Introduction to Social Security Retirement Benefits

Social Security was enacted in 1935 to provide some relief to America’s destitute older citizens during the economic cataclysm known as the Great Depression. A direct descendant of that more limited effort, today’s Social Security retirement program is in...

Can I Put My Inheritance in a Third-Party Special Needs Trust?

Question:  I’m on Medicaid and SSI. I’ll be receiving a financial inheritance within the next year or less. Can I deposit my own inheritance in a Third-Party Special Needs Trust and spend it on myself? I really need to be able to keep my Medicaid and spend...

The Rising Costs of Long-Term Care

Do you have a family member who is receiving some form of long-term care? If you don’t, the chances are good that someday you will – and that day may not be too far away. As the U.S. population ages and life expectancies increase, the need for long-term care is...

What You Should Know About the Medicare Tax

You may have seen the Medicare tax listed on your paycheck stubs or on your income tax return filings and wondered what it is. To learn more about what it is and what it pays for, continue reading. What is Medicare Tax? Medicare is a federal public benefits program...

States Are Turning to Managed Care for Medicaid LTC

More and more states are switching to a managed care model when dealing with Medicaid long-term care patients, a change that has resulted in a loss of services in some cases. Many states use managed care to deliver care to their regular Medicaid populations, but until...

Does Divorce Affect Social Security Spousal Benefits?

More than 50 million Americans receive Social Security retirement benefits. Most of these recipients are retirees who worked and paid Social Security taxes. But millions of dependents and survivors of retired workers, including spouses and ex-spouses, also receive a...