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...

The way the government calculates inflation affects eligibility for numerous programs -- ranging from Medicaid to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to food stamps -- that are relied on by people with disabilities. Now, the government is considering changing what some...

If you are in the process of setting up a special needs trust, you must appoint a trustee. This is one of the most important decisions you’ll make about the trust.  The trustee must have the necessary expertise to manage the trust, including making proper investments,...

It may become harder for Medicare beneficiaries to find home health care due to a new rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Although the rule changes the way home health care providers are reimbursed, it could affect patient care as well....

What will happen to your estate if your primary beneficiary does not survive you? If your will does not name an alternate beneficiary, your estate will be divided according to state law. The way the state divides your estate may not agree with your wishes. Your money...

Sometimes homes and portfolios lose value or income and investments increase significantly. If this is the case for you, do you need to change your will? If your finances have changed markedly since you wrote your will, you should check your estate plan to see if you...

Emotions can run high at the death of a family member. If a family member is unhappy with the amount they received (or didn't receive) under a will, he or she may contest the will. Will contests can drag out for years, keeping all the heirs from getting what they are...

An Alabama appeals court holds that if property belonging to a Medicaid applicant's community spouse is used to determine a spouse's community spouse resource allowance, it also can be counted in determining the applicant's Medicaid eligibility even if the spouse is...

Raising a grandchild can be tough financially, but grandparents should be aware that there is a tax credit available that could help them. Working grandparents who are supporting their grandchildren may qualify for the earned income tax credit, which could reduce the...

A proposal tucked into the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) 2020 budget, released March 18, is raising fears that people applying for government disability benefits will soon have their posts on Facebook, Twitter and other social media networks scrutinized....

Answer: YES! Medicare beneficiaries may discuss options for care at the end of life with their health care providers. Beneficiaries of course were already free to talk about advance care planning with their doctors or other qualified health professionals, but the...

In most states, transferring your house to your children (or someone else) may lead to a Medicaid penalty period, which would make you ineligible for Medicaid for a period of time. However, there are circumstances in which transferring a house will not result in a...

Caring for an ailing family member is difficult work, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be unpaid work. There are programs available that allow Medicaid recipients to hire family members as caregivers. All 50 states have programs that provide pay to family...

The Voice® Newsletter July 2019 - Vol. 13, Issue 4 The Voice is the email newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member, Lee M. Holmes, of Holmes, Holmes and Neisent, PLLC in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The law...

The older the population gets, the greater the potential for elder abuse. States have laws in place designed to combat elder abuse, but some states are doing a better job than others. The consumer finance website WalletHub researched the protections in place in all 50...