There is currently proposed legislation being considered by Congress that would make an important change to the Medicaid income rules for married couples. Specifically, if H.R. 1771 (114th Congress) is enacted into law, it would mean that all income derived from certain annuities, whether payments are made solely to the community spouse or paid to […]
Fatal falls and injuries suffered by older Americans are increasing at an alarming rate. This poses a challenge at retirement and assisted living communities as well as nursing homes and private residences. Older adults are fiercely holding on to as much of their independence as possible. But how to keep older adults safe when their […]
Congress is currently considering legislation that would implement a number of significant changes to the rules for eligibility for VA’s “Aid and Attendance” benefit. Those changes include – among others – an attempt to establish a clear maximum allowed net worth; a change in how income will be treated compared to assets; and an attempt […]
When applying for Medicaid benefits to help pay for long-term care, the applicant must list the value of all of their assets that are “countable” under the eligibility rules of the program, as administered in this state by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (“DSS”). Some assets are fully exempt and we will describe those […]
When people think about estate planning, and specifically about who they would like to receive their assets when they are gone, they tend to concentrate on the things that have a high monetary value, like bank accounts, investments, or real estate. But dividing up cash or other liquid assets is the easy part. What is […]
Elder Care Lawyers CTThe more socially active the elderly are, the less likely they are to become depressed. Depression, stress, and isolation can lead to health issues. This can happen easily to seniors living away from family. Whether seniors are living alone, or receiving home care, or living in some type of senior housing, a […]
Sometimes people consider estate planning to be a fairly simple thing to do themselves without the need to consult an attorney. After all, estate planning documents are merely paper, right? Well, although estate planning documents are indeed merely paper with printed words, there is an important thought process behind what should or should not be […]
The Good News and the Bad News Prior to January 2013, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) required recipients of non-service connected benefits to make a mandatory annual filing in order to maintain benefits eligibility. By filing of its so-called Eligibility Verification Renewal forms, beneficiaries provided VA with updated information on the amount […]
“Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance – the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it; better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen.” -Thomas Carlyle The benefits of a positive attitude are talked about a lot, but today’s research shows evidence that having […]
In our last post we provided a brief overview of Care Agreements. This week we consider a recent Louisiana court decision that illustrates a big problem that arises when relatives are paid for providing care services to a loved one and that arrangement is poorly documented. See Widley David v. State of Louisiana Dept. of […]