On July 8, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service issued new guidance that allows a deceased person’s estate to elect “portability” of their unused gift and estate tax exemption for up to five years after their death. So, if your spouse passed away less than five years...

Following the death of a family member, you may find yourself needing to sort through many possessions accumulated over the deceased’s lifetime. An estate sale is one way to distribute those items that you do not want or need quickly and efficiently. While selling...

Retirement is an expensive affair, and planning for it involves managing finances even after you have left the workforce. It is commonly estimated that you should have about 70 percent to 90 percent of your pre-retirement income to maintain the same living standard...

Individuals experiencing illnesses can benefit from having someone attend appointments with them and support their best interests. Often, close friends or family take on this role. Professional patient advocates, however, can step in when friends or family cannot be...

Nursing home evictions, or involuntary discharges or transfers, disrupt the lives of residents, leading to homelessness, separation from familial support systems, and loss of care. As federal law covers all federally funded nursing home residents, nursing home...

Yes. If the gentleman qualifies for Medicaid coverage, his interest in the property might be subject to Medicaid’s estate recovery claim upon his death. We would recommend consulting with a local elder law attorney to make sure the transaction is structured in a way...

Summer can be a fun and relaxing time, but for those heading off to college for the first time, there is much planning to be done. Dorm room essentials, possibly a new, more mature wardrobe, a car, registering for classes, vaccinations, & more can keep a new...

Medigap is Medicare Supplement Insurance that helps fill "gaps" in original Medicare (Parts A and B) and is sold by private companies. Original Medicare pays for much, but not all, of the cost for covered health care services and supplies. A Medicare Supplement...

For Americans who are blind or have other visual impairments, reading the instructions or deciphering the results of a traditional at-home COVID-19 rapid test can prove difficult, if not impossible. Tests designed to be more accessible to people with these...

Today, more than 1.4 million individuals live in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes across the United States. As part of an effort seeking to improve the health and safety of nursing home residents nationwide, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services...

If medical personnel are able to access your medical history during an emergency, it could mean the difference between life and death. But if, for example, you are injured, in shock, suffering from dementia, or are otherwise incapacitated, you may not be able to...

An advisory issued in June warns people against using a series of adult portable bed rail models after at least three people — including one in a nursing home and another in an assisted living facility — were entangled in them and died of asphyxia. The U.S. Consumer...

While Medicaid helps pay for nursing home care, being admitted to a nursing home as a Medicaid recipient is not always easy. There are several ways to navigate the process, depending on your situation. With the median cost of a nursing home room being more than $250 a...

That is a good question. Unfortunately, it appears, as long as your mother is in the skilled nursing facility, she cannot trigger the 60-day break in in-patient status necessary to start a new spell of illness even though Medicare is not paying for her care. The...

There are some serious drawbacks to many options for giving gifts to grandchildren. Either there are no tax or estate planning advantages, or you have no control of the funds (or lose control after a certain point), or the money could affect a grandchild's eligibility...