Key Elder Law Numbers for 2020: Our Annual Roundup

Below are figures for 2020 that are frequently used in the elder law practice or are of interest to clients. Medicaid Spousal Impoverishment Figures for 2020 The new minimum community spouse resource allowance (CSRA) is $25,728 and the maximum CSRA is $128,640. The...

Preparing For Aging

Old age should come with a caution label for many reasons. Most of us expect to live longer than our parents and grandparents. And with longer life come difficulties – and sometimes financial predators. Our vulnerability to predators is made worse by another problem:...

Do Surviving Spouses Have a Right to a 401(k) or an IRA?

When choosing a beneficiary for a retirement plan, it is important to understand how your spouse will be treated under the plan. Surviving spouses are treated differently under 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). While a 401(k) provides protections for...

2020 Spousal Impoverishment and Home Equity Figures Released

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its Spousal Impoverishment Standards for 2020.  As we earlier reported, due to CMS’s apparent departure from past rounding practices the 2020 numbers differ somewhat from the earlier and usually...

New Law Makes Big Changes to Retirement Plans

President Trump has signed a spending bill that makes major changes to retirement plans. The new law is designed to provide more incentives to save for retirement, but it may require workers to rethink some of their planning. The Setting Every Community Up for...

When Inheriting Real Estate Property, Consider Your Options

Inheriting real estate property from your parents is either a blessing or a burden — or a little bit of both. Figuring out what to do with the property can be overwhelming, so it is good to carefully think through all of your choices. There are three main...