Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorney
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced the amounts taxpayers of different ages can deduct from their 2022 income as a result of buying long-term care insurance, and the figures are almost the same as in 2021. Many types of Read More …
Many people believe that Medicare covers nursing home stays. In fact Medicare’s coverage of nursing home care is quite limited. Medicare covers up to 100 days of “skilled nursing care” per illness, but there are a number of requirements that Read More …
With the fate of the estate tax exemption uncertain, you may want to use the current large exemption to transfer assets to a trust to benefit your spouse. A spousal lifetime access trust (SLAT) can help transfer assets outside of Read More …
The year was 1983: The U.S. invaded Grenada. A gallon of gas cost 96 cents. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video premiered. That year was also the last time that recipients of Social Security disability benefits saw a cost-of-living increase steeper than the Read More …
When applying for Medicaid’s long-term care coverage, in addition to the strict income and asset limits, you must demonstrate that you need a level care typically provided in a nursing home. Whether you are applying for nursing home coverage or Read More …
The Social Security trustees are projecting that due to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic the Social Security trust fund will be depleted in 2033 — one year earlier than the previous estimates. Once the fund is depleted, Social Read More …
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 Read More …
With nursing home care in some parts of the country costing as much as $10,000 a month, a long-term need for care can deplete even the best-planned estate. As a result, many seniors buy long-term care insurance to cover this Read More …
One of the greatest concerns of seniors and their families is the cost of long-term care, especially the cost of nursing home care. Long-term care refers to a range of services necessary to meet your personal needs. Most long-term care Read More …
This is our first post about reverse mortgages. If you have questions about how a reverse mortgage could fit into your estate planning, please contact us for a free consultation. New Protections for the Non-Borrowing Spouse of Reverse Mortgage The Read More …
Qualifying for Medicare hardly means free health care — there are still premiums and deductibles. However, people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid (called “dual eligibility”) receive help paying their out-of-pocket costs. Medicare is a federal program available to Read More …
In recent years a number of non-lawyers have started businesses offering Medicaid planning services to seniors. While using one of these services may be cheaper than hiring a lawyer, the overall costs may be far greater. If you use a Read More …
To qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care, you must satisfy very complicated financial eligibility rules—rules that often can be traps for the unwary. One of the most significant traps is Medicaid’s right to recover its expenses from your estate Read More …
Prices of new long-term care insurance policies for 2021 have have been posted in the annual report from the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an industry group. The price increases apply to new, not current policies. Comparing the 2021 prices with 2020 Read More …
The older you get, the harder it is to qualify for long-term care insurance. If you are interested in buying this insurance, it is better to act sooner rather than later. Many people put off purchasing long-term care insurance until Read More …
Buying long-term care insurance is one way to protect against the high cost of long-term care. However, this type of insurance may not be for everyone, so consider all your options. Long-term care – care in a nursing home or Read More …
Parents and other family members who want to pass on assets during their lifetimes may be tempted to gift the assets. Although setting up an irrevocable trust lacks the simplicity of giving a gift, it may be a better way Read More …
When most people think of long-term care or the “need to stay in a home,” they think of it has a worst-case scenario as we approach end of life that entails losing one’s independence and personal autonomy. Although that may Read More …
For better and for worse, Medicaid is the primary method of paying for long-term care and nursing homes in the United States. But navigating the Medicaid system is complicated and confusing. Here are the basics. What is Medicaid? Medicaid is a Read More …
As the second (and maybe third) round of stimulus checks go out, it is important to know that nursing home residents are not required to turn their checks over to their nursing home. And Medicaid recipients need to spend the Read More …
