Can You Visit Nursing Home Residents After They are Vaccinated?

COVID vaccines are starting to roll out to nursing homes across the country, signaling the beginning of the end of the pandemic. Once your loved one has had both doses of the vaccine, you may be able to visit, but precautions are still necessary. The federal...

Who Should Purchase Long-Term Care Insurance?

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 at home — may be paid for in four...

What Is Critical Illness Insurance and Is It Worth Buying?

Many employers offer critical illness insurance as part of their benefit package. What is this insurance and is it worth purchasing? You should consider your options before paying for a plan. While a regular health insurance plan usually offers comprehensive coverage...

How to Create an Estate Plan That Includes Your Pet

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 we may think of pets as part of our family, the law considers them to be property. This means that you cannot...

Annuities and Medicaid Planning

In some circumstances, immediate annuities can be ideal Medicaid planning tools for spouses of nursing home residents. Careful planning is needed to make sure an annuity will work for you or your spouse. An immediate annuity, in its simplest form, is a contract with...

2021 Spousal Impoverishment and Home Equity Figures Released

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its Spousal Impoverishment Standards for 2021, confirming the earlier projections of Pennsylvania ElderLawAnswers member Robert Clofine, who based his estimates on the consumer price index for urban...

Medicare Premiums to Increase Slightly in 2021

Medicare premiums are set to rise a modest amount next year but still cut into any Social Security gains. The basic monthly premium will increase $3.90, from $144.60 a month to $148.50. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the premium and...

Paying Taxes When Selling an Inherited Vacation House

While it may seem great to inherit a vacation house, in actuality it may not be practical to keep the property, especially for tax reasons. There are many factors to consider when inheriting property, including taxes, any mortgage, and other owners. But if you know...