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Personal Message

Welcome to the November issue of the Texas Elder Law E-letter  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

We hope all have a healthy and happy holiday season.

Our next free monthly Estate Planning Essentials workshop will be held on December 10, 2015 at 10 a.m. to noon.  Since our workshops normally are full, anyone interested in attending (or the Social Security workshop described in the sentence immediately following) should call Jennifer at 214-720-0102 or sign up online at www.dallaselderlawyer.com. If you are interested in learning about Social Security and recent changes (see my article below), you might sign up for the free Social Security workshop with guest speaker Tom Clark (who worked for Social Security for over 30 years) sponsored by Ricker Retirement on December 8, 2015 at 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at Abuelo’s located at 3420 N. Central Expressway in Plano, Texas. The seminar is especially designed for those between 50-66 years of age who are not presently receiving Social Security.

Michael B. Cohen will be speaking on estate and Medicaid planning to the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA) Expo at the Arlington Convention Center on December 2, 2015. He also recently spoke to the South Dallas Business & Professional Women’s Club, Inc. (see link for picture) http://bit.ly/1MRnQpG.

Additionally, don’t forget Michael B. Cohen can be heard on Legends KAAM 770 AM every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. and every Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Podcasts (which have been categorized) of the shows are also available on our website www.dallaselderlawyer.com.

Also, be sure to tune into Legends KAAM 770 AM each Sunday afternoon at 3:00 for “Attacking Alzheimer’s with the Alzheimer’s Association”. Topics of discussion include the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, managing caregiver stress and other tips and resources.
COMMON STRATEGIES TO INCREASE SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME FOR MARRIED COUPLES ELIMINATED BY BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT OF 2015

In our October 2015 issue of the Texas Elder Law E-Letter, we mentioned the likely passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (the president did sign the bill on November 2) whereby Medicare Part B premiums would be much lower than the astronomical amou

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CONGRESSIONAL BILL LIMITS USE OF ANNUITIES IN MEDICAID PLANNING

The House of Representatives has a proposed bill (HR 1771) that would change long established rules for the use of single premium immediate annuities in planning for the protection of a well-spouse (commonly referred to as the “community spouse”) if his o

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New Rules Will Make It Harder to Qualify for Long-Term Care Help From the VA

The Veteran's Administration will soon begin enforcing new regulations that make it harder to qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits. 

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Do Frequent Flier Miles Expire When You Do?

Accumulated frequent flier miles can be valuable assets, but what happens to those miles after somene dies?  Can a spouse or other heirs inherit them, or do the miles simply evaporate like a contrail?

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What Is Cost Basis and How Do You Prove It?

Knowing the "cost basis" of your property is important for tax purposes, but proving cost basis can be difficult.

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Medicare Open Enrollment Means It's Time to Shop Around

Are you happy with your Medicare coverage? It is time to review whether your plan or plans are working for you. 

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