Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorney
Whether you have a dog, cat, pig, bird or reptile, pets are members of the family, so it is important to consider how to provide for them in your estate plan just as you would the human family members. While Read More …
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced the amount taxpayers can deduct from their 2021 income as a result of buying long-term care insurance. Premiums for “qualified” long-term care insurance policies (see explanation below) are tax deductible to the extent Read More …
Those that are experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic, may want to consider withdrawing money from retirement accounts while they can still avoid a penalty. The special exemption allowing early withdrawals without a penalty ends soon. Passed in Read More …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Making sure your end-of-life wishes are followed no matter where you are is important. When you move to a different state, work in a different state for long periods of time, vacation in a different state for months at a Read More …
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 …
Retirement account owners, many of whose retirement balances have been pummeled by a stock market drop due to the coronavirus pandemic, do not have to take mandatory withdrawals this year. Typically there are rules mandating Required Minimum Distributions, or RMDs, Read More …
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 …
Creating and executing estate planning documents is just the first step. Once you have completed the documents, you need to know what to do with them. All estate plans should include, at minimum, two important planning instruments: a durable power Read More …
If your parents are getting on in years, you may be helping them with their finances and other matters, such as medical visits and shopping. You may live close by and be able to visit weekly or more often. Or Read More …
In previous posts, “Important Change Affects Special Needs Planning: Stretch IRAs Eliminated.” and “Time to Check-Up on your Estate Plan if it Includes IRAs” we have covered certain implications of the recent SECURE Act. In this post we cover the Read More …
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 …
Until recently, there were more questions than answers about the one-time $1,200 payments to millions of eligible individuals that were at the centerpiece of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law March 27, Read More …
Those of you familiar with Joseph L. Motta, LPA know that we typically focus our blogs, posts and updates on estate planning, long term care planning and special needs planning. However, we will be expanding our topics to provide expertise Read More …
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 …
We’re all fairly familiar with the acronym CPR, for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – a process that uses mouth-to-mouth or machine breathing and chest compressions to restore activity in the heart and lungs when someone’s heart has stopped or they are no Read More …
Grandparents often are particularly generous to grandchildren as they see their family’s legacy continuing on to a new generation. In many cases, grandparents feel they have ample resources and their children or grandchildren may be struggling financially. Assistance with summer Read More …
The topic of beneficiaries and retirement accounts is one we’ve covered before in “Updating Your Beneficiaries. Estate Planning Tips from Joseph Motta”, but in this post we go into more depth of how your 401(k) and individual retirement accounts (IRAs) Read More …
