Plan for a Small Increase in 2021 Medicare Premiums
Medicare premiums are set to rise a modest amount next year, but still cut into any Social Security gains. The basic monthly premium will increase $3.90, from $144.60 a month to $148.50. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Read More ...
What Can Go Wrong with Do-it-Yourself Estate Planning?
Many websites offer customized, do-it-yourself wills and other estate planning documents. Although such products are convenient, using them could create serious and expensive legal problems for heirs. These digital services appear to offer a cost-effective and easy alternative to visiting an Read More ...
How to Choose a Medicare Advantage Plan
As Medicare premiums rise, a Medicare Advantage plan can seem like an attractive option. But if you are considering switching from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, you need to know what to look for. Medicare Advantage plans are Read More ...
How Do I Fix a Mistake with My Required Minimum Distribution?
The rules around required minimum distributions from retirement accounts are confusing, and it’s easy to slip up. Fortunately, if you do make a mistake, there are steps you can take to fix the error and possibly avoid a stiff penalty. Read More ...
Planning Your Estate? Don’t Let the Perfect Be the Enemy of the Good.
There are many unknowns when planning an estate, but you can’t let the uncertainties get in the way of creating any kind of plan. Having an imperfect plan is usually better than having no plan at all. When many of Read More ...
Avoid Family Strife With These Tips for Dividing Up Personal Possessions
As an estate planning attorney who also helps through the probate and estate administration process, we have seen, first hand, the difficulties in dividing belongings. Allocating your personal possessions can be one of the most difficult tasks when creating an Read More ...
Are Medicare and Medicaid Plans Able to Transfer Between States if You Move?
If you are planning to move to another state, will you be able to take your Medicare or Medicaid plans along? We get this question frequently, and it's a good one. Many couples consider moving to warmer weather when they Read More ...
Eight Useful Tips for Bringing Up Estate Planning
Unless you’re certain your parents have an up-to-date will, as well as a big-picture plan for what should happen in the event of their passing, you shouldn’t assume everything will be taken care of. During this season of upcoming holidays, Read More ...
James Brown Estate Complications May Be Settled After Over 14 Years
Litigation over James Brown’s estate has been dragging on for 14 years and can hold key lessons in the importance of having an estate planning attorney prepare clear and concise estate planning documents that hold up in court - especially Read More ...
What is the CSRA? Preserve Additional Assets with Medicaid Planning.
Medicaid is a joint program of the federal and state governments that can cover the nursing home costs of individuals who meet its strict financial requirements. Single Person Medicaid Qualifications: A single person may qualify for Medicaid only Read More ...
Estate Planning
Plan for a Small Increase in 2021 Medicare Premiums
Medicare premiums are set to rise a modest amount next year, but still cut into any Social Security gains. The basic monthly premium will increase $3.90, from $144.60 a month to $148.50. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Read More ...
What Can Go Wrong with Do-it-Yourself Estate Planning?
Many websites offer customized, do-it-yourself wills and other estate planning documents. Although such products are convenient, using them could create serious and expensive legal problems for heirs. These digital services appear to offer a cost-effective and easy alternative to visiting an Read More ...
How to Choose a Medicare Advantage Plan
As Medicare premiums rise, a Medicare Advantage plan can seem like an attractive option. But if you are considering switching from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, you need to know what to look for. Medicare Advantage plans are Read More ...
How Do I Fix a Mistake with My Required Minimum Distribution?
The rules around required minimum distributions from retirement accounts are confusing, and it’s easy to slip up. Fortunately, if you do make a mistake, there are steps you can take to fix the error and possibly avoid a stiff penalty. Read More ...
Planning Your Estate? Don’t Let the Perfect Be the Enemy of the Good.
There are many unknowns when planning an estate, but you can’t let the uncertainties get in the way of creating any kind of plan. Having an imperfect plan is usually better than having no plan at all. When many of Read More ...
Avoid Family Strife With These Tips for Dividing Up Personal Possessions
As an estate planning attorney who also helps through the probate and estate administration process, we have seen, first hand, the difficulties in dividing belongings. Allocating your personal possessions can be one of the most difficult tasks when creating an Read More ...
Eight Useful Tips for Bringing Up Estate Planning
Unless you’re certain your parents have an up-to-date will, as well as a big-picture plan for what should happen in the event of their passing, you shouldn’t assume everything will be taken care of. During this season of upcoming holidays, Read More ...
James Brown Estate Complications May Be Settled After Over 14 Years
Litigation over James Brown’s estate has been dragging on for 14 years and can hold key lessons in the importance of having an estate planning attorney prepare clear and concise estate planning documents that hold up in court - especially Read More ...
What is the CSRA? Preserve Additional Assets with Medicaid Planning.
Medicaid is a joint program of the federal and state governments that can cover the nursing home costs of individuals who meet its strict financial requirements. Single Person Medicaid Qualifications: A single person may qualify for Medicaid only Read More ...
Do Your Beneficiary Designations Match Your Estate Plan?
Many types of property and investments pass outside of probate and allow you to designate who will receive them after your death. It is important that these designations are kept up to date and are consistent with the rest of Read More ...
Long Term Care Planning
Plan for a Small Increase in 2021 Medicare Premiums
Medicare premiums are set to rise a modest amount next year, but still cut into any Social Security gains. The basic monthly premium will increase $3.90, from $144.60 a month to $148.50. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Read More ...
How to Choose a Medicare Advantage Plan
As Medicare premiums rise, a Medicare Advantage plan can seem like an attractive option. But if you are considering switching from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, you need to know what to look for. Medicare Advantage plans are Read More ...
How Do I Fix a Mistake with My Required Minimum Distribution?
The rules around required minimum distributions from retirement accounts are confusing, and it’s easy to slip up. Fortunately, if you do make a mistake, there are steps you can take to fix the error and possibly avoid a stiff penalty. Read More ...
Are Medicare and Medicaid Plans Able to Transfer Between States if You Move?
If you are planning to move to another state, will you be able to take your Medicare or Medicaid plans along? We get this question frequently, and it's a good one. Many couples consider moving to warmer weather when they Read More ...
Eight Useful Tips for Bringing Up Estate Planning
Unless you’re certain your parents have an up-to-date will, as well as a big-picture plan for what should happen in the event of their passing, you shouldn’t assume everything will be taken care of. During this season of upcoming holidays, Read More ...
Medigap: Plugging Most Holes in Medicare Coverage
With all the deductibles, copayments and coverage exclusions, Medicare pays for only about half of the medical costs of America's senior citizens. Much of the balance not covered by Medicare can be covered by purchasing a "Medigap" insurance policy. Medigap Read More ...
Feds Release 2020 Guidelines Used to Protect the Spouses of Medicaid Applicants
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2020 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses of institutionalized Medicaid recipients may keep, as well as related Medicaid figures. How Much Can the Spouse Keep Without Jeopardizing Medicaid Read More ...
The Coronavirus Relief Bill: Impact on Seniors and Estate Planning
Signed into law on March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a $2 trillion economic relief package Congress passed to help Americans deal with the devastating financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. This Coronavirus Read More ...
How to Protect Yourself or Loved Ones from Coronavirus in Long Term Care Facilities
At the office of Joseph L. Motta, LPA in Avon Lake, we specialize in offering our expertise in long term care planning and estate planning so we know that as the coronavirus spreads across our country, long term care residents Read More ...
Millennials Taking Care of Aging Boomers Makes Long Term Care Planning Even More Important
Do you remember the term “sandwich generation?” It's a phrase coined to refer to baby boomers who were taking care of their parents while also having young children of their own. However, now millennials are moving into the sandwich generation Read More ...