As Thanksgiving approaches, we wanted to take a moment to say how thankful we are for you and your family. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and we look forward to working with you in the future. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if we can be of assistance in any way.
The Social Security Administration has changed the formularies for benefit payouts. Seniors and near seniors need to understand what these changes are in order to optimize their benefit. If you are sixty years of age or more you are in the forefront of a big change in social security. The full retirement age (FRA), when…
Older parents are becoming more common, driven in part by changing cultural mores and advances in infertility treatment. Comedian and author Steve Martin had his first child at age 67. Singer Billy Joel just welcomed his third daughter. Janet Jackson had a child at age 50. But later-in-life parents have some special estate planning and…
A nursing home closure can be traumatic for residents who are forced to move. While there may not be much that can be done to prevent a closure, residents do have some rights. Moving into a nursing home can be a stressful experience on its own. If that nursing home closes, residents can experience symptoms…
If you will soon turn 65 and be applying for Medicare, you should carefully consider which Medigap policy to enroll in because two of the most popular plans will be ending soon. In 2020, Medicare beneficiaries will no longer be able to enroll in Plans F and C.Between copayments, deductibles, and coverage exclusions, Medicare does…
After staying the same for five years, the amount you can give away to any one individual in a particular year without reporting the gift will increase in 2018.The annual gift tax exclusion for 2018 is rising from $14,000 to $15,000. This means that any person who gives away $15,000 or less to any one individual (anyone…
From agingcare.com come this very informative article for caregivers: What is a Care Plan? A care plan is a tool that professional caregivers and long-term care providers use to ensure their patients’ needs are met with timely, high-quality responses. Family caregivers can benefit from using a similar approach to either organize their daily tasks or create a…
In 2018, Social Security recipients will get their largest cost of living increase in benefits since 2012, but the additional income will likely be largely eaten up by higher Medicare Part B premiums.Cost of living increases are tied to the consumer price index, and an upturn in inflation rates and gas prices means recipients get…
A growing problem with adult guardianship abuse is giving rise to calls for reform of the system. Vulnerable elderly can get caught in the guardianship system, being harmed and exploited by the very process that is supposed to protect them.A guardian is someone appointed by a court to make decisions on behalf of an incapacitated individual…
Most of us are cautious when it comes to taxes. We don’t want to pay more that we should, and we most certainly do not want to evade legitimate taxes and be penalized. So when discussions of the use of Trusts in Estate Planning, Medicaid Planning or Long-term Care Health Care Planning comes up, taxes…