Some 29 states currently have laws making adult children responsible for their parents if their parents can’t afford to take care of themselves. These “filial responsibility” laws have rarely been enforced, but six years ago when federal rules made it more difficult to qualify for Medicaid long-term care coverage, some elder law attorneys predicted that nursing homes would start using […]
Medicaid’s RulesIn order to be eligible for Medicaid, you cannot have recently transferred assets. 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. So it has imposed a penalty on people who transfer assets […]
A power of attorney may seem like a simple document, but there are several important decisions that need to be made when creating one. From whom to appoint to what powers to grant, care and consideration should be put into each choice.A power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents you […]
For most people, the durable power of attorney is the most important estate planning instrument available — even more useful than a will. A power of attorney allows a person you appoint — your “attorney-in-fact” or “agent” — to act in place of you – the “principal” — for financial purposes when and if you […]
Nowadays, we are all inundated with technology. It can certainly be confusing keeping track of all the passwords and PIN numbers we need in order to read our emails, access financial information, or even to simply take out cash from an ATM machine. That confusion is made worse when security concerns mandate that passwords are […]
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 […]
For many couples, it seems quite natural that sooner or later they will want to legally cement their relationship by getting married. Whether or not that couple attaches a particular religious or cultural significance to the act of getting married, it is a fact that our society recognizes a marriage as a de facto unification […]
Moviegoers and members of the motion picture academy were captivated this year by Julianne Moore’s performance as a 50-year-old college professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in the film “Still Alice.” Based on the 2009 novel of the same name by neuroscientist Lisa Genova, the film has raised awareness of the realities faced by patients […]
The growing number of older adults nationally has contributed to significant growth in the home care industry. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted a large growth rate in the jobs of home health and personal care aides. It seems as though employer agencies of these aides are simply everywhere you turn. This blog […]
Did you know that the average amount of time a patient has with their doctor during an appointment is about 15 minutes? It is imperative that patients maximize their time with their chosen medical professionals to help ensure positive outcomes. Patients, and often their families, need to understand that they are the managers of their […]