Social Security Disability Attorney Ogden

Filing a Social Security Disability claim can be complicated…Here are a few things I do to help

I am pleased to announce that I will now be accepting clients with Social Security Disability claims from Logan to Provo, including Ogden.

I will continue to work with people with family law matters, but I am expanding my practice to include those who are disabled and cannot work.

As always, I provide a free consultation for people to help explain the qualifications for disability and to educate them on the process for being approved for benefits.  The process for being approved for benefits is generally broken down into three phases: 1) the Application phase where the person initially applies for benefits; 2) the Reconsideration Administrative Hearing where an applicant who has been denied benefits seeks to be reconsidered for benefits but is denied again.  A hearing is then requested to determine whether the denials were proper; and 3) the Appeal where the applicant appeals the decision made at the administrative hearing.  I will work with people at any phase of the process to ensure the application is presented in the most effective manner.

If you are unsure whether your family, friend, client, or acquaintance will qualify for Social Security Disability, here are a few basic guidelines for determining if they might have a valid claim:

• Cannot work due to a disability
• Have been (or are expected to be) disabled for at least 12 months
• Are under the age of 65
• Have worked at least 5 of the last 10 years (SSDI) or have limited income (SSI)
• Have a doctor that can provide medical evidence to support the disability claim

I promise to provide each social security disability client with the same high quality representation I provide to my divorce and custody clients.  If you have questions about Social Security Disability, or know someone who does, please have them call me at 801-668-2490 or check out my website at www.ogdendivorceattorney.net/social-security-disability.

Summer Safety Tips for Divorced Parents

Growing up, the summer was the best time of the year for me and my friends. Staying up late to play outside and being surrounded by the laughter and music ringing out through the neighborhood made my childhood one to remember. But it wasn’t always fun and games. Staying safe was our parents’ number one priority while we were out and about without a care in the world. Now, I work with a lot of parents who find themselves divorced and single.  Some of these parents only have custody of their children a few times each year.  It can be easy to forget some of the key safety practices that help kids stay safe when you are a little rusty.  Here are a few reminders for all of my recently divorced parents out there.

The National Safe Kids Campaign estimates that every year, one in four kids ages 14 and younger will sustain an injury that requires medical attention. Forty percent of those end in a trip to the emergency room, and 42 percent of all injury deaths happen between May and August. That’s a pretty big number. But did you know that we can prevent 90 percent of those injuries from happening in the first place? Here are a few tips to keep your kids safe this summer.

BUGS

If you plan to spend time outside that means spraying yourself and your kids down with insect repellent. Now it’s important to remember that repellents don’t kill insects, but they can help reduce bites from mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and other bothersome bugs. There are different types of repellents: those that contain DEET and those that don’t. Use insect repellents containing DEET on kids sparingly, never use repellent on infants, and check the levels of DEET in the repellent before applying it to your older kids. DEET can be toxic to them. Repellents that have 10 to 30 percent concentrations of DEET can be used on exposed skin, clothing, and shoes but do not apply it to faces or hands. If you want to avoid DEET, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends repellents that contain picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, both are non-toxic and able to reduce mosquito bites just as well as formulas with low levels of DEET.

HEAT ILLNESS

With all that time spent outside on a sunny day, don’t forget that staying hydrated in hot weather can help reduce the risk of heat-related illness. Keep water or sports drinks with electrolytes (I love a good slushy Gatorade) on hand to maintain hydration, and try to stay in a shady or air-conditioned location during the hottest parts of the afternoon. Kids are more susceptible to heat illnesses than adults are because their central nervous system isn’t yet fully developed. Strenuous activity and dehydration make it difficult for young bodies to regulate changes in body temperature, and chronic health conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease and medicines such as antihistamines also increase the risk. Kids are also at risk for heat illnesses if left in a hot car — even if the windows are cracked and even if it’s only for a few minutes. Never leave a child unattended in a car.

Did you know that if you’re feeling thirsty, you’re already mildly dehydrated? Relying on thirst as a reminder to take a drink leaves you at risk for dehydration. So to be sure your kids are OK, look for these other signs, instead, which can indicate that a child is dehydrated:

• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Irritability
• Lethargy
• Fatigue

Help kids avoid becoming dehydrated by reminding them to drink often throughout the day. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends drinking about every 20 minutes if kids are active in sports.

POOL SAFETY

When it comes to pool safety, according to SafeKids, in 2006 more than 3,700 kids younger than 5 years old were injured in near-drowning incidents, and every year, more than 830 kids ages 14 and younger die due to unintentional drowning. I know I’ll sound like a recording of every other safety person out there, but it’s good advice that should be followed anyway: Never leave kids alone near the pool, no matter what their ages or swim capabilities are. Parents can and should take precautions around home pools, in addition to closely supervising kids while they swim. Installing fencing around pools, at least 5-feet high, all the way around and with a self-closing, self-latching gate, can prevent 50 to 90 percent of accidental drowning incidents. Pool and gate alarms — they alert you to when the pool water becomes agitated and when the gate is opened — add another layer of protection.

BIKE SAFETY

Whether or not you wore a helmet while riding your bike as a child (I know I didn’t), it’s a must for kids these days. Nearly 300,000 kids make a visit to the emergency room every year with bike-related injuries, some resulting in death or severe brain injury. Wearing a helmet can help reduce your child’s risk of making such a visit. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sets standards for helmets, so be sure to choose one with its safety seal on it.

This is only the tip of the iceberg on what you can do to help your children stay safe this summer. You can also check out the National Safety Council’s website at www.nsc.org, for more tips on staying safe this summer.

 

 

Trusts for Everyone…Not Just the Wealthy

A few months ago I wrote an article for this newsletter about protecting your family by creating an estate plan.  Part of an estate plan is a trust.  Many people believe that trusts are only for the wealthy, but in reality, most people should have a trust.

The reason why many people believe that trusts are only for the wealthy is because trusts help wealthy people avoid paying estate taxes upon their death.  However, trusts serve many other purposes that are helpful to everyone who has a family and/or owns property.

One purpose for a trust is that upon your death, your estate can be managed and distributed without having to go to court.  Without a trust, your heirs will be forced to report all of your property to the Court, and the Court will decide who will distribute it.  This process is called Probate, and at a minimum will cost $1,500.00, if not thousands of dollars.  If you have a trust, you create a document which elects who will manage and distribute your estate and provides for how your property will be distributed.

Another reason trusts help the less-wealthy, is that you can protect your assets from your heir’s creditors.  If, for example, your son has racked up a large amount of debt that he does not intend to pay, then if you were to pass away without a trust, his creditors could take your assets to satisfy your son’s debts.  However, if your son were to receive his inheritance in a trust, then his creditors would only be able to access that money which the trust distributes to your son, which can be nothing if the trust is set up correctly.

Also, if you have a child or heir who suffers from addiction, then a trust can ensure that your assets are not distributed to your child as long as they are engaging in activities that fuel that addiction.  If it becomes apparent to the Trustee that your child is using their inheritance toward an addiction, the Trustee can stop payment to that child until the child recovers from the addiction..

So, avoid costly probate and protect your hard-earned assets by setting up a trust.  If you have any questions at all about trusts, call me at 801-668-2490.