Post-DOMA Planning: IRS To Recognize Same-Sex Marriages For All Federal Tax Purposes Since the Supreme Court struck down Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act in June, federal agencies have begun updating regulations to conform to the decision. On August 29, the IRS and the Treasury Department issued Revenue Ruling 2013-17. This is […]
NEW LAW IN CONNECTICUT Transfers (Gifts) Can Lead to Being Sued by Nursing Homes The Connecticut legislature recently passed a new law concerning Medicaid eligibility which allows nursing homes an additional basis to sue to recover lost revenue because a resident, or their spouse or agent under a power of attorney, transferred his or her […]
Can Community Spouses ‘Just Say No:’? Connecticut Doctrine of Spousal Refusal Narrowed by U.S. District Court Often, a Medicaid applicant needing nursing home care will have a spouse who is able to continue living at home in the community (“Community Spouse”). There are strict income and asset guidelines regarding Medicaid eligibility when there is a […]
Recent Case Raises Concerns about Certain Transfers of Assets by a Medicaid Applicant to a Community Spouse: Many Medicaid applicants who need care in a nursing home have spouses who are able to continue living at home (“Community Spouses”). There are guidelines that allow a Community Spouse to keep a certain amount of income and […]
What to Consider When Firearms Are Part of Your Probate Estate If you are a gun owner in Connecticut, you have probably been thinking about how the state’s new gun laws will impact you. As you take steps to ensure you are complying with the new laws, take some time to consider how you are […]
Pre-Paid Funeral and Burial Contracts for Medicaid Recipients You may have heard that you will have to “spend down” virtually all of your income and assets to qualify for Medicaid. However, there are some exempt assets that Medicaid applicants can keep and still qualify for benefits. One way that Medicaid applicants can keep some of […]
Where Do I Live for Income Tax and Estate Tax Purposes? Domicile vs. Residence Many Connecticut residents live elsewhere for a significant part of the year. For example, you may stay in Cape Cod for the summer, or you may go down to Florida for the winter. For folks who do not stay in the […]
Medicare Coverage: Observation vs. Inpatient Status On September 23, a federal district court in Connecticut dismissed the case of Bagnall v. Sebelius. A group of Medicare beneficiaries, the Plaintiffs, filed this lawsuit to protest the use of “observation status” during their hospital stays. Patients on observation status are designated as outpatients, even though they may stay on […]
Estate Planning for Parents of Children with Special Needs: Special Needs Trusts Estate planning is important for all families. It is especially important for those responsible for the care of someone with special needs. The cost of caring for someone with a severe disability can add up to millions of dollars over a person’s lifetime. […]
Help Your Loved Ones by Keeping a Record of Online Accounts and Passwords These days, we increasingly manage our financial and social lives online. Many of us pay our monthly utilities and credit card bills online as well as receive paperless bank statements. Much of our communication with friends and family is through email or […]