The Veterans Administration has tightened restrictions on the room and board a veteran may deduct from income when applying for V.A. pensions and pensions with Veterans Aid & Attendance benefits.   For applications pending or submitted on or after October 26, 2012, room and board at a residential facility may be deducted as an unreimbursed medical […]

Human rights are the fundamental rights which every living person is entitled to, and are considered to be universal rights or laws regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. President Obama proclaimed this week, December 10-17, as Human Rights Week to encourage greater awareness of human rights and promote fairness and equality.  In light […]

After months of waiting for an answer about partial expansion of Medicaid, states received a reply from the Obama administration that if they partially expand Medicaid coverage, they will not receive the enhanced funding that would come with a full expansion. The Health and Human Services Secretary wrote a letter to governors Monday about the […]

Medicare was established in 1965, providing health insurance for people 65 and older, regardless of income or medical history.  Throughout their working lives, people pay into Medicare based on the assumption that they will have secure health coverage when they retire. Before Medicare, an estimated 50% of seniors had no health insurance, due to lower […]

Gift giving can be a risky venture for people who may need Medicaid coverage within five years. For example, Jennifer and Ryan recently got married and her grandparents Rose and Lou would like to give them a Christmas gift of $10,000 for their nest egg.  If Rose’s health suddenly declines and if she requires nursing […]

With 2013 almost upon us, now is the time to act for matters like planning for your estate and gifts to loved ones.  Depending upon your goals and hopes for the coming year, it might still be time to wait when it comes to charitable gift planning. If you’re one of the tiny percentage of […]

President Obama is proposing a 45% estate tax after the current 35% rate expires on Jan. 1, 2013. His proposal would exclude from the tax the first $3.5 million of an estate’s assets, down from the current threshold of $5.12 million. Under his proposal, nearly 7,500 estates would owe taxes next year, compared with 4,000 […]

This week, we celebrate “Special Education Day” and “Special Kids Day.” Attend our Special Needs Planning Event on December 11. Find out more and register. Twenty million American families have at least one member with special needs.  Parents of those with special needs are tasked with planning for their children throughout their lifetime, as many […]

On December 11 at 6 p.m., we celebrate “Special Education Day” and “Special Kids Day” with a Special Needs Planning Event. Join us for an event focused on Special Needs Planning and enjoy some delicious refreshments! The majority of American families who have a loved one with special needs require legal planning to ensure that […]

The reelection of President Obama has brought the topic of estate tax back into the limelight. For 2011 and 2012, we have had the largest federal estate tax exemption in 50 years (currently at $5.12 million) and the lowest federal estate tax rate (at 35%).   The present law is set to expire at the end […]

Thanksgiving for caregivers is about much more than a plentiful family meal.  It’s a special time for those entrusted with caring for a loved one. For some, gratitude is a way to keep the cup half-full, especially when someone you love is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Four years ago, Mary Anne first showed symptoms of Alzheimer’s.  […]

During the month of November, we recognize National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregiver Month.  These observances bring attention to Alzheimer’s, which is the only illness among the top ten for which there is no known effective prevention. Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects approximately 1 in 8 Americans, making it the sixth […]

This month we recognize both National Alzheimer’s Awareness month and National Family Caregivers Month. These are nationally recognized months seeking to draw attention and raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and issues that affect family caregivers. Caring for another person can be both rewarding and demanding. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can be especially challenging, even […]

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE “There are only four kinds of people in the world — those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers.” — Former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter National Family Caregivers Month is a nationally recognized month […]

Estate Planning is about carrying out our wishes after we die,  But in addition to a good Estate Plan, everyone over the age of 18 also needs a good Incapacity Plan that takes care of you during your lifetime if you become incapacitated. Blues singer Etta James signed her Power of Attorney in 2008, granting […]