Written By: Andy Jones The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is proposing regulations that would allow airlines to impose new restrictions on people with disabilities seeking to fly with service animals. The planned rules would also end legal protections for...

While estate planning is important for married couples, it is arguably even more necessary for couples that live together without getting married. Without an estate plan unmarried couples won’t be able to make end-of-life decisions or inherit from each other. Estate...

A power of attorney (POA) and a health care proxy are two of the most important estate planning documents you can have, but in some instances they may be useless if they don't comply with the federal privacy law. A POA allows someone you designate (your "agent" or...

A new payment method for Medicare providers is making it harder for some home health care patients to receive physical, occupational, or speech therapy. Under the new system, providers are refusing to cover some therapy services. On January 1, 2020, the federal...

This is a difficult and not unusual situation. The Medicare payment structure provides incentives for hospitals to discharge patients as soon as safely possible. The hospitals then put pressure on patients and their families to accept discharges to places that may not...

Click here for the federal statute and the SSA POMS providing that Medicaid eligibility should continue for an SSI recipient who loses eligibility as a result of increased monthly income due to eligibility for Disabled Adult Child benefits.  The document is courtesy...

Although your life insurance policy may pass to your heirs income tax-free, it can affect your estate tax. If you are the owner of the insurance policy, it will become a part of your taxable estate when you die. You should make sure your life insurance policy won't...

The growing popularity of cryptocurrency means it is increasingly something that must be considered when planning an estate. If you own cryptocurrency, providing instructions in your will is a must. Cryptocurrency is virtual money that exists only in digital form. The...

Having power of attorney over a family member is a big responsibility and sometimes it makes sense to share that responsibility with someone else. But when two people are named co-agents under a power of attorney, conflicts can arise. Unfortunately, if the conflict...

New federal regulations set to take effect April 1, 2020, may make it significantly harder for many with disabilities to obtain food stamps. The new rules, finalized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), center on the work requirements for recipients of the...

Written By: Andy Jones Supplemental Security ncome (SSI) recipients are typically subject to strict income limits, but recipients under age 22 who are students may be able to earn significantly more without jeopardizing their benefits. It’s part of the Social Security...

Many movies and television shows have a scene where a family gathers around a big table after a relative has died to listen to the reading of the will. While this makes for a dramatic scene, one that may have been more common when literacy rates were lower, it doesn't...

You may be afraid of losing your home if you have to enter a nursing home and apply for Medicaid. While this fear is well-founded, transferring the home to your children is usually not the best way to protect it. Although you generally do not have to sell your home in...

It sounds like your father-in-law is a good candidate for “spousal refusal” or “just say no.” If your father assigns his legal right for support from his wife over to the state, under the Medicaid rules the state Medicaid agency should evaluate your father-in-law’s...

Whether your spouse has just passed away or you have lost your mom or dad, the emotional trauma of losing a loved one often comes with a bewildering array of financial and legal issues demanding attention. It can be difficult enough for family members to handle the...