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VA Approval – Now What?

June 30, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with No Comment Legal Technical Systems & Processes VA

Congratulations! You received approval of your VA Pension with Aid and Attendance claim. Your job is done, right? Well, not quite.

Once you receive an approval letter, there are three steps your firm should follow: Review for accuracy, identify next action, and then inform your client of the results and what to do next.

Review for accuracy

Just because you have an approval does not mean there are no errors in the decision. The two main issues to check are (1) the effective date (payment start date) and (2) the monthly benefit amount. You should already have a pretty clear understanding of the eligibility date and the expected amount when you file the formal claim. The payment start date should be the first day of the month following the month in which you submitted the informal claim/intent to file or formal claim. For example, if an intent to file was submitted and received by the VA on May 20, 2015, then the eligibility date would be June 1, 2015. The monthly benefit amount, assuming that the financial information you had was accurate, is the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (divided by 12) minus Income for VA Purposes (IVAP). For example, the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) for a married veteran who needs the aid and attendance of another person with activities of daily living is $2,120 per month. The gross income of the veteran and the spouse is $4,500 per month. After deducting the veteran’s assisted living facility costs of $5,000, the IVAP is $0. Thus, the difference between the monthly MAPR of $2,120 and $0 is $2,120 and the veteran would be paid the maximum.

When using the Lawyers with Purpose copyrighted VA Benefits Qualification Worksheet, these figures are automatically calculated for you. On the approval letter from the VA, this information is generally found on the first page in the form of a table. This table will have at least three columns for “Monthly Entitlement Amount,” “Payment Start Date,” and “Reason for Change,” and as many rows as there are changes in rate.

Identify next action

If there are errors, then you should identify the deadline for your response. Responses may include a Request for Reconsideration (RFR) and/or a Notice of Disagreement (NOD). You should also identify what further information you may need in order to document the grounds for your RFR or NOD. The NOD must be filed within one year of the date on the decision letter. More information regarding this process can be found in the blog post, “What To Do With A Denied VA Application – Part 2”

In contrast, there is no real deadline for the request for reconsideration, as it is not a formal VA adjudication process. The RFR is essentially the request that the original adjudicator reconsider his/her original decision because you can provide new information or enlightenment regarding previously submitted information that the VA failed to interpret per their regulations. It is always worth filing a request for reconsideration, even if you plan to file a Notice of Disagreement, because the former process is much quicker than the NOD route. If there are no errors in the approval, the next action may be simply to inform the client. However, the VA may propose a finding of incompetency on the basis of the physician’s statement (VA form 21-2680) provided with the claim. You will immediately know if there is an incompetency proposal because there will be two extra columns in the table already mentioned, titled “Amount Withheld” and “Amount Paid.” There is also an additional section in the letter called, “We Have Withheld Benefits.” Sometimes the VA includes a simple response form to complete and return, but even if it does not, you should respond by returning a 21-4138 Statement in Support of Claim that acknowledges and accepts the finding of incompetency and nominates a fiduciary, usually a family member.

Inform the client

Once you identify the next action, you must inform the client – preferably in writing – of the accuracy of the approval letter and explain the next step(s), if any. This can be as simple as confirming the approval and the monthly benefit amount. It should also explain when to expect the first monthly deposit as well as the receipt of any lump sum retroactive benefits. If applicable, you would also describe what to expect during the fiduciary process or appeal. Finally, be sure to be specific in any requests for further documentation to expedite data collection and your responsiveness to the VA. Getting an approved VA claim can be a challenge. You should celebrate each one! However, don’t overlook these three essential steps. Incorporate them into your firm’s processes. Congratulations!

If you would like to learn more about creating the estate or elder law practice of your dreams, join our webinar "Having The Time To Have It All" on July 23rd at 2 EST and learn about how Lawyers With Purpose can help get you there. Click here to register and reserve your spot today.

By Sabrina A. Scott, Paralegal, The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier, PC and VA Production Coordinator for Lawyers With Purpose.

Victoria L. Collier, Veteran of the United States Air Force, 1989-1995 and United States Army Reserves, 2001-2004. Victoria is a Certified Elder Law Attorney through the National Elder Law Foundation; Author of “47 Secret Veterans Benefits for Seniors”; Author of “Paying for Long Term Care: Financial Help for Wartime Veterans: The VA Aid & Attendance Benefit”; Founder of The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier, PC; Co-Founder of Lawyers for Wartime Veterans; and Co-Founder of Veterans Advocate Group of America.

Marketing Roundtable with Special Guest Dan Lear of AVVO: “Statistics that Prove Prospective Legal Clients are Online”

June 29, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with No Comment Legal Marketing

Stats:

175K monthly searches on google for “Estate Planning".
The market for bundled and unbundled documents and services delivered online by “virtual” law firms or legal services companies, is valued at approximately $4.1B.
Avvo generated $8.5B in revenue for lawyers last year.

The pace and nature of technological change in the last two decades is remarkable. Not only has technology rapidly transformed or wiped out entire businesses or even industries in the course of a few years (Blockbuster or land-line telephones, anyone?) but it has done so in ways many either refused to or simply could not possibly have foreseen.

Whether or not you believe that technology will transform the law it’s indisputable that consumers of legal services (just like consumers of other services, and really, just like lawyers both in their professional and personal lives) will continue to use the internet more, not less, in the future.

Just as they’re now investing, ordering food and groceries, streaming music and movies, banking, hailing rides, and booking plane tickets and hotel rooms, people will likely at least begin to research a lawyer or a legal topic online. But you don’t have to take our word for it. The “10 Statistics” webinar will give you 10 solid reasons backed by data that shows not only that consumers are increasingly using the internet to understand and consume legal services but, exactly how they’re doing it.

Members! To join this conversation with Roslyn Drotar and Special Guest, Dan Lear from AVVO, hop on the Marketing Roundtable Friday, July 10th at 12 EST. Space is limited so register today by logging into the members website and view upcoming events on the homepage.

We'll "see" you there!

Roslyn Drotar – Online Marketing Strategist, Lawyers With Purpose

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Team Retreats Build Successful Businesses

June 17, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with No Comment Coaching & Implementation Team Building

I spent the first Wednesday – Friday of June in St. Louis with my entire law firm – nine of us in total. It was scary to think about shutting down the law firm for three days. What about the prospective clients we would miss? What about clients in crisis calling for immediate answers? What about the expense for nine people to fly and stay in hotels?

Quite the contrary! It was and remains one of the best investments my firm makes three times a year. Attending the Lawyers with Purpose Tri-Annual Practice Enhancement Retreat with my entire team allows us to get out of the office, learn substantive materials pertaining to each functional role, work on the business side of law and create collective goals. This retreat we specifically enjoyed the wholesale and retail marketing panels, learning how and when to hire a law office manager, how and why estate planning and elder care law firms could benefit by adding financial services, and how we maximize results by knowing our own value and having crucial conversations.

But, do you want to know the real reason I love going to the Tri-Annual Practice Enhancement Retreats and taking my entire team? When we return to the office, no one has piles of work to catch up on, because everyone was away together. We are refreshed with new motivation and we don’t have the clutter that often prevents us from accomplishing our goals. With clear minds, clear offices and a team in unison, you can easily achieve what just the week before seemed impossible.

Look for opportunities to get your team out of the office together! They will return stronger than ever to support your mission.

If you aren't a Lawyers With Purpose Member and want to know more about joining our community and attending future retreats, consider joining our Having The Time To Have It All FREE Webinar on Thursday, July 23rd at 2:00 EST. Simply click here to register!

Victoria L. Collier, Co-Founder, Lawyers with Purpose, LLC, www.LawyersWithPurpose.com; Certified Elder Law Attorney through the National Elder Law Foundation; Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys; Founder and Managing Attorney of The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier, PC, www.ElderLawGeorgia.com; Co-Founder of Veterans Advocates Group of America; entrepreneur; author; and nationally renowned presenter.

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VA Pension Claims: What to Include and Exclude

June 16, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with No Comment Estate Planning Drafting Software Legal Technical VA

A successful VA pension claim depends on the inclusion of the right VA forms as well as their correct completion. This is particularly important in the case of the Fully Developed Claim (FDC) Program, which is the relatively quicker claim adjudication process in comparison with the Standard Claim Process. However, how important are the lesser-discussed verification documents to a claim’s success? These supporting players may be more important than you realize.

To ensure consistency with files, we recommend that firms provide a checklist of necessary documents for each client to gather for review before each consultation. The requested items include biographical data, income and asset verification and current estate planning documents. The more complete the response is to this checklist, the more accurate and effective our evaluation and recommendations are to the client.

More importantly, however, is having the documentation to submit with a VA claim for pension with aid and attendance. Instructions on the VA Forms 21-527EZ and 21-534EZ stipulate, “submit simultaneously with your claim all necessary income and net-worth information." If you fail to submit the proper supporting documentation, the VA will delay or deny the claim. The instructions for these forms further state, "It is your responsibility to make sure we receive all requested records that are not in the possession of a Federal department or agency.”

One of the most important supporting documents is proof that the veteran was indeed a wartime veteran. The most common way of verifying this is by submitting the discharge paper, commonly the DD-214. In the absence of any formal record of service, you can use a “buddy affidavit,” in which a fellow service member attests to having served with the veteran. The VA should attempt to confirm service if you do not submit this documentation; however, it is incumbent upon you to do your best to provide this, as your claim will not proceed until this aspect of eligibility is confirmed.

Records documenting marital history also may cause issues when they are omitted. You should obtain marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and death certificates of all previous spouses for both the veteran and his or her spouse. The reason for this is that the VA must ensure it is paying the correct amount of monthly pension and that payment is going to a qualified beneficiary.

Knowing which documents to include is important. Just as important is knowing which documents NOT to include. The Improved Pension program with aid and attendance is “means” based, so it requires the applicant to meet certain income and asset limitations. We recommend that you provide verification of all income and assets from the date of eligibility (the effective date). The VA may only consider the claimant’s net worth and income as of the effective date, which is determined by when the claim was submitted, or when an intent to file a claim was submitted. Any financial documents pertaining to net worth or income prior to the effective date are irrelevant to the claim process, pursuant to Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations §3.400, which states, “Except as otherwise provided, the effective date of an evaluation and award of pension, compensation or dependency and indemnity compensation based on an original claim, a claim reopened after final disallowance, or a claim for increase will be the date of receipt of the claim or the date entitlement arose, whichever is the later.” In fact, the adjudication manual M21-1MR, Part V, iii, 1, E 33n, specifically states, “Do not count income received before the effective date of an original or reopened award. (For death pension cases, do not count income received between the effective date and the date of the veteran’s death.) The effective date is the date a claimant is entitled to benefits without regard to 38 CFR 3.31.” You can use the latter citation when responding to VA requests regarding the prior year’s income when it occurred before the effective date.

When completing an application for VA benefits, ensure that you do three things:

Use the correct forms.
Complete the forms correctly.
Provide all of the necessary verification documents.

Members! Don't forget we have VA Tech Training this Thursday, June 18th at 3 EST. To join this call on what’s new and improved in the June release of the LWP-CCS software contact Amanda Ross at aross@lawyerswithpurpose.com.

If you aren't a member and want to learn more about joining the Lawyers With Purpose community, contact Molly Hall at mhall@lawyerswithpurpose.com

Sabrina A. Scott, VA Production Coordinator, Lawyers with Purpose, LLC and Paralegal, The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier, PC.

Victoria L. Collier, Veteran of the United States Air Force, 1989-1995 and United States Army Reserves, 2001-2004. Victoria is a Certified Elder Law Attorney through the National Elder Law Foundation; Author of “47 Secret Veterans' Benefits for Seniors”; Author of “Paying for Long Term Care: Financial Help for Wartime Veterans: The VA Aid & Attendance Benefit”; Founder of The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier, PC; and Co-Founder of Lawyers with Purpose.

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Thinking Of Becoming A Sponsor For The Next LWP Retreat? 5 Things To Know

June 15, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with No Comment Legal Marketing Team Building

Guest post by Laura Lee Sparks:

Almost seven years ago, I had the privilege of facilitating an estate planning conference with Dave Zumpano as one of our guest speakers. He was there to educate our members on his proprietary estate planning and elder law software.

I remember watching the presentation and thinking that he was ahead of his time in creating and designing technology that not only generated comprehensive documents, but also automated every need of the client. It inspired me to hone my own skill set and shift my focus to helping the public see estate planning in a more holistic and forward-thinking way.

In 2010, I restructured my business, Legal Marketing Maven. My husband was dying from cancer, and he urged me to devote the majority of my efforts to helping lawyers spread the word about their services to desperate families and caregivers in their greatest time of need.

In less than six months, Legal Marketing Maven doubled its profits, as well as the size of our team. More importantly, we were out there making a difference. Our efforts have continued to grow and evolve ever since.

One key strategy that contributed to our rapid success was choosing to exhibit at legal events across the country. We’ve been to many conferences as sponsors, some of which have been worth our while and others that have been very expensive learning experiences.

Rewind two weeks ago. I had the opportunity to be a sponsor for the first time at LWP’s June Tri-Annual Practice Retreat in St. Louis, MO – and the event was unlike anything I have experienced in the legal conference space.

Maybe you do funding, financial services, drafting, complimentary legal services, marketing or some other business that serves estate planning and elder lawyers. All I can say is that you are doing a huge disservice to your company by not getting yourself and your team to LWP’s next live event.

Here are just a few ways that my experience at the Lawyers with Purpose event stands out from other vendor opportunities I’ve had:

1. LWP is a family – and they invite you to be part of it. When you attend an LWP event as a sponsor, you are not looked at as just another “salesperson” lurking in the hallways. The culture is one of family, so even vendors are accepted with open arms into the LWP tribe. It was a great feeling, and we made many amazing new relationships as a result.

2. All sponsors are personally vetted by company leaders. Because attendees know that the LWP team carefully selects the sponsors for a reason, there are more opportunities to build relationships with prospects and educate them about your services without skepticism or jumping through hoops to get attention.

3. LWP supports your business and APPRECIATES your contributions. The entire LWP team has been in your shoes. They are practice owners, entrepreneurs and experienced marketers. They know what it takes to grow a business and they are sensitive to the needs of complimentary business owners who attend their events as sponsors.

4. LWP’s unique abundance mentality leads to amazing collaborative opportunities. LWP does a wonderful job of helping lawyers shift their mindsets from one of “I have to crush competition at all costs” to one of abundance. We had the opportunity to sit down with “competing lawyers” in over-saturated areas who wanted us to help them WORK TOGETHER to support each other’s efforts through marketing. This happened more than once! The collaborative environment among attendees, as well as sponsors, was unlike anything I’ve seen before.

5. LWP staff and attorneys have the most fun. Enough said. You’ll quickly forget you are there on business with all the friends you’ll be making.

We’re planning to attend the October Tri-Annual Practice Enhancement Retreat, and we hope you’ll join us, too! There is no greater opportunity to connect and partner with a group of forward-thinking lawyers who are literally changing the world and making significant and impactful differences in their local communities. Don’t wait to reach out to the team about sponsorship. We’ll see you in Arizona!

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities at the October Tri-Annual Practice Enhancement Retreat, please contact Roslyn Drotar at rdrotar@lawyerswithpurpose.com for dates, location and a Sponsorship Prospectus.

Laura Lee Sparks, CEO, Legal Marketing Maven

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I Am Not Afraid…

June 9, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with One Comment Uncategorized

I hate conflict. Yes, I am a lawyer and, no, I do not like conflict. When I was a child, I was extremely withdrawn and shy. My mother left my father, brother and me when I was two years old. My father remarried when I was six, and my stepmother was very strong in personality and discipline. That same year, my mother committed suicide. I learned that if I kept my head down and my mouth shut, I would be left alone. I learned to avoid conflict. But, in exchange, I never learned how to express myself or my feelings. In high school, I was forced to write journals and took that opportunity to push the limits on sharing my feelings, but without confrontation. These behaviors served me well when I enlisted in the United States Air Force. Keep your head down, say “Yes, sir” and keep your mouth shut otherwise.

Because of that, when I started my law practice right out of law school, I was woefully unprepared to manage a business with employees. I was not initially great at hiring employees. I was even worse at firing them.

I was afraid of hurting their feelings. I was afraid they would not find a new job (which made me feel responsible for their financial demise). I was afraid I would not find a suitable replacement. I was afraid they would quit before I was ready to fire them. I was afraid of running my business without them. But most of all, I was afraid to even discuss small problems with them.

For example, when an employee was coming in late regularly, instead of raising this issue, I would internally justify that they were working over lunch or working late. While that sounds reasonable, it isn’t, actually, because the other employees get the perception that it is OK to come in late. Everyone then starts to dribble into the office at their own discretion. Consistency is gone. Efficiency is gone. Eventually, morale is gone.

Over the years, I have read a lot of books on hiring and firing. That helped tremendously. But what helped more was the moment when I realized that, while I was trying to avoid external conflict with my associates and team members, I was actually in a ton of internal conflict with myself. The internal conflict carried a lot of stress and negative baggage that continued to build each day as I “kept my head down and my mouth shut” until I imploded. Implosion destroys relationships, and it is not constructive.

Today, for many reasons, to include the fact that I have learned through the systems and processes of Lawyers with Purpose to run my law practice like a business and take the “emotional” equation out of it, I am no longer afraid of having constructive discussions with my team, together or individually. When I am experiencing internal conflict, so are they. Someone needs to be the leader to initiate these difficult but necessary conversations. In many cases, the issue will be beautifully resolved and jobs maintained. In other cases, when team members leave, it is best for both the firm and the former employee.

Without the conflict, we can all better focus our energy on productivity and profitability. I am no longer afraid. Now, I challenge myself to have the conversation swiftly and confidently that leads to success. If you are like I was, in addition to becoming a part of the Lawyers with Purpose community that can support you, I recommend you do two things:

Read Dan S. Kennedy’s “No B.S. Ruthless Management of People and Profits: No Holds Barred, Kick Butt, Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Really Getting Rich”, available on Amazon.com; and
Before each necessary conversation, say to yourself: This is to OUR success!

Training on how to actually initiate and conduct safe conversations was presented at the Lawyers with Purpose Tri-Annual Retreat in St. Louis last week. To grow the strength of your team to improve efficiency and profitability, join Lawyers with Purpose! https://www.lawyerswithpurpose.com/Join-LWP.php

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The Bottom Line

June 8, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with No Comment Legal Marketing Systems & Processes

Are you tracking your closing rate? You should be, if only for self-evaluation. Your Pipeline Focuser will quickly show how many prospects became clients at each of your Initial and Vision meetings. If your closing rate average is lower than 70% you should investigate further.

A low closing rate is not always attributable to the attorney’s lack of skill in the Initial or Vision meeting. Sometimes the prospect just isn’t qualified. While it would be great if you could weed out those unqualified prospects before you invest your time in meeting with them, if they attended a workshop and you promised a complimentary Vision Meeting™ for example, you don’t have much choice.

However, if your closing rate is low and your prospects are largely qualified, then consider investing time improving your close.

On the LWP member website, in the Vision Meeting™ folder (located in the Estate Processes tab), there are four videos designed to help you “close the deal.” Two of them deal specifically with boosting your closing rate by using the Vision Clarifier™.

Are you using the Vision Clarifier™? It’s the tool that visually demonstrates the solution to issues identified in the audit. If you’re skipping this tool, then you’re not visually demonstrating your recommended solution(s).

During the workshop, the attorney tells stories that are memorable, colorful and interesting. Using a PowerPoint presentation, the attorney is able to anchor stories that are easily visualized by attendees. Adding props such as the little red wagon and the dollar bill maintains interest in the illustrations.

At the subsequent Vision Meeting™ the attorney continues educating prospects in a one-on-one setting by connecting the workshop stories to the Estate Planning Audit™ and then demonstrating solutions with the “Vision Clarifier™, leading directly to the firm fee schedule.

This is where the “rubber meets the road.” The bottom line truly is do you believe in the solution you are recommending? Are you able to clearly see the value? If you are, you won’t hesitate when it comes to naming your fee. That printed fee schedule you worked so hard to develop will boost your confidence and demonstrate to the prospect that you are not pricing based on his/her assets. You really do have set fees.

I invite you to track your own numbers, but from my personal experience I found that 80-90% of people who walked out the door without signing an Engagement Agreement saying they wanted to “think about it” and asking to be “followed up with” at a later date, never moved forward.

What does that mean? It means that if prospects walk out of your office, “wanting to think about it,” the odds dramatically decrease that they will ever become clients. Being able to properly demonstrate the benefits of your proposed plan in that first meeting is a priceless skill. Putting in the time to hone and improve this skill will have exponential impact on your bottom line.

Nedra, Catale – Coaching, Consulting & Implementation, Lawyers With Purpose

Congratulations To Jerry Reif, Lawyers With Purpose Member Of The Month

June 5, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with No Comment Estate Planning Drafting Software

What is the greatest success you've had since joining LWP?

I have been practicing in the area of Estate Planning, Elder Law and Asset Protection for over 35 years. The greatest success has been the total revamping of my law practice. This has given my entire team a feeling of confidence in our work product including the analysis and presentation to the client. This new focus on my law practice is invigorating. The legal market place has changed especially with marketing by “commodity providers” and other legal practitioners. Our new positioning in the legal market place has opened up many opportunities for my law practice.

What is your favorite LWP tool?

I have not implemented all of the tools that are provided by LWP. However, the tools we do use have resulted in a positive marketing message and enhanced creditability in my practice. The VA, AP, and Medicaid Intake Process and the resulting opinion letter are great marketing tools to persuade financial advisors as well as the clients themselves. Our use of these analysis forms give the client a unique blueprint plan for success and the steps that need to be done to get there.

How has being part of LWP impacted your team and your practice?

It will take time to implement all of these tools available from LWP. However, it has made our process flow more efficiently especially with marketing and workshops. The stories that we use in the workshops have been very well received and simplify something that may seem complex into everyday terms. The coaching and LisServ are very helpful in explaining the implementation of all of the tools. This has brought our team together with delegation of duties without additional hiring.

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Social Media Guide For Lawyers

May 27, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with No Comment Legal Marketing

Let’s talk about lawyers getting social. What does that mean, and how can it support your marketing? Social media is an umbrella term for programs that connect individuals through an online platform (such as Facebook or Linked In). Social marketing is more of an approach to connecting with your audience for their “social good,” not necessarily for financial reasons.

One of the biggest challenges faced by small law firms is how to get started in social media. Where do you start? Which platform should you focus on? What and when should you post? How do you get followers and fans? It can be overwhelming!

There is so much to think about and so much to distract you, because researching this is like going down a rabbit hole. Information and opinions are everywhere. It can also be a moving target – the best practices of last year are often today’s don'ts. But one thing remains consistent: It’s not going away. So let’s do something with it.

One of my favorite quotes sums the situation up perfectly: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

Start where you are: Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting your practice or already have an existing client base, just start now where you are so it can begin to grow and evolve. Don’t worry about where it should be a year from now. Get started, because if you don’t, it can’t go anywhere.

Use what you have: You might not have a budget for social, or employees to support it, and you probably think you have no content. Remember, it’s social. So just showing your personality and your law firm brand, and sharing your moments, is enough. And, you have resources right there in your office, and you have opinions, so share them. That’s what’s valuable to your audience. I bet each person reading this has content sitting on their desk they could share and comment on.

Do what you can: If you can only post one time a day on one platform, start by blocking out the time in your calendar to make sure it gets done. Once you get the hang of Facebook, for instance, it won’t take as much time to add Twitter or LinkedIn after that. Don’t try to post three times a day if once is all you can commit to in the beginning.

Remember that quote: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

If you’re still stuck on why? The reason you should use social marketing is that it has become an integral part of our world and continues to evolve. The new theory with social marketing is that it is more than just a channel or tactic, it’s a strategy that should be present in your marketing plan. The question is no longer whether you should do social; it is, simply, why wouldn’t you do social?

Social marketing is really beyond your website and participating in social platforms. Statistics confirm that having a social presence (whether it’s Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter) can boost your career and build your reputation. Prospective clients are Googling you and your name after hearing about you through word of mouth. And Google archives social pages! So 9 out of 10 times if you Google someone’s name, you’ll find a social profile on Facebook or LinkedIn along with their website – and it's typically the top result!

Think of social as lead nurturing, touching, top-of-mind awareness, further defining hot leads – or those that want to “think about it” to be sent to conversion at a later date. You are creating connections and showing up in their world.

How to Get Started:

It’s important to decide which social platform you want to start with and what your objective is. If the plan is to provide workshop information, Facebook is probably the best channel for that, and it’s a good place to start if that’s where you’re most comfortable. If you want to work your RMS, then the best platform would be LinkedIn.

If you already have your social going but it’s not active, then allot enough time to decide what you will post, create that content, and make at least one post two to three times a week. That will probably take you two hours if you include time to respond to conversations.

The content you want to contribute is valuable content or insight for prospective clients. Ask yourself, what’s in it for them? Why would they want to “like” your post? What do they get out of it? It’s not all about you!

Suggestions for Posts:

Have a sense of humor
Share pictures or photos of fun times within the firm
Relevant information and insight on estate planning – think educate to motivate
What do they want to know?
Share the most common questions you get asked, and answer them
Current events

Do’s & Dont's

Do:

Focus on the people
Experiment and have fun. It’s social!
Answer any questions posted, tweeted, etc.
Participate in conversations
Discuss the passions of your audience
Anchor to the 80/20 rule – only 20% about you and your offerings/selling props – 80% valuable content
If you have published work – a book you authored – share the content
Post photos of you at your workshop, or of you participating in community events

Don’t

Focus on making money
Do the same thing over and over again
Go dormant – ignore your audience
Be afraid to connect with others who do what you do
Don’t just talk about you and your practice

Best Times to Post:

Facebook – Best from 1-4 p.m.; peak time Wednesday at 3 p.m. Facebook is a good platform for engaging with your prospects, so you’ll want to run content relevant to them.

Twitter – Best from 1-3 p.m. or 5 p.m.; peak Monday through Thursday. Twitter is great for B2B. You’ll find a lot of other estate planning attorneys already on Twitter, along with marketing companies, power partners and other relevant connections.

Linked In – Best from 7-9 a.m. or 5-6 p.m.; peak between Tuesday and Thursday. LinkedIn is best for wholesale marketing. You’ll get a good array of referral sources.

Google+ – Best from 9-11 a.m.; peak during work hours. Google+ is good for SEO and authorship.

Reporting:

Do the best you can with tracking and reporting your social reach, but be aware that the reporting you get from the different platforms is all over the place. People don’t tend to always chime in or react when they see something they like. It’s like if you were to do something funny at a dinner party. People don’t come up to you and congratulate you, or pat you on the back after.

We all see things on social that we think are funny or interesting, but we don’t click “like” or “retweet” for every little piece of wonderful content we come across. So do not gauge your ROI on the likes, shares, etc., that you get.

I read an interesting anecdote on Lexblog that really illustrated the return you get. Dan Goldman, chair of Mayo Clinic’s business law practice group, was at a conference for legal marketing and business development professionals. When they began discussing the need to measure the return on investment on their social efforts, he chuckled a bit.

Goldman explained that Mayo’s 43 in-house lawyers taught him that people tend to hire the lawyers they know, like and trust. So the ones who got hired were the ones who use social media. Mayo’s in-house lawyers became known and trusted through their social efforts.

Goldman cited recent studies showing that lawyers who don’t use social media are becoming increasingly irrelevant to the people who would hire them, especially, as he put it, “when they’re just not connected.”

Here’s hoping the info above might help you avoid the same fate.

If you don’t nail all of this right out of the gate, don’t worry. It’s social; give yourself permission to just show up at the party and have fun!

Roslyn Drotar – Internet Marketing Strategist, Lawyers With Purpose

Informing The VA You Plan To File A Claim

May 26, 2015

by Lawyers With Purpose with No Comment Estate Planning Drafting Software Legal Marketing Legal Technical VA

I don’t think anyone really expected a great announcement from the VA on March 25, 2015, with the end of the 60-day public comment period on the proposed VA rule, RIN 2900-AO73, regarding net worth, asset transfers, and income exclusions for needs-based benefits. However on that day the VA did announce several changes effective March 24, 2015 that directly impact all claims. One of these changes was the amendment of the adjudication manual M21-1MR to introduce a new intent to file procedure which replaces the informal claim process to lock in an effective date for an Improved Pension claim (with aid and attendance) prior to the filing of the Fully Developed Claim.

The VA web page http://explore.va.gov/intent-to-file, as well as the March 2015 Fact sheet issued by the VA, explain that there are currently three ways to declare an intent to file a claim:

Electronically via eBenefits.
Completing and mailing the paper VA Form 21-0966, Intent to File a Claim for Compensation and/or Pension, or Survivors Pension and/or DIC.
Over the phone to the VA National Call Center or in person at a VA regional office.

eBenefits is accessed from the VA website via this page https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/apply, However the link for filing pension claims currently generates an error. The content is blocked in both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox web browsers as an untrusted connection.

If you prefer to continue using a paper form to lock in an effective date, you are now required to use the VA form 21-0966. What happens if you filed an informal claim on or after March 24, 2015? Pursuant to M21-1MR, Part III, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, Section D, 2b, “Consider a request for benefits not filed on an appropriate prescribed form on or after March 24, 2015 a request for application.” The VA will respond to a request for application by sending correspondence that instructs the claimant which forms are needed to formalize the claim. Nevertheless no effective date will be locked in until a complete intent to file or a completed application is submitted. There is no recourse if the VA rejects an informal claim filed on or after March 24, 2015 as the final rule of 38 CFR Parts 3, 19, and 20 RIN 2900–AO81 “also eliminate the provisions of 38 CFR 3.157 which allowed various documents other than claims forms to constitute claims.”

The option of declaring an intent to file by telephone or in person at the VA regional office has the disadvantage of lack of documentation. Furthermore the average waiting time for calls to the VA National Call Center to be answered is over an hour and, thus, would not be an efficient use of your time to use this option. Thus for now if your firm chooses to lock in an effective date prior to the filing of the fully developed claim, you must use the second of the three options listed above. Our firm has changed our process to start using the form 21-0996 with all future VA claims. The new form will also be included in a future update of the Lawyers With Purpose software.

The easiest way to receive important notices directly from the VA is to subscribe to the email delivery of VA News Releases at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVA/subscriber/new or visit their website at www.va.gov.

There is still time to grab a seat for our 3.5 day Practice With Purpose Program in St. Louis next week! We'll be talking about Asset Protection, Medicaid and the following on VA Benefits planning:

Service Connected Benefits (Veterans & Widows/Dependents)
Non-Service Connected Benefits – Improved Pension, Housebound, Aid & Attendance
Asset Eligibility
Application Process
Correct Forms
Annual Reviews
Appeals Process
Representation and Marketing – Getting Veterans to March in Your Door

Click here to register and grab one of the few spots remaining.

By Sabrina A. Scott, Paralegal, The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier, PC and Production Coordinator for Lawyers for Wartime Veterans, LLC.

Victoria L. Collier, Veteran of the United States Air Force, 1989-1995 and United States Army Reserves, 2001-2004. Victoria is a Certified Elder Law Attorney through the National Elder Law Foundation, Author of 47 Secret Veterans Benefits for Seniors, Author of Paying for Long Term Care: Financial Help for Wartime Veterans: The VA Aid & Attendance Benefit, Founder of The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier, PC, Co-Founder of Lawyers for Wartime Veterans, Co-Founder of Veterans Advocate Group of America.