Nursing home residents who qualify for Medicaid benefits to pay for their care are obliged to turn over their monthly income, typically Social Security and pension benefits, to the facility where they reside. This is the Medicaid recipient’s “patient-pay” obligation. Medicaid pays the rest. But there are a few exceptions to this patient-pay requirement. One
Trust protectors -- long popular in offshore trusts set up by high rollers -- are growing more common in trusts established here in the U.S. by less affluent folks. A trust protector is someone who is appointed to watch over a trust that will be in effect for a long time and ensure that it
Long-term care costs can add up quickly. For veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans who need in-home care or are in a nursing home, help may be available. The Veterans Administration (VA) has an underused pension benefit called Aid and Attendance that provides money to those who need assistance performing everyday tasks. Even
Every adult is assumed to be capable of making his or her own decisions unless a court determines otherwise with a guardianship or conservatorship. If an adult becomes incapable of making responsible decisions, the court will appoint a substitute decision maker, usually called a "guardian," but called a "conservator" or another term in some
President Trump has signed a spending bill that makes major changes to retirement plans. The new law is designed to provide more incentives to save for retirement, but it may require workers to rethink some of their planning. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act changes the law surrounding retirement plans in several ways:
By Dionysios Pappas, Vasiliadis Pappas Associates LLC Introduction VA Pension benefits are “nonservice connected” disability benefits that provide a monthly tax-free income to eligible wartime veterans and their surviving spouses. A married veteran can receive up to $2,169/month, a single veteran up to $1,830, and a surviving spouse up to $1,176. Pension benefits are particularly
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has finalized new rules that make it more difficult to qualify for long-term care benefits. The rules establish an asset limit, a look-back period, and asset transfer penalties for claimants applying for VA pension benefits that require a showing of financial need. The principal such benefit for those needing
Long-term care costs can add up quickly. For veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans who need in-home care or are in a nursing home, help may be available. The Veterans Administration (VA) has an underused pension benefit called Aid and Attendance that provides money to those who need assistance performing everyday tasks. Even veterans
Many people with disability income owe student loans. Although deferring repayment or working out a repayment plan based on the individual’s income are possible options, there’s also a process for discharging student loans completely – and it’s cost-free. It’s called a total and permanent disability (TPD) discharge. This U.S. Department of Education website explains the
