A diagnosis of dementia, a category of diseases affecting memory and thinking that includes Alzheimer’s disease, can feel overwhelming and upsetting. You might worry that you will lose control over your life and ability to make your own decisions. Fortunately, receiving a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s does not mean that...
5 Smart Estate Planning Strategies for High-Net-Worth Families
If you are a high-net-worth individual, it’s essential to have a comprehensive estate plan in place. However, every family’s circumstances are unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution for estate planning.
Below are five estate planning strategies that may be right for you:
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Who Are Parties to an Estate?
When people pass away, their assets go through probate — a legal process that distributes the person’s assets after death. The parties to an estate are the people involved in the probate process.
Although not technically a party to the estate, the deceased person — called the testator or...
No Will? You’re Putting Your Kids at Risk
Many people delay the conversation or thoughts of having to prepare a will. Confronting the possibility of one’s death is not easy. However, as the recent death of Anne Heche shows us, not having a will can place a significant burden on your children and cause undesirable complications. Even if difficult, planning...
Better Access to Medicaid? Feds Seek to Simplify Enrollment
For nearly 60 years, Medicaid has helped support tens of millions of low-income Americans, including seniors and people with disabilities, with low-cost or free health coverage. Come 2023, a new set of rules proposed by the federal government could improve timely access to this program for millions of eligible individuals.
How to Know If Your Aging Parents Need Home Care
As our parents get older, we must make tough decisions regarding their health care. It can be hard to know when to bring in professional support in the form of home care. Consider the following as you decide whether your aging parents need home care.
What Is Home Care?
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Supreme Court To Hear Case That Could Increase The Bite That Medicaid Takes Out Of Settlements
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case disputing how much states can recoup from Medicaid recipients’ settlements in personal injury cases. The decision has the potential to affect anyone who receives government assistance with their medical care following a disabling injury that results in a lawsuit.
Passing Assets to Grandchildren Through a Generation-Skipping Trust
Passing assets to your grandchildren can be a great way to ensure their future is provided for, and a generation-skipping trust can help you accomplish this goal while reducing estate taxes and also providing for your children.
A generation-skipping trust allows you to “skip” over the generation directly...
Dual Eligibility: How Qualifying for Both Medicare and Medicaid Can Help With Costs
Qualifying for Medicare hardly means free health care — there are still premiums and deductibles. However, people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid (called “dual eligibility”) receive help paying their out-of-pocket costs.
Medicare is a federal program available to anyone 65 or older. It consists of four major...