Imagine you bought a house and, a year and a half later, you discovered bundles of cash totalling more than $100,000 that had been hidden away by the deceased former owner. Who would be entitled to the money -- you or the former owner's estate? Confronted with just...

Being appointed guardian of a loved one is a serious responsibility. As guardian, you are in charge of your loved one's well-being and you have a duty to act in his or her best interest. If an adult becomes mentally incapacitated and is incapable of making responsible...

Written By: Patricia Kalla Zonnenberg The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has published proposed regulations governing annual contribution limits to ABLE accounts. The proposed regulations, issued on October 10, 2019, will implement statutory changes to section 529A of...

When creating an estate plan, the main decision is how your assets will be distributed after you pass away. Understanding "per stirpes" and "per capita" distribution is key to that decision. The terms "per stirpes" and "per capita" become important when your...

Nursing home residents do not automatically have to sell their homes in order to qualify for Medicaid, but that doesn't mean the house is completely protected. The state will likely put a lien on the house while the resident is living and attempt to recover the...

In 1989, the price of a movie ticket was $4 and a gallon of gas cost a dollar, on average.  That same year, Congress raised the amount of money that recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) could retain without losing their eligibility to $2,000. While the...

Yes, that could happen. The Medicaid agency no doubt has a claim against the house for the cost of the care it paid for your mother. If that cost exceeds the value of the house, then all of the net proceeds after the costs associated with selling the house will be due...

People with disabilities are frequently denied consideration for heart, kidney, liver and other organ transplants, according to the primary agency that oversees federal disability rights policy. “Organ transplants save lives. But for far too long, people with...

After small or no increases the past couple of years, Medicare’s Part B premium will rise in 2020. The basic monthly premium will increase $9.10, from $135.50 a month to $144.60. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the premium increase on...

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced the amount taxpayers can deduct from their 2020 income as a result of buying long-term care insurance. Premiums for "qualified" long-term care insurance policies (see explanation below) are tax deductible to the extent...

This is something of a gray area. Medicaid has income rules and generally any money you receive directly is considered income and may put you over the income limits in your state. However, payments made on your behalf generally are not considered to be income for...

Written By: Andy Jones To the relief of disability rights advocates nationwide, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined, without comment, to hear an appeal of a landmark ruling that pizza giant Domino’s must make its website and app accessible to people with disabilities....

The answer is probably yes. The state Medicaid agency would likely consider the payments to repair the condominium to be a transfer of assets causing a period of ineligibility for Medicaid. While your mother lived in the condo, you could have charged her fair market...

When it comes to long-term care costs, the charges for home care are now rising faster than those for nursing home care, according to Genworth's 2019 Cost of Care survey. In the past year, the median annual cost for home health aides rose 4.55 percent to $52,624,...

Written By: Lelia Wardell Mander The end of the year is approaching and the holidays will soon be in full swing, a time when many people are getting ready to make gifts to their family members. Not only is this a great way to show love and support to relatives, but it...