The Estate of Prince – Valuation is Tricky (Part 2) Last week we discussed how Prince died without a Will and several problems that that is causing in the process of estate settlement. This week we consider another aspect of Prince’s estate settlement: the challenges of properly valuing assets in estate settlement. […]
For better or for worse, our current culture is very car-dependant; in many places, cars are the only convenient link to the outside world. Unfortunately, as people age, driving can become more difficult and more dangerous. The elderly drive less, but have more crashes per mile than younger drivers. This is partially because elderly individuals […]
All hospitals must now give Medicare recipients notice when they are in the hospital under observation status. The notice requirement is part of a law enacted in 2015 but that just took effect.Signed by President Obama in August 2015, the law was intended to prevent surprises after a Medicare beneficiary spends days in a hospital […]
Even if you’ve created an estate plan, are you sure you included everything you need to? There are certain provisions that people often forget to put in in a will or estate plan that can have a big impact on your family.1. Alternate BeneficiariesOne of the most important things your estate plan should include is […]
Philip Moeller. Get What’s Yours for Medicare: Maximize Your Coverage, Minimize Your Costs. Simon & Schuster. New York, N.Y. 2016. 291 pages.Medicare is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it provides guaranteed coverage for Americans over age 65 or who are disabled, and the program has improved the health of millions since it was […]
The Estate of Prince – a Royal Mess (Part 1) Everybody knows you should have a Will. Although we caution our clients that having a Will alone will leave many important planning issues unaddressed, not having a Will creates a number of problems that can easily be avoided. And sadly, according to one survey […]
When we think of retirement we think of sitting back somewhere warm and enjoying what we have worked so hard all of our life to build. When we think of retirement we do not think of having outstanding student loans…but nowadays we may have to! The Government Accountability Office (GAO), a research arm of Congress, […]
New Policy to Address the Problems Caused by Observation Status Henry Weatherby President at Weatherby & Associates, PC A visit to the hospital can be physically and emotionally jarring for patients and their family members or advocates. There are many different hospital representatives asking questions about current status, such as medications, and past history […]
Banks Refuse to Honor a Durable Power of Attorney Because of a Small Name ProblemA Durable Power of Attorney (“POA”) can be a useful tool in estate planning. In a POA, a person termed the “principal” gives legal authority to a different person, termed the “agent,” to take certain actions on the principal’s behalf. But […]
A couple who are both age 60 and who purchase new long-term care insurance coverage can expect to pay between 6 and 9 percent more compared to a year ago according to the 2017 Long Term Care Insurance Price Index, an annual report from the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an industry group. But rates […]