Last year, many people enrolling in Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage) found Medicare's Website difficult to use. Medicare recently updated its Web site, allowing greater comparisons of cost, coverage and participating pharmacies. The site … [Continue reading]
When is the Best Time to Purchase Long Term Care Insurance?
If you decide that long-term care insurance is the right decision to protect your assets and your family's financial future, the best time to buy it is now, because the older you get, the more expensive the policy becomes in the long run. By buying … [Continue reading]
Caregivers Take Care
Caregiving can be very stressful and demanding. In the case of a healthy spouse or a child living with a disabled person at home, caregiving can be a 24 hour, 7 day a week commitment. But even for the caregiver not living in the home, looking after a … [Continue reading]
New Report on The Role of Long-Term Care Insurance
Private insurance currently plays a small, but potentially important role in financing the long-term care of the elderly in the United States, and some believe it can be a significant element in a restructured long-term care financing system, … [Continue reading]
BenefitsCheckUp.org – An Important Tool for Seniors
Millions of older Americans are eligible for, but may not be receiving, benefits from existing federal, state and local programs that help seniors pay for prescription drugs, health care, utilities and other basic needs, according to the National … [Continue reading]
The Living Trust Plus® Asset Protection Trust
A typical revocable living trust protects your assets from the expenses of probate, but does not otherwise protect your assets. Evan Farr's Living Trust PlusTM Asset Protection Trust is a living trust that not only protects your assets from the … [Continue reading]
What is Alzheimer’s Planning?
Persons with Alzheimer’s disease and their families face special legal and financial needs. Controlling the high costs of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, and navigating the emotionally and physically demanding requirements of caregiving, … [Continue reading]
Virginia’s New Long-Term Care Insurance Partnership
Virginia's new Long-Term Care Insurance Partnership Program, effective September 1, 2007, will allow consumers to obtain Long-Term Care Insurance as part of a Medicaid Asset Protection Plan. Virginia's Partnership Program allows individuals … [Continue reading]
What is Long-Term Care?
When a person requires someone else to help with physical or emotional needs over an extended period of time, this is long-term care. This help may be required for many of the activities or needs that healthy, active people take for granted and may … [Continue reading]
The Benefits of Hospice Care
It is unfortunate that many people who die in a hospital emergency room or who receive heroic treatments to prolong life in a hospital or nursing home may have had the alternative of dying at home in familiar surroundings, with family or other loved … [Continue reading]
Using a Professional Geriatric Care Manager
Utilizing the services of a professional geriatric care manager should be something that every family considers, but in reality very few families know about care managers or use them. Geriatric care managers can go a long ways toward helping a … [Continue reading]
Cost of Home Health Care vs. Other LTC Options
When it comes to long-term care, which type of care is cheaper? A common misperception among the media and the public is that receiving care at home is less expensive than receiving care at an assisted living facility or a nursing home. In reality, … [Continue reading]
Medicare Premiums May Increase By Record Amount
Medicare Part B premiums are forecast to increase by $15.90 in 2008, the largest single-year hike in the history of the program, according to a new analysis by the Senior Citizens League. The 17 percent increase would bring the premium to $109.40, up … [Continue reading]
CCRC Resident Fights Move to Increased Level of Care
An 88-year-old California widow is challenging an attempt by her continuing care retirement community (CCRC) to move her from her private apartment to an assisted living unit. If she is successful, the outcome could set a legal precedent for more … [Continue reading]
Long-Term Care Benefits for Veterans and Spouses
Long-term care costs can add up quickly. Our firm can assist veterans and surviving spouses of veterans obtain valuable help when they need in-home care, or are in an assisted living facility or nursing home. The Veterans Administration (VA) has an … [Continue reading]
Things to Remember at Tax Time
April 17th is approaching and it is time to begin crossing T's and dotting I's in preparation for paying taxes. As tax time draws near, you want to make sure you file all the proper forms and take all deductions you're entitled to. The following are … [Continue reading]
Making Decisions for An Adult Special Needs Child
Parents of children with special needs must be concerned with ensuring that medical and financial decisions will continue to be made in the child’s best interest once the child reaches age 18 – the age of legal capacity. In most states, once a child … [Continue reading]
About the New Medicare Plans
January 1, 2007 through through March 31, 2007 is the open enrollment for Medicare Advantage plans. These new private-sector plans were created along with the Medicare prescription drug program by the 2005 Medicare Modernization Act. During open … [Continue reading]
Reverse Mortgage Home Equity Loans
For many seniors the equity in their home is their largest single asset, yet it is unavailable to use unless they use a conventional home-equity loan. But a conventional loan really doesn't free up the equity because the money has to be paid back … [Continue reading]
New LTC Insurance Premium Deductibility Limits
The Internal Revenue Service has announced the 2007 limitations on the deductibility of long-term care insurance premiums from taxes. Premiums for "qualified" (see explanation below) long-term care policies are treated as an unreimbursed medical … [Continue reading]