What You Can’t Do With a Will

While a will is one of the most important estate planning documents you can have, there are things that it won’t cover. A will is just one part of a comprehensive estate plan. 

How Your Estate Is Taxed, or Not

Congress sets the amount that an individual can transfer tax-free either during life or at death. The current estate tax exemption is so high that very few estates will have to pay an estate tax. 

Using Estate Planning to Prepare for Medicaid

Long-term care involves not only a loss of personal autonomy; it also comes at a tremendous financial price. Proper planning can help your family prepare for the financial toll and protect assets for future generations. 

  • Clifford M. Cohen,
  •   Elder Law FAQ
  •   Comments Off on Using Estate Planning to Prepare for Medicaid
  • Read More

What is Long-Term Care and Who Provides It?

Long-term care is the care you need if you can’t perform daily activities on your own for an extended period of time. There are a number of different ways that this kind of care can be provided. 

  • Clifford M. Cohen,
  •   Elder Law FAQ
  •   Comments Off on What is Long-Term Care and Who Provides It?
  • Read More

Congress Fixes Some, But Not All, Medicare Enrollment Problems

Tucked into the federal spending bill that passed at the end of December 2020 are some changes aimed at simplifying Medicare enrollment and addressing coverage gaps. But Congress chose not to deal with the biggest problem.

  • Clifford M. Cohen,
  •   Elder Law FAQ
  •   Comments Off on Congress Fixes Some, But Not All, Medicare Enrollment Problems
  • Read More

Annual Long-Term Care Survey Finds Steep Rise in Assisted Living Facility Costs Amid Pandemic

All long-term care costs, particularly assisted living, rose sharply in 2020, according to Genworth’s latest annual Cost of Care Survey. The rises were due in part to increased costs brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. 

  • Clifford M. Cohen,
  •   Elder Law FAQ
  •   Comments Off on Annual Long-Term Care Survey Finds Steep Rise in Assisted Living Facility Costs Amid Pandemic
  • Read More

Your Medical Directive

Any complete estate plan should include a medical directive, which can encompass a number of different documents.