How Old Do You Have to Be to Get Medicare?
If you are approaching retirement, you may worry about paying for medical expenses once you leave the workforce. The good news is the United States has a health insurance program for individuals 65 and older. The program is called Medicare. Read on to learn more about...
Medicaid Rules for States: Recent Updates and Enhancements
Thanks to a new rule recently finalized by the federal government, obtaining and renewing health care coverage under the Medicaid program is set to become easier for millions of Americans. What Is Medicaid? Medicaid provides people living on limited income with access...
Report: Planning for America’s Aging Population
If you are age 65 or older and living in the United States, you are part of a large and growing population segment. According to the 2020 Census, one in six Americans are over 65. In fact, the number of Americans over 65 grew nearly five times faster than the total...
Report Shows Spectrum of Needs Among Older Americans
Understanding the nation’s latest data on older adults can aid policymakers and advocates for those 65 and older in responding more effectively to this population’s unique needs, while also helping seniors and their families plan for the future. Each year, the...
Managing Private-Pay Caregivers: ASNP Conference Session
Source: ElderLawAnswers.com, The Academy of Special Needs Planners Attendees of the April 2024 National Conference of the Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP), held in Austin, Texas, heard from experts in the special needs planning field on such diverse topics as...
Medicaid Planning Question: Will Paying Off Parents’ Mortgage Affect Their Medicaid Eligibility?
Question: If children buy their parents out of a reverse mortgage, is that a transfer of an asset for less than fair market value, which would negatively affect Medicaid eligibility? In this instance the house could potentially sell for $600,000 to $700,000 on...
Understanding Neurodiversity: Embracing Neurological Differences
Neurodiversity is a concept and movement that recognizes and respects variations in human brain function and behavior as part of normal diversity. It emphasizes that neurological differences, such as those seen in conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other...
Receiving an Inheritance? Beware of Medicaid Income Limits
For most people, receiving an inheritance is something to celebrate. However, for a nursing home resident on Medicaid, an inheritance may not be such welcome news. What Is Medicaid? Medicaid is a public assistance health insurance program for people who have limited...
Introduction to Social Security Retirement Benefits
Social Security was enacted in 1935 to provide some relief to America's destitute older citizens during the economic cataclysm known as the Great Depression. A direct descendant of that more limited effort, today's Social Security retirement program is in fact a group...
Can I Put My Inheritance in a Third-Party Special Needs Trust?
Question: I'm on Medicaid and SSI. I'll be receiving a financial inheritance within the next year or less. Can I deposit my own inheritance in a Third-Party Special Needs Trust and spend it on myself? I really need to be able to keep my Medicaid and spend my...
The Rising Costs of Long-Term Care
Do you have a family member who is receiving some form of long-term care? If you don’t, the chances are good that someday you will – and that day may not be too far away. As the U.S. population ages and life expectancies increase, the need for long-term care is...
What You Should Know About the Medicare Tax
You may have seen the Medicare tax listed on your paycheck stubs or on your income tax return filings and wondered what it is. To learn more about what it is and what it pays for, continue reading. What is Medicare Tax? Medicare is a federal public benefits program...
States Are Turning to Managed Care for Medicaid LTC
More and more states are switching to a managed care model when dealing with Medicaid long-term care patients, a change that has resulted in a loss of services in some cases. Many states use managed care to deliver care to their regular Medicaid populations, but until...
Does Divorce Affect Social Security Spousal Benefits?
More than 50 million Americans receive Social Security retirement benefits. Most of these recipients are retirees who worked and paid Social Security taxes. But millions of dependents and survivors of retired workers, including spouses and ex-spouses, also receive a...
Promissory Notes and Medicaid Planning
Medicaid planning is often a complex process aimed at preserving a person’s assets while qualifying for Medicaid benefits. Finding a way to pay for long-term care costs without depleting all your hard-earned assets is a key part of Medicaid planning. One strategy for...