About Jerold Rothkoff

Jerold Rothkoff, a practicing New Jersey and Pennsylvania attorney, is the Principal of the Rothkoff Law Group, an elder care law firm. Jerry dedicates his practice to serving clients in the areas of life care planning, long-term care planning, Medicaid & VA benefits, and advocacy for the elderly and disabled. He is past President of the NJ Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, former chair of the elder law section of the NJ State Bar Association, and past President of the Life Care Planning Law Firm Association. Jerry continues to be an outspoken advocate for the rights of the elderly and disabled. He writes for and gives presentations regularly to attorneys and other professionals about legal issues related to seniors and those with disabilities. Jerry’s community activities include the Twilight Wish Foundation, the Delaware Valley Stroke Council, the Alzheimer’s Association, as well as numerous other advocacy groups. When not in the office, Jerry spends time with his wife, Erica, and their five children, eighteen-year old identical twin girls, Liza and Julia, fifteen-year old fraternal twin boys, Evan and Gregory, and six-year old Aitan.

Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Standards Finalized
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Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Standards Finalized

Assisted Living, Law Update

Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Standards Finalized

On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the final rule, implementing minimum staffing standards for nursing homes intended to increase staffing levels and improve patient care in nursing homes. The Biden Administration’s announcement is controversial. CMS has faced fierce opposition from the nursing home industry and Republicans in Congress who see these requirements as an unfunded mandate. It establishes, for the first time, national minimum staffing standards for nursing homes that collect taxpayer money through Medicare- and Medicaid-funded services. The staffing requirements will be phased in over the next two to five years, and CMS has made provisions to grant exemptions [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-06-24T08:49:55-04:00May 1, 2024|

Colombia Is Calling – Will We Answer?
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Colombia Is Calling – Will We Answer?

Aging, Around the Office

Colombia Is Calling – Will We Answer?

Recently, Bryan Adler and I traveled to Colombia for a week-long trip as part of an elder law delegation from the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), learning about the delivery of legal and social services to older adults in Colombia. Colombia is a fascinating, beautiful place. The people are warm and welcoming. Nursing homes generally do not exist. Virtually all take care of their loved ones at home. Walking multiple dogs at a time in Bogota seems to be a thing. I have no idea how the dogs are so well-behaved. There are still serious issues with the [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-03-29T20:59:04-04:00April 1, 2024|

Tax Deductions for Assisted Living Costs
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Tax Deductions for Assisted Living Costs

Assisted Living, Caregiver

Tax Deductions for Assisted Living Costs

Since it is tax season, many caregivers of our clients who are residents of an assisted living facility inquire about tax deductions for assisted living costs. The IRS provides rules for deducting certain qualified long-term care costs as medical expenses. Normally, the costs of nursing home care should be deductible, but the status of Assisted Living Facility (ALF) costs has not been as clear. For ALF residents, qualified long-term care costs are “necessary rehabilitative services, maintenance or personal care services that are (1) required by a chronically ill individual, and (2) provided pursuant to a plan of care by a [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-02-28T13:22:42-05:00February 29, 2024|

State of the Firm
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State of the Firm

Around the Office

State of the Firm

As we come to the end of a meaningful and productive year, we want to thank you for your continued trust in our Elder Care Law Firm. We value our relationship with each of you, and we look forward to an even better 2024. I would like to take a few moments to reflect on the past year and update you on Rothkoff Law Group. Over the past year, we have engaged in the following activities and firm engagement: In October, we opened our Doylestown, PA, office—our seventh office, and fourth in Pennsylvania. We welcomed experienced elder law attorney Richard [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-03-08T11:12:57-05:00January 1, 2024|

How to Transfer a Car Title from Deceased Family Members
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How to Transfer a Car Title from Deceased Family Members

Law Update

How to Transfer a Car Title from Deceased Family Members

At our firm, we’re often asked how to transfer a car title from deceased family members. Until recently, in New Jersey, transferring a title required a trip to the local DMV office, which sometimes needed a significant wait time. However, in May 2023, New Jersey enacted a new "transfer on death" law for motor vehicles. This new law represents a notable step toward making the asset transfer process more efficient and cost-effective. It aligns motor vehicles with the ease of transfer typically associated with bank accounts and retirement plans, simplifying the lives of both vehicle owners and their beneficiaries. This [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-03-08T10:46:44-05:00December 28, 2023|

Home For The Holidays: Leaving The Nursing Home During A Medicare-Covered Stay
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Home For The Holidays: Leaving The Nursing Home During A Medicare-Covered Stay

Assisted Living

Home For The Holidays: Leaving The Nursing Home During A Medicare-Covered Stay

A week prior to Thanksgiving, I met with a client whose husband was in a local nursing home for a rehabilitation stay following a fall that resulted in hospitalization. The wife communicated that her husband wanted to come home for the day to spend Thanksgiving Day with his family and would be devastated if he was unable to do so for health reasons. The nursing home originally informed our client that her husband leaving the nursing home during a Medicare-covered stay would result in a loss of coverage if he went home for the day because it would be evidence [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-03-08T11:18:47-05:00December 1, 2023|

What to Look for When Visiting Elderly Loved Ones This Holiday Season
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What to Look for When Visiting Elderly Loved Ones This Holiday Season

Caregiver

What to Look for When Visiting Elderly Loved Ones This Holiday Season

The holidays are a busy time of year. We are rushing to complete our shopping lists, decorate, and put the casserole in the oven before our guests arrive. Over the next month, many of us will travel to visit our senior family members, with whom we have kept in contact via phone or email throughout the year. Here is what to look for when visiting elderly loved ones this holiday season. Upon entering our loved ones’ homes, we might observe: Bills and paperwork are in disarray on the dining room table. Unopened and expired foods in the refrigerator. Expired medication [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-03-08T10:55:33-05:00November 9, 2023|

There Is Hope In The Face Of Unspeakable Evil
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There Is Hope In The Face Of Unspeakable Evil

Around the Office

There Is Hope In The Face Of Unspeakable Evil

My last visit to Israel was in the Spring of 2018. I was traveling as part of a professional tour of aging services throughout Israel. Although the trip had many memorable experiences, a random encounter with a stranger at Ben Gurion Airport outside of Tel Aviv prior to my departure was the most memorable. As I was walking to my departure gate to return to Newark, NJ, after the 10-day trip, I noticed a middle-aged gentleman standing by a table with what appeared to be gift packages on display with a banner in Hebrew above the table and a picture [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-03-08T10:53:42-05:00November 1, 2023|

Nonprofits And Programs For Seniors
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Nonprofits And Programs For Seniors

Aging

Nonprofits And Programs For Seniors

I am honored and proud to be a member of the Board of Directors for two nonprofit organizations that serve the needs of seniors and their loved ones. ARTZ Philadelphia and Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Southern New Jersey (JFCS) are the nonprofits. Each nonprofit offers complimentary programs for older adults and those living with dementia. ARTZ Philadelphia is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and well-being of people with dementia and their care partners through joyful interactions around arts and culture. Their evidence-based programs connect people with dementia and those they love with artists, cultural organizations, and each other. They help [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-03-08T10:56:15-05:00October 2, 2023|

A Journey Of Bonding: Father And Daughter’s Cross-Country Road Trip With Two Bulldogs
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A Journey Of Bonding: Father And Daughter’s Cross-Country Road Trip With Two Bulldogs

Around the Office

A Journey Of Bonding: Father And Daughter’s Cross-Country Road Trip With Two Bulldogs

In July, my daughter, Liza, accepted an offer to begin a Ph.D. program in canine cognitive behavior at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Upon her acceptance, we began to immediately map out how she would get to Lubbock from Brooklyn and take her car. There was an important catch—she was going to Lubbock with two bulldogs. That meant it was difficult to fly due to the bulldogs' breathing issues. After much contemplation, it was agreed I would drive the 1,735 miles from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, to Lubbock, Texas, with my daughter and the bulldogs in tow. We set out on the evening [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-03-08T10:59:31-05:00September 8, 2023|

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