How to Deal With Student Loan Debt as You Age

The number of older Americans with student loan debt – either theirs or someone else’s — is growing. Sadly, learning how to deal with this debt is now a fact of life for many seniors heading into retirement. According to a study by the Consumer Financial...

2019 Guidelines Used to Protect the Spouses of Medicaid Applicants

At the end of 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2019 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses of institutionalized Medicaid recipients may keep, as well as related Medicaid figures. In 2019, the spouse of a Medicaid...

Special Needs: Helping Clients Devise Housing Solutions That Work

At the 2019 annual meeting of the Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP), special focus was placed on helping clients find housing solutions for their loved ones with special needs &/or disability. Here are the details. With traditional residential options for...

Should You Sell Your Life Insurance Policy?

Older Americans with a life insurance policy that they no longer need have the option to sell the policy to investors. These transactions, called “life settlements,” can bring in needed cash, but are they a good idea? If your children are grown and your...

Can Medicaid Pay for Care in the Home??

Traditionally, Medicaid has paid for long-term care in a nursing home, however all 50 states now have Medicaid programs that offer at least some home care. In some states, even family members can get paid for providing care at home. Medicaid is a joint federal-state...

How Gifts Can Affect Medicaid Eligibility

We’ve all heard that it’s better to give than to receive, but if you think you might someday want to apply for Medicaid long-term care benefits, you need to be careful because giving away money or property can interfere with your eligibility.  Under...