Better Than No Loaf: Medicaid Planning Using “Half a Loaf” Strategies
It is preferable to conduct long-term care planning well in advance of needing care. However, if you haven’t planned ahead, there are some strategies available to avoid spending all your assets. Three so-called “half a loaf” approaches allow a Medicaid applicant to give away some assets while still qualifying…
Estate Planning Reduces Stress During High Anxiety Times
September 21, 2021 by Tereina Stidd Everyone who lived through September 11, 2001, shares a common experience. Although colored by our individual circumstances, we remember looking at the horrific images of destruction and misery and wondering why this tragedy occurred. Since that fateful day, Americans have flocked to churches, synagogues,…
Nursing Homes Grapple with Whether to Force Staff to Get Vaccinated
As COVID-19 cases start to rise again due to the highly contagious Delta variant, nursing homes are considering requiring staff members to be vaccinated. Only 59 percent of nursing home staff are partially or fully vaccinated nationwide, and the percentages are much lower in some states. While 81 percent of…
Delightful Clients
How likely is it that two new clients with same last name – let’s say Smith – would show up at the same time? It turns out that the first Smith’s son had asked about booking the appointment but didn’t take the offered slot, then another Smith called in shortly…
Medicare Would Cover Dental, Vision, and Hearing Under Senate Democrats’ Spending Plan
The Senate Democrats’ proposal for a $3.5 trillion spending plan includes expanding Medicare to provide dental, vision, and hearing benefits. The proposal is now being negotiated in Congress. Currently Medicare does not offer much in the way of dental, vision, and hearing benefits. Medicare Part A will cover certain emergency…
You May Be Overestimating Your Social Security Benefits
Studies have found that workers overestimate how much they will receive in Social Security benefits when they retire. Having a good understanding of the realities can help you plan for retirement. Researchers from the University of Michigan studied the expectations of workers and found great uncertainty about future Social Security benefits…
Dangers of Do-It-Yourself Estate Planning
July 27, 2021 by Steve Hartnett Occasionally, those who aren’t Estate Planning attorneys will attempt to do their own Estate Planning. They think they can find a document online or use a friend’s document and can figure it out. Unfortunately, there are many pitfalls one could run across. Let’s look at three…
What Issues Do Baby Boomers Face with their Parents’ Estate?
Gail Rubin – Academy Guest BloggerAmerican Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. ~~~~~~~ I recently had to clear out my parents’ home here in Albuquerque. As a Baby Boomer facing a lifetime of photographs, paperwork, furniture and memorabilia, this has been a daunting challenge. My parents used to split their…
It’s Important to Have a Coordinated Estate Plan
June 15, 2021 by Steve Hartnett An Estate Plan includes various different moving parts. The Revocable Trust may be the keystone of the plan, but it’s important to consider how the other parts of the plan will work with…or against…the plan. Let’s look at a simple example. John had three children and…
Supreme Court to Hear Case That Could Increase the Bite That Medicaid Takes Out of Settlements
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case disputing how much states can recoup from Medicaid recipients’ settlements in personal injury cases. The decision has the potential to affect anyone who receives government assistance with their medical care following a disabling injury that results in a lawsuit. …
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