It is important to understand the basics of special needs planning, so that you can plan for your child’s future. There are many issues to address, but an experienced Houston estate planning professional will be able to help. Special needs planning is challenging. It’s important to have a strong team…
Saving for college but needing to receive Medicaid is a complicated equation. The answer “It depends” is not much of a comfort when considering how college savings accounts will be treated for Medicaid purposes. However, it is, unfortunately, the most accurate answer. There are several factors that must be considered:…
A large percentage of Americans require assisted living care at some point during their senior years. Their understanding of how that gets paid for is way off base. It’s a hard lesson to learn. Approximately one-third of Americans (34%) thought that Medicare would cover their nursing home costs, as reported…
It is premature for anyone who depends upon either Medicaid or Obamacare to breathe a sigh of life. While recent attempts to repeal Obamacare have failed, both of these programs are being targeted. Medicaid is far more important to more Americans than most people know. It does provide healthcare for…
Nursing home and other long-term care expenses can be a financial burden for most families. And although long-term care insurance policies can help offset those expenses, LTC premiums are on the rise and can be quite costly. It can take careful planning to determine if LTC premiums can be paid…
As a direct result of complex relationships between Social Security and Medicare and a number of other unforeseen issues, 2016 will be an expensive year for some seniors, according to Forbes' recent article, "Untangling the Medicare Premium Mess — And What It Means For You." Medicare laws require it to…
Do you have a plan for long term care? It can be costly and prohibitive for many families, especially for dementia care. Several key points about long term care are clarified in a recent article from The Arizona Daily Star, “Costs pile up fast for dementia care.” Don’t count on…
The Huffington Post published an interesting article on the ethical and legal issues posed by two related legal practice areas, “Some Legal Issues at the Intersection of Elder Law and Estate Planning.” There are legal and ethical issues that arise when determining courses of action in both areas. One is…
"Will you still need me? Will you still feed me? When I'm 64?" The Beatles first released these quaint, clarinet-fueled lyrics in 1967 when the loving answer to these questions was a resounding, "Yes!" Traditional marriage vows echo this sentiment in that they presuppose a relationship span that encompasses young…
In all states, federal Medicaid law provides special protections for the spouses of Medicaid applicants. But states decide how much the non-institutionalized spouse may keep, within a range. Connecticut's allowance — $23,844 — is the lowest. And legislators are calling for an increase. If this legislation succeeds in reducing the…