Am I Too Young for an Estate Plan or Long Term Care Plan? Part 2
In my blog post last week I talked about a scenario we are seeing with increasing frequency. We have had a number of what we call crisis calls relating to a family member who has experienced a sudden onset of injury or illness causing the need for long term care -
The Types of Long Term Care Facilities and Why It Matters – Part 3
In this third post of three, I continue to discuss why understanding the type of facility you are considering is so important. Last week I talked about long term care insurance policies that may apply differently to nursing home care vs. assisted living care or home care. The type of facility also
The Types of Long Term Care Facilities and Why It Matters – Part 2
In my blog post last week I addressed the differences between types of facilities and the confusion I see when someone tells me the type of facility they are looking at for a loved one - or they think they are looking at. This matters, for example, when someone has a
The Types of Long Term Care Facilities and Why it Matters – Part 1
Searching for care options for a loved one can be very confusing. When you add to the mix the possibility that there may not be enough money to cover the cost of that care - in other words when government benefits such as Medicaid may be needed - it adds another
The Home and Not Much Else (Part 3)
In this week’s post, I continue to discuss a common fact pattern we see in our office. The case involves someone who needs long term care, doesn’t have enough to pay for it but does have a house. As I explained last week, the available government benefit programs don’t always cover the
The Home and Not Much Else (Part 1)
In this week’s post, I address a common problem we see often in our office. An elderly client owns a home but very few other liquid assets. Income from Social Security and pensions is enough to meet monthly expenses - but then things change. Long term care becomes necessary. That’s when the status quo
Proposed Financial Elder Abuse Legislation – Part 3
The subject of my last two posts has been a proposed piece of legislation introduced by 2 New Jersey legislators in response to a couple of cases reported upon in the media in which seniors were moved into long term care facilities and their asset taken from them by individuals
Financial Elder Abuse Legislation – Part 2
In my post last week, I wrote about a type of financial fraud targeting the elderly that caught the attention of two New Jersey legislators. In two cases that were reported upon by the media, a man working with a nursing home convinced 2 seniors to sign powers of attorney appointing
Signing an Admissions Agreement on Behalf of Another (Part 3)
In my blog post last week, I was discussing the terms “responsible party” and “personal guarantor” which are found in most nursing home and assisted living facility admissions agreements. They do not mean the same thing and we must always look to the definitions set out in the specific agreement being
Signing an Admissions Agreement on Behalf of Another (Part 1)
As I have written about often recently, the State has raised the bar significantly in terms of what an applicant needs to produce and explain in order to qualify for Medicaid. The level of increased scrutiny leads to many more failed applications and reapplications than even a few years