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Ensuring Your Pet’s Well-Being: The Importance of Estate Planning for Your Beloved Pets
As pet lovers, we all understand the deep bond and companionship that our furry friends provide. They are more than...
As pet lovers, we all understand the deep bond and companionship that our furry friends provide. They are more than...
Recently proposed legislation seeks to offer financial relief for unpaid family caregivers. Introduced in November 2023, the Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act of 2023 is the result of a bipartisan effort to lessen the costs of family caregiving.
Under a new Medicare Prescription Payment Plan starting in 2025, all Medicare prescription drug plans, including Medicare Advantage plans, will offer enrollees the option to spread out their prescription drug out-of-pocket costs over 12 months.
For those who wish to maintain their independence and continue living at home as they grow older, taking certain steps to protect their physical, mental, and financial welfare is essential.
Join attorney Colleen Bratkovich and guest speaker, Dan Bekavac from Bekavac Funeral Home, for a discussion of the different types...
Attorney Carl Zacharia, licensed in both PA and Florida, will discuss all of the important considerations when contemplating a declaration...
A new study reveals that 60 percent of family members who were taking care of loved ones with Alzheimer's disease exhibited symptoms of depression that worsened over time
Medicaid Pending status means that your application or your parent’s application has not yet been approved or denied. Essentially, your application is in limbo.
A federal court has ruled that hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries who were switched from inpatient to observation status can appeal the decision, making it easier for them to receive coverage for subsequent nursing home care.
Vaccines can become less effective over time. Even individuals fully vaccinated as children may need to update their immunizations. Medicare Parts B and D offer vaccination coverage.
Rising inflation due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic means that in 2022, Social Security benefits will go up 5.9 percent, the sharpest upsurge since 1983.
As COVID-19 cases start to rise again due to the highly contagious Delta variant, nursing homes are considering requiring staff members to be vaccinated. Only 59 percent of nursing home staff are partially or fully vaccinated nationwide, and the percentages are much lower in some states.
Medicaid long-term care benefits traditionally pay mainly for nursing home care, but the federal government can grant “waivers” to states allowing them to expand Medicaid to include home and community-based services. The downside is that receiving care in a nursing home is an entitlement, while getting care at home is not.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued new guidance on whether families can visit loved ones in nursing homes. The guidance allows indoor visitation even when the resident has not been vaccinated.
Long-term care insurance prices have suddenly skyrocketed by as much as 66 percent in one year, according to the 2021 Long-Term Care Insurance Price Index, an annual report from the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an industry group. The price increases apply to couples and single individuals.
Medicare's Open Enrollment Period, during which you can freely enroll in or switch plans, runs from October 15 to December 7. Now is the time to start shopping around to see whether your current choices are still the best ones for you.
Medicare beneficiaries who qualified for skilled nursing facility (SNF) coverage may be eligible for an additional 100 days of coverage. Whether beneficiaries can actually get the extended coverage is another question.
How to find out if you are the owner of life insurance stock through your life insurance policy
Husbands usually don’t take survivor’s benefits into account when claiming benefits, according to a recent study, meaning that many widows will needlessly experience a significant drop in income.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced nursing homes to place a number of restrictions on their residents. These constraints are having the unintended consequence of making it more difficult for nursing home residents to vote.
Talking about estate planning is a difficult, emotional topic but it’s essential for every family. These eight tips can help you discuss the hard topics thoroughly and respectfully and prepare you for the road ahead.
The coronavirus pandemic is having a profound effect on the current U.S. economy, and it may have a detrimental effect on Social Security’s long-term financial situation.
Raising the minimum wage by as little as 10 percent would significantly improve the safety and health of nursing home residents, according to new research.
Medigap policies that supplement Medicare’s basic coverage can cost vastly different amounts, depending on the company selling the policy, according to a new study. The findings highlight the importance of shopping around before purchasing a policy.
Stay-at-Home Orders and fear of infection from COVID-19 have left many families struggling to manage the care needs of their...
The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on those in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. This has raised questions about how the virus has influenced the costs and provision of long-term care insurance.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning residents of long-term care facilities and their families that some facilities may unlawfully require residents who are on Medicaid to sign over their $1,200 pandemic relief checks.
The closure of Social Security offices has affected unemployed seniors who need to apply for Medicare after losing their employer health coverage. These seniors now have more time to enroll in Medicare or change plans.
When can you expect your coronavirus relief payment and how much will it be? The answer to the first question has been changing on an almost daily basis, but finally seems to have come into focus. Here’s the latest word.
With the coronavirus pandemic hitting nursing homes and assisted living facilities especially hard, families are wondering whether they should bring their parents or other loved ones home.
With coronavirus dominating news coverage and creating alarm, it is important to know that Medicare and Medicaid will cover tests for the virus.
The federal government is broadly expanding coverage of Medicare telehealth services to beneficiaries and relaxing HIPAA enforcement, which will give doctors the ability to provide more services to patients remotely.
The spread of the coronavirus to nursing home residents has caused the federal government to direct nursing homes to restrict visitor access. Families are having to find new ways to stay in touch.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was passed into law on March 27, 2020 and is a...
Medicare.gov recently published the following guidance so that you and your loved ones understand your rights and benefits during this...
For years people have been worried about Social Security’s future, but what is the actual outlook? According to the federal government, unless Congress acts to intervene, Social Security shortfalls are expected beginning in 2035.
The Trump administration will allow states the option to cap Medicaid spending using block grants. While this change does not directly affect nursing home residents on Medicaid, it could result in significant service cuts to other beneficiaries.
The basic Medicaid rule for nursing home residents is that they must pay all of their income, minus certain deductions, to the nursing home.
Medicare does not offer much in the way of dental benefits, but advocates for Medicare beneficiaries are arguing for that to change.
A spending bill signed into law by the President contains major changes to retirement plans. The bipartisan legislation is designed to provide more incentives to save for retirement, but it may require workers to rethink some of their planning.
The federal government has released the 2020 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses of Medicaid recipients may keep, as well as related Medicaid figures.
When it comes to long-term care costs, the charges for home care are now rising faster than those for nursing home care, according to Genworth's 2019 Cost of Care survey.
After small or no increases the past couple of years, Medicare’s Part B premium will rise sharply in 2020. The basic monthly premium will increase $9.10, from $135.50 a month to $144.60.
Nursing home residents do not automatically have to sell their homes in order to qualify for Medicaid, but that doesn't mean the house is completely protected.
A new report finds that almost no retirees are making financially optimal decisions about when to take Social Security and are losing out on an average of more than $100,000 per household in the process.
Reports of elder financial abuse continue to increase, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to scams or to financial abuse by family members in need of money.
With careful Medicaid planning, you may be able to preserve some of your estate for your children or other heirs while meeting the Medicaid asset limit.
Raising a grandchild can be tough financially, but grandparents in this situation should be aware that there is a tax credit available that could help them.
If you move to a different state or split your time between one or more states, you should make sure your advance directive is valid in all the states you frequent.
In order to be eligible for Medicaid, you cannot have transferred assets recently. Congress does not want you to move into a nursing home on Monday, give all your money to your children (or whomever) on Tuesday, and qualify for Medicaid on Wednesday.
There are circumstances in which transferring a house will not result in a Medicaid penalty period, and one of those is if the Medicaid applicant transfers the house to a "caretaker child."
Hospice care is supposed to help terminally ill patients maintain their quality of life at the end of their life, but two new government reports find that serious problems in some hospices may be actually causing harm to hospice patients.
The Trump administration is officially rolling back a ban on the use of arbitration agreements by nursing homes, once again allowing nursing facilities to ask families to give up their right to sue over patient injuries or deaths.
It may become harder for Medicare beneficiaries to find home health care due to a new rule from the Centers...
A New York trial court rules that a son who received his mother’s assets without consideration, leaving her insolvent, is...
Thinking about your funeral may not be fun, but planning ahead is helpful. It both lets your family know your wishes and assists them during a stressful time.
Hospital patients who need additional care after being discharged from the hospital are usually sent to either an inpatient rehabilitation facility or a skilled nursing facility, and Medicare offers very different coverage for each.
After a Medicaid recipient dies, the state must attempt to recoup from his or her estate whatever benefits it paid for the recipient's care. There are steps you can take to protect your home.
When creating advance directives in order to plan for the possibility that you may one day be unable to make your own medical decisions, there can be confusion about the difference between a living will and a "do-not-resuscitate" order.
This week, we are happy to share a blog post from Aaron Stevenson , the the founder of Snooze EZ....
Parents want their children to be taken care of after they die. But children with disabilities have increased financial and...
A new report that combines nursing home quality data with a survey of family members ranks the best and worst...
At the end of last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) finalized new rules that made it more difficult...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2019 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses...
A durable power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents you can have. It allows you...
With the aging population becoming increasingly tech savvy, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has moved a lot of services online....
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has finalized new rules that make it more difficult to qualify for long-term care...
A power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents, but when one sibling is named in...
Congress has expanded benefits for Medicare recipients with chronic conditions in its latest budget bill. The law gives some Medicare...
As we make our way through the hottest month of the year, it is a perfect time to review some...
Although a nursing home cannot require a child to be personally liable for their parent’s nursing home bill, there are circumstances...
The federal government has begun mailing new Medicare cards to 59 million Americans. You should keep track of when your...
With high school graduations just behind us and college on the horizon, you may already feel as though you are...
Arizona and Florida are the latest states to request a waiver from the requirement that states provide three months of...
This week we are happy to share with you a guest blog post from Hope Grows. Caregiving for aging parents...
While the execution of wills requires formalities like witnesses and a notary, the reality is that most property passes to...
A new study has found that people enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan were more likely to enter a lower...
With tax time upon us again this year, it is a good time to discuss which expenses and costs you...
The announcement of the 2018 Medicare premium is good news for some beneficiaries and bad news for many others. The...
The federal government is issuing new Medicare cards to all Medicare beneficiaries. To prevent fraud and fight identity theft, the...
Medicaid law imposes a penalty period if you transferred assets within five years of applying, but what if the transfers...
A new federal law is designed to address the growing problem of elder abuse. The law supports efforts to better...
After staying the same for five years, the amount you can give away to any one individual in a particular...
Older parents are becoming more common, driven in part by changing cultural mores and surrogate motherhood. Comedian and author Steve...
Medicare is supposed to provide up to 35 hours a week of home care to those who qualify, but many...
With the new year officially underway, we have been busy with lots of exciting developments at Zacharia Brown! We have...
In 2018, Social Security recipients will get their largest cost of living increase in benefits since 2012, but the additional...
Are you happy with your current Medicare plan or plans? Now is the time to think about whether you are...
The median cost of a private nursing home room in the United States has increased to $97,455 a year, up...
No one truly wants to think about his or her own death, however, a little preparation in the form of...
Many seniors and their families don’t use a lawyer to plan for long-term care or Medicaid, often because they are...
A new report finds that states have made incremental improvements in providing long-term care, but need to make more improvements...
When we’re young we believe that we’re invincible, which makes it harder to admit as we age that our bodies...
Have you or a loved one been denied Medicare-covered services because you’re “not improving”? Many health care providers are still...
Every year at this time, many anxious parents are helping their high school graduates gather items they need to take...
Last week we identified a type of relief that is being offered from Medicare’s Part B late-enrollment penalty for certain...
Medicare is offering relief from penalties for certain Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in Medicare Part A and had coverage through...
In continuing with our theme of current events for the month of June, this week we will examine how a...
New Obama-era rules designed to give nursing home residents more control of their care are gradually going into effect over...
After initially delaying a rule intended to prevent financial advisers from steering their clients to bad retirement investments, the Department...
In honor of Memorial Day, we’d like to introduce you to some of the benefits available to Veterans’ and their...
The Veterans Administration offers two disability programs for eligible veterans. The first benefit is disability compensation which is only available...
The Veteran’s Administration (VA) offers a pension benefit to low-income veterans (or their spouses) who are in nursing homes or...
Last month we took a closer look at Medicaid, asset protection planning and the rules concerning qualification for Medicaid benefits....
The phrase “life estate” often comes up in discussions of estate and Medicaid planning, However, when we meet with individuals...
This particular question is one that we hear from our clients all of the time. The short answer is, if...
In the world of Medicaid, one of the phrases that many people are familiar with is the 5 year look-back...
Although their names are confusingly alike, Medicaid and Medicare are quite different programs. Both programs provide health coverage, but Medicare...
This week, we kick-off a month long discussion about Medicaid Benefits and Planning. Medicaid, also known as Medical Assistance or...
Over the past month, we have examined the uses of and differences between Revocable Trusts, Living Trusts, Testamentary Trusts, and...
In last week’s blog post, we took a closer look at the Revocable Living Trust and explored some reasons that...
As we discussed last week, there are a number of different types of trusts that can be employed when creating...
In the world of Estate and Elder Law Planning, there are many reasons why we may want to utilize a...
This past month, we have discussed the many considerations to be weighed when researching long term care options for your...
When a loved one gets ill, most families are venturing into unchartered waters. The options for long term care are...
Last week, we discussed the importance of creating a Life Care Plan to assist families in finding an appropriate Long...
In the area of Estate Planning, one common misconception many people share is that the entirety of their assets will...
In the estate planning world, many people seek our counsel with regard to creating or updating their Will or Trust....
At the start of a new year, it is inevitable that people will make one or several resolutions to accomplish...