Elder Law News

If a family member passes away, leaving extensive medical bills, can we apply for Medicaid on behalf of the decedent to help with those charges?

If you need a lot of cash on hand upon retirement, Social Security offers a lump-sum payment option that’s worth six months of benefits. However, it comes at a cost. It is important to understand the details before agreeing to the payment.

In recent months, phone lines at the Social Security Administration have been experiencing major technical problems, preventing some people from enrolling in Medicare in a timely manner. 

Parents usually want to leave their children equal shares of their estate, but equal isn’t always fair. If you plan to provide more (or less) for one child in your estate plan, preparation is important.

An intentionally defective grantor trust allows wealthy families to transfer assets from one generation to the next while achieving significant tax savings. IDGTs are especially useful if you have assets that will appreciate significantly over time.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused nursing home staffing shortages across the United States, even forcing some nursing homes to close, but some states have been hit harder than others. A new analysis looks at which states are confronting the worst staffing problems. 

In most states, spouses can purchase and own property separately from one another. However, in certain states – called community property states – if one spouse purchases property, it is considered the property of both spouses. How marital property is owned has implications for both estate and tax planning. 

In an alarming number of cases, private Medicare Advantage plans are denying coverage for medical services that would be covered under original Medicare, according to a federal investigation.  

My mom has a revocable trust that she set up more than 15 years ago. If we change it to an irrevocable trust, would it be subject to the five-year look-back when applying for Medicaid benefits?

If you apply for long-term care assistance through Medicaid and your application is denied, it may feel hopeless. The good news is that you can appeal the decision.