Lawmaker Revives the Expanding Veterans’ Options for LTC Act
A bipartisan bill recently reintroduced to Congress seeks to support senior military veterans in living more independently as they age. The number of U.S. military veterans aged 85 or older who will become eligible for nursing home care is anticipated to increase by...
Legal Decision Making as Your Child Nears Age 18
Privacy laws were enacted so that when a child turns 18, his or her parents are no longer able to make medical or financial decisions for them because that child is now considered a legal adult. This is the case for all children turning 18, especially those with...
Your Medical Directive
Any complete estate plan should include a medical directive. This term may encompass a number of different documents, including a health care proxy, a durable power of attorney for health care, a living will, and medical instructions. The exact document or documents...
CMS: Medicare Will Soon Cover Certain Alzheimer’s Treatments
Medicare recipients living with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s recently received promising news: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that it would begin covering new Alzheimer’s treatments that receive approval from the FDA. “If the FDA...
Medicare Fraud Prevention Week: Avoiding Health Care Scams
The week of June 5 marks Medicare Fraud Prevention Week. Seniors – as well as their caregivers – should be aware of the risks posed by Medicare scams and how to avoid falling victim to this type of fraud. Each year, Medicare loses tens of billions of dollars to abuse...
How Will the Public Health Emergency’s End Affect Veterans?
Per an announcement from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the federal Public Health Emergency created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic ended in May 2023. With the end of this Public Health Emergency (PHE) comes a number of shifts...
Retirement Planning Question: Should I Explore Qualified Longevity Annuity Contracts?
In late 2022, the federal government passed legislation known as the SECURE 2.0 Act. Provisions in this bill have made it easier for people to fund certain annuities that can delay taxes on their retirement funds until the age of 85. First, What Is an Annuity? If you...
Estate Planning Q&A: Do You Need a Trust?
According to the 2023 Wills and Estate Planning Survey by Caring.com, only 34 percent of Americans have an estate plan. The primary reasons respondents gave for not participating in estate planning are: Procrastination Believing they need more assets Not knowing how...
Which Should I Choose? Nursing Home Care vs. Hospice Care
End-of-life decisions are never easy. One of the most important decisions you may make regarding health care as you age could be whether you need a nursing home or hospice care. To make the best choice for you and your family, it helps to know the difference between...
Trusts and SSI
The contents of most trusts you create for yourself will be considered available to you in determining your eligibility for SSI. On the other hand, assets of most trusts that someone else creates and names you as a beneficiary of will not be considered to belong to...
Federal Government Seeks to Improve Long-Term Care Industry
The Biden Administration has directed federal agencies to improve access to high-quality, affordable long-term care for seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans. Citing a 40 percent increase in the cost of long-term care over the past decade, the...
Can Your IRA Benefit Both Your Heirs and Charity?
Question: Do you want to use your IRA to help a charity and also benefit your heirs? If yes, then instead of leaving your IRA directly to your children, you can leave it to a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) while still benefiting your children. Under the SECURE...
Seniors Face Loss of Buying Power
Inflation affects all consumers, but older Americans are facing an especially dramatic loss of buying power. A recent survey by the Senior Citizens League shows that Social Security benefits have seen a 36 percent loss in buying power since 2000. That number is...
Study: Hiring Family to Care for Children With Disabilities
Children with disabilities need a high level of care, which can be difficult considering the fact that over 2 million health care jobs are unfilled. A recent study in Colorado showed that hiring family members as certified nursing assistants (CNAs) can be an effective...
Innovative Long-Term Care Housing Solutions for Seniors
The population of seniors over 65 is expected to increase exponentially over the next decade. A study by the Office of Policy Development and Research exposed the country’s unpreparedness for housing the aged population. America has three major housing issues for...