Mark Mateya, Author at Mateya Law Firm

Power of Attorney Abuse in Another Form

Mark Mateya2019-04-24T15:53:21-04:00May 5th, 2016|Power of Attorney Abuse|

When Aunt Gertrude appoints her niece Milly to be her agent on her Power of Attorney document, there are several presumptions at work. One of those presumptions is that Milly is willing to do what she needs to do in order to help her Aunt Gertrude. There many types of abuse of the elderly and one of the harder ones to spot is passivity.

What if Milly is indifferent to Aunt Gertrude’s situation? That’s not to say she is mean or vengeful, she is simply indifferent. An uncaring person is not necessarily a mean-spirited person. Sometimes, as a result of their […]

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“We’re Doing Our Best, Mom”

Mark Mateya2016-03-23T13:50:19-04:00March 23rd, 2016|General, Taking Care of Your Parents: My Own Story|

Some months ago, I stopped updating this blog. It became a little too ‘close to the quick’ for me to continue to write. I have had a number of people contact me to let me know that hearing someone else’s story was a comfort to them; that they were not alone in walking through this situation. And you are not alone, if you are reading this as a caregiver to a loved one who is in a facility. . .

One of the things I have learned that I can do is provide mom with some consistency and in my case, […]

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Power of Attorney – Problems Choosing an Agent

Mark Mateya2016-03-03T09:23:44-05:00March 3rd, 2016|General, Power of Attorney Abuse|

There are many reasons that a person may need to have a Power of Attorney document drafted. Aunt Gertrude may need someone to help her because she does not get around as well as she used to. Or she may be physically fit, but not as mentally sharp as she used to be. Aunt Gertrude may be a very good planner – a type A personality. She simply wants to have her affairs in order just in case something unexpected happens and she needs someone’s assistance.

Whatever the reason, Aunt Gertrude needs to choose someone who is trustworthy, capable and available […]

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What Is A Legacy?

Mark Mateya2016-02-11T09:14:37-05:00February 11th, 2016|Estate Planning and Administration, General|

Leaving a legacy. That sounds like something only the very important or very wealthy people get to do. But that is not the case.

A legacy is what you leave behind. It is defined as “a gift of property, especially personal property, as money, by will. It is also defined as anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor.”

In a properly drafted Last Will & Testament, you can leave the legacy you desire, even if you are not rich and famous. I could tell you stories of specific gifts left to an individual where the testator (the […]

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Must I Hire An Attorney?

Mark Mateya2016-01-12T11:09:26-05:00January 12th, 2016|Estate Planning and Administration, General|

When someone has a loved one pass away, do they need to hire an attorney?

I am often asked, “Is taking care of my loved one’s estate something I can handle on my own?” My honest answer is no, it is not. If I am pressed for a further answer, I sometimes say “You could handle this yourself, providing you know everything I know.”

Estate administrations are all different; depending upon what assets are owned, how they are owned and where they are located. There may have to be an ancillary administration elsewhere in addition to the administration in your […]

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And then things changed. . .

Mark Mateya2015-10-14T14:09:42-04:00October 14th, 2015|Taking Care of Your Parents: My Own Story|

Some Senior citizens maintain their mental acuity throughout their entire life span. I had a client with whom I had dinner on her 99th birthday. She was slower, yes, but mentally alert. She passed a few weeks later, a true lady to the end.

For others it is not so. My mother recently had a trip to the local ER. She was more confused than ever, though she did recognize and know my brothers and me as soon as she saw us. She had an infection which affected her thinking and her memory. She was not sure where she was when […]

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Mateya Law Administrator

About Mark Mateya

Power of Attorney Abuse in Another Form

“We’re Doing Our Best, Mom”

Power of Attorney – Problems Choosing an Agent

What Is A Legacy?

Must I Hire An Attorney?

And then things changed. . .

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