What Are Survivor Benefits?
September 16, 2022 The Social Security Administration provides four types of Social Security benefits: retirement, disability, dependents, and survivor benefits. Survivor benefits are available to the children and spouses of deceased individuals who qualify. If you qualify for retirement or disability benefits, your spouse and children have the right to…
What Is Spousal Impoverishment?
Spousal impoverishment is a concern for older couples when one spouse needs long-term care and applies for Medicaid. If one spouse requires care in a skilled nursing facility and the other remains at home, the spouse at home might face significant financial hardships. The high costs of nursing homes combined…
What Is Community Medicaid?
September 6, 2022 Medicaid is a federal program administered on a state-by-state basis. There are several types of Medicaid — including Community Medicaid. Community Medicaid covers care and medical services that enable a recipient to remain in their home or community as long as possible instead of entering a skilled…
What’s Estate Planning Got to do with Interest Rates – Part I
August 31, 2022 It’s hard to look anywhere these days without seeing something about interest rates or inflation. All of us know that inflation hovers at a forty-year high and we feel that impact every time we go to the grocery store or gas pump. While these represent direct ways…
The Inflation Reduction Act
August 26, 2022 After more than a year of debate over the provisions of the “Build Back Better Act,” President Biden signed the newly titled “Inflation Reduction Act” (the “Act”) into law on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. While the Act represents a scaled back version of the Build Back Better…
Miller Trusts Can Help You Qualify for Medicaid
August 18, 2022 Many seniors find themselves in need of Medicaid to pay for their long-term care but are surprised to learn that their modest monthly income may disqualify them. The reason for this is that Medicaid is a “means-tested” benefit. In other words, you must not have income exceeding…
What You Need to Know About Medicaid’s Personal Needs Allowance
August 12, 2022 Seniors who rely on Medicaid and live in nursing homes receive a personal needs allowance — a monthly stipend the Medicaid recipient can use to pay for needs that Medicaid does not cover. Medicaid restricts the amount of the allowance and how it is used. If recipients…
Can a Nursing Home Hold Friends or Family Members Responsible For a Resident’s Care?
August 2, 2022 If your loved one is entering a nursing home, you may worry whether you could be liable for their care. Under federal law, a facility cannot require a family member or friend to co-sign an admission agreement and take on personal liability. However, nursing homes around the…
Plan Ahead Before Seeking Nursing Home Care: Avoid Unnecessary Debt for You and Your Family
August 3, 2022 Many senior citizens may need the services of a nursing home or at-home care at some point in their life. You might assume that government assistance or health insurance will step in and cover the cost if you cannot afford these services. Unfortunately, neither health insurance nor…
What Are the Best Ways to Get Out of Debt Before You Retire?
July 25, 2022 Retirement is an expensive affair, and planning for it involves managing finances even after you have left the workforce. It is commonly estimated that you should have about 70 percent to 90 percent of your pre-retirement income to maintain the same living standard after you retire. A…
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