Category archives: Planning
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8 years ago
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With Republicans in control of Congress and the presidency, there is talk of eliminating the federal estate tax. In 2017 the tax affects only estates over $5.49 million, meaning that for more than 99 percent of Americans, it's already been repealed. With no estate tax, do you still need a trust? W... [read more]
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8 years ago
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Medicare is offering relief from penalties for certain Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in Medicare Part A and had coverage through the individual marketplace. For a short time, these individuals will be able to enroll in Medicare Part B without paying a penalty for late enrollment.
Indivi... [read more]
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8 years ago
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When your child is born with preventable birth defects due to medical malpractice, or suffers a catastrophic injury that leads to a lifelong disability, the resulting lawsuit can often take years. The end result of this long and arduous process will hopefully be a settlement or jury award designed t... [read more]
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8 years ago
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program that helps people with disabilities and very low incomes pay for food, clothing and shelter. But even more valuable than the SSI benefit itself is that, in most states, a beneficiary who receives even $1 from the program also qualifies for Med... [read more]
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8 years ago
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Immediate annuities can be a useful tool to protect the spouse of a nursing home resident who applies for Medicaid. These types of annuities allow the nursing home resident to spend down assets and give the spouse a guaranteed income. But immediate annuities may not work in every state, so be sure t... [read more]
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8 years ago
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It is common for a parent to want to be named as trustee of a special needs trust benefitting her child, especially when the parent is the one creating or funding the trust. There are many reasons why this makes sense. It positions the parent to have complete control over trust distributions. It is ... [read more]
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8 years ago
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After initially delaying a rule intended to prevent financial advisers from steering their clients to bad retirement investments, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that the rule will go into effect on June 9, 2017, but its future is still unclear.
Earlier this year, President Trump sign... [read more]
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8 years ago
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We’re proud to announce that Marie Skipper, Elder Care Coordinator, has earned the Certificate in Elder Care Coordination training presented by the Stockton Center on Successful Aging in conjunction with the Life Care Planning Law Firms Association.
This program of study included training about t... [read more]
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8 years ago
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Many families of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities are familiar with The Arc. For more than 65 years, the Arc has been advocating for laws that protect the human rights of this population and offering hands-on support through its local chapters. In many ways, The Arc is a family... [read more]
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8 years ago
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Trustees of special needs trusts wear many hats. They act as investment manager, bookkeeper, distribution manager, benefits advocate, and financial planner. Often trustees are in constant communication with the beneficiary and the beneficiary’s caregivers regarding many aspects of the beneficiary’s ... [read more]
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8 years ago
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Americans are misinformed about many aspects of Social Security, and local Social Security offices may not be helping, according to a study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The study found that the Social Security field offices often did not provide key information that would help peop... [read more]
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8 years ago
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A little-known insurance option can be an answer for some people who might need care but are unable to buy long-term care insurance. Short-term care insurance provides coverage for nursing home or home care for one year or less.
As long-term care premiums rise, short-term care insurance is ga... [read more]
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