What Will Your 2024 Social Security Benefits Look Like?

In 2023, recipients of Social Security benefits saw the biggest increase in decades in their monthly checks. Although their payouts will indeed rise again in 2024, the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be more modest – just 3.2 percent, versus the nearly 9 percent...

Is an Independent Living Facility Right for Me?

Housing options and the associated costs are among the top priorities for many seniors. Today, the housing market is unpredictable, while many seniors currently living independently may also have concerns about continuing their lifestyles. Moving to an independent...

Medicaid & Long-Term Care: How Does Medicaid Treat Income?

Nursing home residents on Medicaid generally must pay all their income, minus certain deductions, to the nursing home. These deductions include the following: a monthly personal needs allowance (this amount varies by state, currently ranging anywhere from $30 to more...

How Much Money Can You Have and Still Qualify for Medicaid?

In order to be eligible for Medicaid benefits a nursing home resident may have no more than $2,000 in “countable” assets (the figure may be somewhat higher in some states). Note that Medicaid is a state-run program, so the rules are somewhat different in...

What Is Medicaid?

Medicaid (called “KanCare” in Kansas, “MO HealthNet” in Missouri, “Medi-Cal” in California, “MassHealth” in Massachusetts, and “TennCare” in Tennessee….to name a few) is a joint federal-state program...

Feds Ease Enrollment Process for Medicare Savings Programs

Many Medicare recipients struggle to make ends meet. Special savings programs administered by each state can help cover certain Medicare costs, such as premiums and deductibles. The criteria one must meet to qualify for this assistance, known as Medicare Savings...

Can Alzheimer’s Disease Be Prevented?

While new knowledge becomes available each year about promising potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, recent research is also focusing on the prevention of the disease or mitigation of its symptoms. Newly developing treatment techniques and technology may...