Hospice care is a team-oriented approach to medical care, designed to enhance the quality of life as it nears its end. It is designed to aid in pain management and offer emotional and spiritual support through palliative therapy, education and counseling. It is tailored to meet the needs and wishes of the patient as well as the patient’s family and friends. Hospice care focuses on caring for the patient as opposed to curing the illness. Generally, hospice care is available to people of all … [Read more...] about Hospice Care —Benefits for Those with Life-Limiting Illnesses (An Elder Law Today Blog)
Electing Portability
By: Justin M. Kennedy, Associate Attorney Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law Every person is entitled to give away a certain amount of money tax-free, either during life or at death. Under the current federal estate tax law, all US citizens are each allowed an estate tax exemption of $5,000,000 (this amount is indexed for inflation and is $5,450,000 in 2016). This amount may also be reduced by gifts while living that exceed the annual exemption amount ($14,000 in … [Read more...] about Electing Portability
Long Term Care Insurance—Is It Right For You? (An Elder Law Today Blog)
Long term care insurance (LTC insurance), unlike most health insurance plans, pays for the cost of your care when you need permanent help with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating, etc.). Depending on the LTC policy, covered services may include nursing home care, personal care at home, assisted living facilities and/or adult day care. While some insurance plans, including Medicare and Medigap, may pay for a limited number of days in a nursing home or short term health care … [Read more...] about Long Term Care Insurance—Is It Right For You? (An Elder Law Today Blog)
Asset Protection Strategy – 529 Plans
By: Justin M. Kennedy, Associate Attorney Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law If you are concerned that you may be sued in the future, you may want to consider ways of protecting your assets. As a Trustor, many asset protection strategies may not available to you, however, you have the ability to give the beneficiaries under your trust asset protection. The asset protection to the trust beneficiaries would protect their inheritance from the beneficiaries' … [Read more...] about Asset Protection Strategy – 529 Plans
What Happens to a Living Trust when a Spouse Passes Away?
In this blog article, we will address the issue of living trusts as they apply to married couples and what happens to the trust upon the passing of the first spouse. First, we will review the value of living trusts in general. Many people assume that a last will is the best choice when they are planning their estates. They believe that trusts are only useful for those who are very wealthy. However, this is not entirely true. While there are trusts that are utilized to meet the objectives … [Read more...] about What Happens to a Living Trust when a Spouse Passes Away?
Should I Purchase Long-Term Care Insurance?
When you think about retirement planning, you naturally focus on the positive times that you can have as a senior when you put your working years behind you. This is fantastic, and everyone should make the most of their golden years. However, there are the twilight years that will follow, and you should be aware of the potential long-term care costs that you could face as a senior. The majority of Americans will qualify for Medicare at the age of 65 under currently existing laws. This would … [Read more...] about Should I Purchase Long-Term Care Insurance?
Protecting Your Family in a Digital World
By: Justin M. Kennedy, Associate Attorney Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law While at a national conference, I heard a seminar on how to protect your family in a digital world. What follows are some of the tips and strategies provided by the speaker, Jeff Lanza, a Retired FBI Agent, on how to better protect yourself and your family: 1. Do no click on links in emails from unknown senders. 2. Even if you know the sender, you should be cautious before clicking links, as … [Read more...] about Protecting Your Family in a Digital World
Commonly Asked Medi-Cal Questions (An Elder Law Today Blog)
Q: Once I qualify for Medi-Cal, will the quality of long term care I receive be sub-standard? A: No. It is illegal for a long term care facility to discriminate against someone receiving Medi-Cal benefits. By law, Medi-Cal patients are to receive the same level of care as private pay residents. Q: Is a married couple always required to spend down one-half of their assets before qualifying for Medi-Cal? A: Not always. In fact, often times couples have over $100,000 and qualify … [Read more...] about Commonly Asked Medi-Cal Questions (An Elder Law Today Blog)
Preventing Identity Theft
By: Justin M. Kennedy, Associate Attorney Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law While at a national conference, I attended a seminar on how to prevent identity theft. What follows are some of the tips and strategies provided by the speaker, Jeff Lanza, a Retired FBI Agent, on how to better protect yourself: Social Security Number Do not carry your social security card with you. Mr. Lanza recommended only providing your social security number for the following … [Read more...] about Preventing Identity Theft
Successful Planning (An Elder Law Today Blog)
Elder law attorneys assist individuals and families in developing estate plans to avoid depleting their assets should they become ill and need long term care. For those individuals who are already in a nursing home, elder law attorneys help them qualify for Medi-Cal benefits while maximizing the amount of money they are able to keep. Here is an example of a family my office was able to assist: Planning for someone to take residence in a skilled nursing home and being able to qualify them … [Read more...] about Successful Planning (An Elder Law Today Blog)
