News & Updates
Plain-language notes on Louisiana and Mississippi law, legislative changes, and firm news — from the desk of Stephen C. Aertker, Jr.
Recent posts.
How Far Back Will Social Security Pay? SSDI Back Pay, Explained
Back pay turns on three dates — onset, application, and approval — plus the five-month waiting period and the 12-month look-back cap. With a free estimator.
The Five-Step Test Social Security Uses on Every Disability Claim
Every SSDI and SSI claim runs through the same five questions. Understanding them explains most denials — and what a winning file looks like.
Your Social Security Disability Claim Was Denied. Now What?
Most claims are denied at first. The 60-day appeal clock, why appealing beats refiling, and how the ALJ hearing — where cases are won — really works.
SSDI vs. SSI: Which Disability Benefit Are You Applying For?
Two different programs, different rules, different money. Work credits vs. means testing, Medicare vs. Medicaid, and the filing-timing rule that costs people months.
What Is a Louisiana Succession, and Do I Need One?
A plain-language walk through what a succession is, testate vs. intestate, the judgment of possession, when a full administration is needed, and small successions.
Community Property in a Louisiana Divorce: What Actually Gets Split
Community vs. separate property, where the line blurs, how debts and reimbursement claims work, and how the estate is partitioned when a marriage ends.
Forced Heirship in Louisiana, Explained
Louisiana’s distinctive rule: who qualifies as a forced heir, the forced portion (legitime), how it limits what you can give away, and planning around it.
Louisiana Medical Malpractice: The Medical Review Panel and the Damages Cap
The mandatory pre-suit panel, the statutory damages cap, the Patient’s Compensation Fund, and the short, idiosyncratic deadlines that govern these claims.
What Changed in Louisiana Successions in 2025 (and What Didn’t)
Refined testament formalities, streamlined probate, expanded notary authority, and new limits on no-contest clauses — plus the forced-heirship rumor that, once again, isn’t true.
Your Child Turns 18 and Heads to College. Here’s What the Law Just Did.
HIPAA and FERPA quietly cut parents out the day a child turns 18. The simple set of documents that fixes it before move-in day.
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