The year was 1983: The U.S. invaded Granada. A gallon of gas cost 96 cents. Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ video premiered. That year was also the last time that Social Security recipients saw a cost-of-living increase steeper than the one just announced for 2022. This...
During the holidays, most are blessed to spend time with loved ones…including and especially an aging parent. While this is a time for celebration, it is also a chance to really see how your aging loved one is doing. How is his/her memory? Are they able to take...
While it is preferable to conduct long-term care planning well in advance of needing care, if you haven’t planned ahead, there are some strategies available to avoid spending all your assets. Three so-called “half a loaf” approaches allow a Medicaid...
Individuals who are researching nursing homes can now see staff and resident vaccination rates along with other quality and safety measure information at Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare website. The official Medicare website includes a nursing home rating...
When most of a couple’s income is in the name of the spouse who is receiving Medicaid, the spouse remaining in the community (i.e. the healthy spouse) may wonder what he or she will live on. Medicaid has created some protections for the community spouse....
First, it isn’t likely that the tax bill for selling your home would eat up half the proceeds. The top capital gains tax rate is 20 percent and that is just a tax on the capital gain, not all of the proceeds. In addition, you can exclude the first $250,000 of gain....
Directed trusts can be a useful estate planning tool, allowing you to place your family’s assets in a trust but benefit from the expertise of an advisor who knows more about the handling of certain trust functions than you may. The benefit of a directed trust is it...
A Massachusetts land court rules that the state cannot recoup Medicaid benefits from a Medicaid recipient’s property, which was left in a life estate that had a scrivener’s error and included a limited power of appointment. Estate of Koutoukis v. Secretary of the...
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 can...
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 must be...
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