by Christine | Dec 19, 2011 | Estate Planning |
Make estate planning part of your New Year’s resolutions. Time has almost expired for 2011. So, with the exception of a few last minute gifts and end-of-year financial transactions, that usually means relaxing with eggnog and, a bit later, champagne. Of course, it...
by Christine | Dec 15, 2011 | Charitable Giving, Estate Planning |
Is using a third party a better way to donate your charitable dollars? There has been a lot of interest this year in “donor-advised funds (DAF),” as a savvy tool for charitable giving. As we head further into the season of giving (and, with it, year-end tax planning),...
by Christine | Dec 14, 2011 | Long Term Care Insurance |
Can a tax deduction help you afford long-term care insurance? If you’re buying it as an individual, maybe. If you’re self-employed and buying it through your business, absolutely. With the death of CLASS, the would-be first public option long-term care insurance...
by Christine | Dec 13, 2011 | Social Security, Supplemental Security Income |
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has recently changed the 11-1p rule that previously allowed multiple filings for benefits. This updated rule will have a potentially dramatic effect on anyone who wishes to file a subsequent application for benefits relating to...
by Christine | Dec 12, 2011 | Estate Planning, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), Tax Planning |
A larger share of people's savings is winding up in IRAs—even as estate-tax rules are getting trickier and the markets are growing more volatile. All of this is making life more complicated for widows and widowers, and could cause them to make significant mistakes...
by Christine | Dec 9, 2011 | Estate Planning, Tax Planning |
Epic failure in Washington is causing epic uncertainty for taxpayers. Recently Congress's special 12-member deficit-cutting committee failed to agree on even a broad outline for addressing the U.S.'s fiscal woes. It marked the third year in a row that...
by Christine | Dec 8, 2011 | Charitable Giving, Estate Planning |
So what should you expect of your charities? Businesslike efficiency? Or something more intangible, less-easily defined? ‘Tis the Season of giving. However, before you begin making serious contributions to a charity, it’s important to consider your expectations of the...
by Christine | Dec 7, 2011 | Advanced Health Care Directive, Conservatorships, Dementia, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Medication |
An estimated 100,000 older Americans are hospitalized for adverse drug reactions yearly, and most of those emergencies stem from four common medications, a new study finds. Seniors are increasingly reliant upon their medications. It’s a fact of life. Literally....
by Christine | Dec 6, 2011 | Elder Law, Medicare |
Medicare's prescription coverage gap is getting noticeably smaller and easier to manage this year for millions of older and disabled people with high drug costs. There is some good news for many Medicare recipients, present and future. According to new Medicare...
by Christine | Dec 5, 2011 | Dementia, Elder Law, Estate Planning |
“I get these S.O.S. calls” from adult children visiting family at Thanksgiving, said Emily Saltz, who operates a practice called Elder Resources in Newton, Mass. “They’ve been talking with their parents all year, being told everything is fine. Then they get there, and...
