News

As the recent arrest of a mother in Georgia reminds us, interference with child custody under  certain circumstances can indeed be a crime. In the Georgia case, the grandparents had  custody of the minor child, pursuant to a valid Custody Order. The Mother of the child took the  child, and was subsequently arrested for inference with the valid Custody Order.

In most states, including Pennsylvania, a person who interferes with the Custody Rights of  another parent, guardian or lawful custodian is subject to criminal prosecution and potentially a  felony conviction. These cases can be complicated, and there are many defenses that are  available.

Accordingly, before running off to your local District Attorney, it would be wise to consult with a  Family Law or Criminal attorney first. Also, this is a good reminder to parents or other relatives  not to take the law into your own hands as it pertains to the custody of your children,  grandchildren or relatives. You should consult with your attorney first; not after you get  arrested.

At MacElree Harvey, we have a robust Family Law team with seven attorneys, who advise  clients throughout Eastern Pennsylvania and the State of Delaware. If you have any questions  concerning your custody rights, please contact us.

Every year Medicare gives beneficiaries a window of opportunity to shop around and determine if their current Medicare plan is still the best one for them. During Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, which runs from October 15 to December 7, beneficiaries can freely enroll in or switch plans.

During this period, you may enroll in a Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plan or, if you currently have a plan, you may change plans. In addition, during the seven-week period you can return to traditional Medicare (Parts A and B) from a Medicare Advantage (Part C, managed care) plan, enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, or change Advantage plans.

Beneficiaries can go to www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to make changes in their Medicare prescription drug and health plan coverage.

According to the New York Times, few Medicare beneficiaries take advantage of Open Enrollment, but of those who do, nearly half cut their premiums by at least 5 percent. Even beneficiaries who have been satisfied with their plans in 2021 should review their choices for 2022, as both premiums and plan coverage can fluctuate from year to year. For example:

• Are the doctors you use still part of your Medicare Advantage plan’s provider network?
• Have any of the prescriptions you take been dropped from your prescription plan’s list of covered drugs (the “formulary”)?
• What are your total out-of-pocket costs?
• Could you save money with the same coverage by switching to a different plan?

For answers to questions like these, carefully look over the plan’s “Annual Notice of Change” letter to you. Prescription drug plans can change their premiums, deductibles, the list of drugs they cover, and their plan rules for covered drugs, exceptions, and appeals. Medicare Advantage plans can change their benefit packages, as well as their provider networks.

Remember that fraud perpetrators will inevitably use the Open Enrollment Period to try to gain access to individuals’ personal financial information. Medicare beneficiaries should never give their personal information out to anyone making unsolicited phone calls selling Medicare-related products or services or showing up on their doorstep uninvited. If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud or identity theft, contact Medicare.

Here are more resources for navigating the Open Enrollment Period:

• Medicare Plan Finder, which helps you find a plan to match your needs: www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan
• Medicare coverage options: www.medicare.gov/medicarecoverageoptions/
• The 2022 Medicare & You handbook, which all Medicare beneficiaries should have received. The handbook can also be downloaded online at:  medicare.gov/forms-help-resources/medicare-you-handbook/download-medicare-you-in-different-formats
• The Medicare Rights Center: www.medicareinteractive.org
• Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which offers independent counseling: www.shiptacenter.org

Social Security trust fund will be depleted in 2033 — one year earlier than the previous estimates. Once the fund is depleted, Social Security benefits will be reduced unless Congress acts in the interim.

Social Security retirement benefits are financed primarily through dedicated payroll taxes paid by workers and their employers, with employees and employers splitting the tax equally. Employers pay 6.2 percent of an employee’s income into the Social Security system, and the employee kicks in the same. Self-employed individuals pay the entire 12.4 percent Social Security payroll tax. This money is put into a trust fund that is used to pay retiree benefits.

The trustees of the Social Security trust fund now predict that if Congress doesn’t take action, the fund’s balance will reach zero in 2033. The coronavirus pandemic has caused job losses, lowered wages and interest rates, and a drop in gross domestic product, which means payroll taxes declined. Sadly, an increase in deaths of older Americans due to Covid helped to keep Social Security from losing as much money as some had feared.  The impact of the pandemic over the longer term is still unclear, and the trustees said they are making no long-range assumptions “given the unprecedented level of uncertainty.”

Once the fund runs out of money, it does not mean that benefits stop altogether. Instead, retirees’ benefits would be cut. According to the trustees’ projections, the fund’s income from payroll taxes would be sufficient to pay retirees 76 percent of their total benefit (or 78 percent if the Disability Insurance fund is included).

The trustees recommend that Congress take immediate action to address the problem, but Social Security reform is not a top priority in Washington right now. Steps Congress could take to shore up Social Security include eliminating the cap on income subject to tax. Right now, workers pay Social Security tax only on the first $142,800 of income (in 2021). That amount can be increased, so that higher-earning workers pay more in taxes. The Social Security tax or the retirement age could also be increased.

For more on what the trustee’s report means, click here.

MacElree Harvey earned a spot on the Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania Top 100 list for 2021.

Best Places to Work in PA is a survey competition to determine which participants are the best employers. The process is managed by Best Companies Group (BCG) and winners are published by the Central Penn Business Journal and Lehigh Valley Business.

MacElree Harvey is among 47 small companies representing all of Pennsylvania to earn this designation, and the only law firm to win in Chester County. Congratulations to the three other winners located in Chester County: Fischer Cunnane & Associates, LINKBANK, and Valley Forge Financial Group.

Eligibility for the Best Places to Work designation requires employers to complete an in-depth questionnaire and employees to offer their honest feedback by taking part in a company-wide, three part survey.

Results are analyzed according to 8 Core Focus Areas:

• Leadership and Planning
• Corporate Culture and Communications
• Role Satisfaction
• Work Environment
• Relationship with Supervisor
• Training, Development and Resources
• Pay and Benefits
• Overall Engagement

Winners are chosen based on who receives the highest combined scores in the twofold evaluation. Using a formula similar to Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work for in America,” the Best Companies Group surveys and scores the workplace and each candidate is given an overall score.

Making the list is a prestigious honor and winners improve their visibility and appeal to jobseekers from around the globe by carrying a trusted stamp of approval as a “Best Places to Work in PA” company.

 

Funds will benefit Chester County Organizations Supporting Children of Traditionally Marginalized Communities

(WEST CHESTER, PA – July 15, 2021): The MacElree Harvey, Ltd. Technology Fund for Economically Disadvantaged Children was created in 2020. The mission is to provide funds for educational computer hardware or software and other tools to children of economically marginalized communities who are underrepresented and have been denied the full complement of the educational equipment needed to successfully compete in the 21st Century. The fund is a fund of the Chester County Community Foundation.

This summer, the fund is pleased to announce its first grant awards: $2,100 to the Garage Community & Youth Center, $2,100 to the Maternal & Child Health Consortium, and $2,100 to the Youth Men & Women In Charge (YMWIC).

Fund Advisor and Community Foundation Board Member John McKenna, Esq. shares his thoughts on this exciting grant announcement. “MacElree Harvey stands for diversity, equity and inclusion.”

The Garage Community & Youth Center is an after school and Youth Development program serving Middle and High School Students in Kennett Square and West Grove. They provide resources, hope, and life for their students. The Maternal & Child Health Consortium helps children in Chester County get the best start in life and those parents can raise their children to be healthy and do well in school. Through different programming they provide mothers with resources, knowledge, and support for their child to be successful. The YMWIC works to empower young men and women to go into fields of STEM through mentoring, tutoring, and leadership seminars.

To make a donation or learn more about the MacElree Harvey, Ltd. Technology Fund for Economically Disadvantaged Children, please visit: bit.ly/3krmNpa.

Photo Caption (from left to right)

Top photo: Richard Roberts III, Young Men and Women In Charge Foundation; Kate Martin, The Garage Community and Youth Center; Michael Louis, Esq., MacElree Harvey; John McKenna, Esq., MacElree Harvey; Milena Oberti-Lanz, Maternal and Child Health Consortium; Kristin Proto, The Garage Community and Youth Center; and Beth Harper Briglia, CAP, CPA.

Bottom Left: Michael Louis, Esq., MacElree Harvey; Richard Roberts III, Young Men and Women In Charge Foundation; and John McKenna, Esq.

Bottom Middle: Michael Louis, Esq., MacElree Harvey; Kate Martin, The Garage Community and Youth Center; Kristin Proto, The Garage Community and Youth Center; and John McKenna, Esq.

Bottom Right: Michael Louis, Esq., MacElree Harvey; Milena Oberti-Lanz, Maternal and Child Health Consortium; and John McKenna, Esq.