What You Should Know About Required Minimum Distributions
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are the minimum amounts a retirement plan account owner must take out each year. RMDs begin when a person reaches either age 72, 70½ if they reached this age before January 1, 2020, or the year in which a person retires (if after...
What Is the Difference Between Medicaid and Medicare?
Although Medicaid and Medicare are both public health insurance programs, they have essential differences. Medicare is a federal program for older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with end-stage renal failure. Medicaid is federal-state assistance for...
Does Medicare Cover the Cost of Getting a Second Opinion?
You may be nervous about whether Medicare will cover a second opinion if you wish to confirm whether a medical treatment or surgery is right for you. Given the cost of doctor visits today, the prospect of an out-of-pocket expense for a second opinion is understandably...
IRS: You Can Contribute More to Retirement Starting in 2023
In October 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced contribution limitation adjustments for employee retirement plans in response to inflation. The IRS issued Notice 2022-55, which describes cost-of-living adjustments for retirement and pension plans. The...
Protecting Spouses of Medicaid Applicants: 2023 Guidelines
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2023 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses of institutionalized Medicaid recipients may keep, as well as related Medicaid figures. What Are Spousal Impoverishment Rules? Spousal...
Getting Medicare Food Benefits
As people age, accessing healthy meals can become more challenging. According to Feeding America, one in five older adults was food-insecure in 2020. Some older adults struggle with affording healthy foods, whereas others have difficulty going to the grocery store and...
Seniors and the Benefits of Downsizing
You spend a large portion of your life and your hard-earned money on the concept of the American dream, buying and living in your forever home. Your home is a special place, filled with memories, love, and laughter. As you age, you might start asking yourself whether...
Pros and Cons of a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust
A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) is one option a person may consider to protect their assets from Medicaid and nursing homes or long-term care. A MAPT is an irrevocable trust created during your lifetime. The primary goal of a MAPT is to transfer assets to it...
Do All the Proceeds From Selling the House Have to Go Toward Memory Care?
Unfortunately, it’s too late to gift. Any gift could be penalized by a period of ineligibility for Medicaid benefits. There are a few exceptions to this rule. One is that transfers may be made to a trust for the sole benefit of a disabled individual. If either you or...
A Good Night’s Sleep May Cut Chronic Disease Risk in Seniors
A newly released study finds that seniors who get less than five hours of sleep a night may be at higher risk for chronic diseases. More than 7,000 midlife and senior men and women were part of the study on sleep duration over the course of 25 years. In high-income...
Feds Announce New Strategy to Support Family Caregivers
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recently started to focus on finding ways to support family caregivers by assisting them with resources to maintain their health, well-being, and financial security while they act as caregivers. As part of...
Will You Lose Your Medicaid Coverage When the Pandemic Ends?
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the government declared a public health emergency and gave the states the ability to provide more citizens with health insurance through Medicaid. As a result, 25 percent more Americans now have access to health care, including...
What to Do If Medicare Denies Coverage for Prescription Drug
Receiving a denial at the pharmacy for a drug you need can be a stressful experience. When Medicare declines to cover a prescription, some might worry that they cannot afford the medicine out of pocket. Others might also need the treatment immediately and become...
When Should You Start Helping With Your Parents’ Finances?
It is tough to know when you should step in and help your parents with their finances. You may go back and forth about when to take over. Deciding whether your parents still have the cognitive ability to manage their money is a difficult call to make. A recent report...
Comparing Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage
Recent research by the Kaiser Family Foundation examined the differences between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. While people in either program were similarly satisfied with their care and overall care coordination, some distinctions became apparent....