HIPAA release, durable power of attorney and homestead.

“I’ll offer an overview of the basic building blocks of an estate plan,” Jackson said. 

The talk is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is required as space is limited. Contact Crystal at 413-588-3316 or visit RSVPLindaManor.org.

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NORTHAMPTON—Jake Hooker, a 2012 Northampton High School graduate, has passed the state’s bar exam and joined his father, Michael Hooker, in Hooker’s longtime legal firm, which serves elders and those living with disabilities.

“We are so excited with Jake’s success on the recent bar exam and pleased to have him working in the firm. We will work together to provide the high-quality, personalized services we are known for, and one day, Jake will take over the firm and lead it into the future,” Michael Hooker said.

Jake Hooker is the second attorney at the firm, which also includes a Medicaid specialist, a social worker, a financial specialist and two specialized paralegals as the practice is unique; its services extend beyond the realm of the law to provide financial and social services for elders and their families.

Hooker began interning at the firm while he was attending Northampton High School and continued to assist while at Greenfield Community College and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. 

Hooker graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 2022. While there, he completed three internships—two at the law office of Attorney Michael Hooker Elder Law and one with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services at the General Counsel’s Office, where he assisted the MassHealth Estate Recovery Unit as well as the litigation department. 

Jake Hooker’s parents, Michael Hooker and Jeanne Schubmehl, are longtime residents of Florence.

To learn more about the firm, visit www.elderlawservice.com.

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HOLYOKE—Attorney Karen G. Jackson of Jackson Law, an elder law and estate planning attorney, will teach a two-part class highlighting the latest developments in elder law and estate planning at Holyoke Community College in Holyoke.

The four-hour course, called Elder Law and Estate Planning: What You Need to Know, will be presented in Holyoke in two, two-hour sessions, on Mondays, October 18 and October 25, 6 to 8 p.m. Cost is $99.

“The course will explain the basic building blocks of an estate plan,” Jackson said. “From that foundation, we will also consider the various specialized trust documents that support this planning. I will clarify the probate court process and what it means to probate a will. And I will explore current MassHealth issues in the event of a nursing home stay.”

The material will be presented as follows:

• In the first session, Jackson will explain each document in the core estate plan—the will, power of attorney, health care proxy, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) release, and advance directive. She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity or physical health or before sudden loss of life. In the first session, Jackson will also cover the different types of trusts and the reasons for creating each kind of trust: the revocable trust, irrevocable trust, and special needs trust.
• During the second session, Jackson will explain the various tools and techniques to save the home and other assets from the nursing home bill: gifting, the Medicaid qualified annuity, pooled trusts, caregiver child exception, and Medicaid qualified trusts.

For participants who may be able to attend only one session, the full course fee is required.

Holyoke Community College’s main campus in Holyoke is at 303 Homestead Avenue. 

To register, call Holyoke Community College at (413) 552-2500 or register online at www.hcc.edu/bce.

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HOLYOKE— Adapting to COVID-19 restrictions, Attorney Karen G. Jackson of Jackson Law will teach a series of Holyoke Community College classes through Zoom, highlighting the latest developments in elder law and estate planning. 

An elder law and estate planning attorney, Jackson will present her six-hour course, called Elder Law and Estate Planning: What You Need to Know. Sessions will be presented on Zoom in three, two-hour sessions, on Mondays, May 4, May 11, and May 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. Cost is $99.

To register, email Valentyna Semyrog at vsemyrog@hcc.edu, leave a message at 413-552-2123, or visit www.hcc.edu/bce. Participants will be sent a link to join the class and can join using PCs, laptops, or smartphones.  

“The course will explain the basic building blocks of an estate plan,” Jackson said. “From that foundation, we will also consider the various specialized trust documents that support this planning. I will clarify the Probate Court process and what it means to ‘probate a will.’ And, I will explore current Medicare and MassHealth issues that are affecting seniors.”

The material will be presented as follows:

• In the first session, Jackson will explain each document in the core estate plan.  She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity or physical health or before sudden loss of life.  
• The second session will address four areas: trusts; the probate court process; Medicare hot topics; and options for community care/home care. Jackson will provide pertinent information and details about each to assist you in your planning now. 
• In the third and final session, Jackson will introduce the various Medicaid programs that provide long-term skilled nursing home care in Massachusetts and the financial assistance associated with each.

While participants may attend only one session of their choosing, they must still pay the full course cost of $99.

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HOLYOKE—Attorney Karen G. Jackson of Jackson Law, an elder law and estate planning firm, will teach a series of classes highlighting the latest developments in elder law and estate planning at Holyoke Community College.

The six-hour course, called Elder Law and Estate Planning: What You Need to Know, will be presented in three, two-hour sessions, on Mondays, Oct. 16, 23 and 30, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Jackson will present comprehensive subject matter on what she calls “The Core Estate Plan,” in which she will explain core documents and provide stories and examples. She will also discuss “The Probate Process Start to Finish” and “Medicare, Community Care Programs, and MassHealth Planning.”

“The course will explain the basic building blocks of an estate plan and a plan for home and nursing home care,” Jackson said. “From that foundation, we will also consider the various specialized trust documents that support this planning.  I will clarify the probate process and what it means to ‘probate a will.’ And, finally, we will explore current MassHealth issues that are affecting seniors.”

The material will be presented as follows:

• In the first session, Jackson will explain each document in the core estate plan.  She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity or physical health or before sudden loss of life.  She will also provide an overview of the different types of trusts that can be considered in estate planning, including supplemental needs trusts, revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts.
• The second session will address the probate court process.  Jackson will discuss the different types of probate, explain how to determine which assets must go through probate after a death, and what can be done in your planning now.
• In the third and final session, Jackson will introduce the various Medicaid programs that provide community and long-term skilled nursing care in Massachusetts and the financial assistance associated with each.  She will also address hot topics in Medicare law, supplemental needs trusts, and new developments in significant elder law issues.

While participants may attend only one session of their choosing, they must still pay the full course cost of $85.

Holyoke Community College’s main campus in Holyoke is at 303 Homestead Avenue.

To register, call Holyoke Community College at (413) 552-2500 or online at www.hcc.edu/bce.

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HOLYOKE/WARE—Attorney Karen G. Jackson of Jackson Law, an elder law and estate planning firm, will teach a series of classes highlighting the latest developments in elder law and estate planning at Holyoke Community College in Holyoke and at its newly established Ware campus.

The six-hour course, called Elder Law and Estate Planning: What You Need to Know, will be presented in Holyoke in three, two-hour sessions, on Mondays, May 15, May 22 and June 5 from 6 to 8 p.m.

In Ware, two, three-hour sessions will be offered on Mondays, May 1 and May 8 from 6 to 9 p.m.

On both campuses, Jackson will present comprehensive subject matter on what she calls “The Core Estate Plan,” in which she will explain core documents and provide stories and examples. She will also discuss “The Probate Process Start to Finish” and “Medicare, Community Care Programs, and MassHealth Planning.”

“The course will explain the basic building blocks of an estate plan and a plan for home and nursing home care,” Jackson said. “From that foundation, we will also consider the various specialized trust documents that support this planning.  I will clarify the probate process and what it means to ‘probate a will.’ And, finally, we will explore current MassHealth issues that are affecting seniors.”

In Holyoke, the material will be presented in these three sessions:

• In the first session, Jackson will explain each document in the core estate plan.  She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity or physical health or before sudden loss of life.  She will also provide an overview of the different types of trusts that can be considered in estate planning, including supplemental needs trusts, revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts.
• The second session will address the probate court process.  Jackson will discuss the different types of probate, explain how to determine which assets must go through probate after a death, and what can be done in your planning now.
• In the third and final session, Jackson will introduce the various Medicaid programs that provide community and long-term skilled nursing care in Massachusetts and the financial assistance associated with each.  She will also address hot topics in Medicare law, supplemental needs trusts, and new developments in significant elder law issues.

In Ware, Jackson will cover both the probate and Medicaid material in the second and final session.

While participants may attend only one session of their choosing for either course, they must still pay the full course cost of $85.

Holyoke Community College’s main campus in Holyoke is at 303 Homestead Ave; the Ware Center is located at 79 Main St.

To register, call Holyoke Community College at (413) 552-2500.

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Jackson said each class is a stand-alone presentation; those who are unable to attend on Sept. 19 are welcome to attend one or both of the subsequent sessions.

Through stories and real examples, Jackson will present comprehensive subject matter on these topics: “The Core Estate Plan,” “The Probate Process, Start to Finish,” and “Medicare, Community Care Programs, and MassHealth Planning.”

In the first session, Jackson will explain each document in the core estate plan. She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity or physical health or before sudden loss of life.  She will also provide an overview of the different types of trusts that can be considered in estate planning, including supplemental needs trusts, revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts.

The second session will address the probate court process. Jackson will discuss the different types of probate, explain how to determine which assets must go through probate after a death and what estate planning can be done now.

In her final session, Jackson will introduce the various Medicaid programs that provide community and long-term skilled nursing care in Massachusetts and the financial assistance associated with each.  She will also address hot topics in Medicare law, supplemental needs trusts and new developments in significant elder law issues.

The cost is $85 per person and covers all three classes; participants cannot pay for individual sessions. To register, call Holyoke Community College at (413) 552-2500 or online at www.hcc.edu/bce.

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Jackson, an elder law attorney, will address hot topics in Medicare law, supplemental needs trusts and new developments in community and nursing home care payment programs. She will also focus on other current and significant elder law issues.

Through stories and real examples, Jackson will highlight the core estate plan and the importance of each document in it. She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity, and she will explain the different types of trusts that can be considered, including supplemental needs trusts, revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts.

Jackson will also address the probate court process and explain how to determine which assets must go through probate after a death. In addition, she will discuss various Medicaid programs that provide financial assistance for community and long-term skilled nursing care.

Couples are encouraged to attend the class. To register, call Holyoke Community College at (413) 552-2500 or online at www.hcc.edu/bce.

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It’s a true calling for Karen to work with elders and their families to ensure their financial legacies are kept safe and intact.

Hearing about people who have had their finances destroyed through death or disability is frustrating for Karen because she knows that security can be achieved with good planning. This is why she speaks and writes often on elder law and estate planning and even teaches a course on the topic regularly at Holyoke Community College.

Karen earned her bachelor’s degree in science at the University of California, Los Angeles, and earned her law degree at Loyola Law School. She became a member of the Mill River chapter of BNI in 2006, which gives Karen yet another vehicle for speaking about her work and raising awareness on the importance of good estate planning.

Janice met Karen in BNI, and the two have worked together on several projects. Janice promotes Karen’s work through occasional press releases.

When choosing or working with a new attorney on estate planning, Karen offers these tips:

-Find an attorney who is clear and understandable, and who will return emails and calls. If an attorney talks in legalese, find one that can speak in a language that’s meaningful to you.

-Come to the first meeting prepared with a list of all assets and titles.

-Bring all documents for review, including your wills, durable power of attorney, health care proxy, HIPAA release and trusts. It is better to have too much documentation than not enough.

If you have questions for your attorney, make a list to bring with you so that you don’t forget.

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HOLYOKE – Attorney Karen G. Jackson of Jackson & Torrone, P.C., will lead a series of classes on elder law and estate planning at Holyoke Community College on Mondays, April 13, 27 and May 4 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Jackson, an elder law attorney, will explain how to maximize Social Security retirement benefits; how to avoid the new traps and take advantage of the new benefits in current Medicare law. She will also focus on other hot topics and significant elder law issues.

Through stories and real examples, Jackson will highlight the core estate plan and the importance of each document in it. She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity, and she will explain the different types of trusts that can be considered, including supplemental needs trusts, revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts.

Jackson will also address the probate court process and explain how to determine which assets must go through probate after a death. In addition, she will discuss various Medicaid programs that provide financial assistance for community and long-term skilled nursing care.

The cost for all three classes is $85. Couples are encouraged to attend. To register, call Holyoke Community College at (413) 552-2500 or online at www.hcc.edu/bce.

For more information, contact Jackson at (413) 532-1200 or kgjackson@jackson-torrone.com.

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