The SECURE Act – Part 2
In last week’s post I reviewed the changes to retirement accounts under a new law called the SECURE Act. I started with the positive changes but not all about the new law is a plus. The SECURE Act severely limits the ability of retirement account beneficiaries to stretch out the
SECURE ACT – Part 1
Just before the holidays last month, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law significant changes to retirement accounts that affects owners and beneficiaries of tax deferred retirement accounts including IRAs and 401ks. Known as the SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act), it became effective 1/1/2020. While some of the
A Long Term Care Mess (Part 2)
In last week’s post I started telling you about Mary’s call concerning her stepmom, June. Mary’s dad had recently died leaving her with the responsibility of caring for June. He also left June with ¼ of his estate per his will which she knew would not last very long, approximately
A Long Term Care Mess (Part 1)
Most people don’t prepare well for the possibility of needing long term care. This story is no different but with the right steps, guidance and a lot of work this story shows what can be accomplished. Mary called us after her dad died. She wasn’t calling because she needed help with
Medicare Decision – 6 Years Later
I wrote about this decision here six and a half years ago. (Blog posts 3-25-13 and 4-1-13) The case is Jimmo vs. Sebelius and it corrected the misapplication of Medicare rules concerning coverage for rehabilitation services and therapy. The standard that had been applied for many years was whether the
More Numbers for 2020
In my 11/4/19 post, I disclosed some of the important numbers that change year to year with respect to the Medicaid and VA Aid and Attendance programs that we work to obtain for many of our clients. Here are the rest of the important numbers as well as 2020 Medicare
Alternate Care Facilities (Part 2)
In last week’s post I discussed lesser known facilities that provide some level of long term care. One is a residential health care facility and another is a dementia care facility. They are categorized differently by the State of New Jersey for licensing purposes. But paying for them can also
Alternative Care Facilities (Part 1)
I recently made a visit to see a new facility opening in Livingston. The Society House is a single family home built to house 15 seniors in a group home type setting. The owners have applied but not yet received approval for licensing as a residential health
New Medicaid and VA Figures for 2020 (Part 1)
The Social Security Administration announced last month the cost of living adjustment for 2020. This adjustment is also applied to many of the government programs besides Social Security, that affect our clients’ lives. So here it is. Following an increase last year of 2.8%, this year the increase is smaller, only
Self-Proving Will (Part 2)
Last week I wrote about the process of probate and how easy it is to admit a will to probate without the need to appear before judge if it is a self-proving one. But what exactly is a self-proving will? New Jersey law sets out clear instructions on how to make