Brighton Office: 10299 Grand River, Suite N | Brighton, MI 48116 | (810)229-0220
West Branch Office: 2116 M-55 | West Branch, MI 48661 | (989) 418-3500
www.nawrockilaw.com
|
|
|
(If this email is hard to read, click on the Web Version link above)
|
|
|
A special message from Lisa Beatty of the Nawrocki Center:
|
|
|
|
New Law Allows Social Security Beneficiaries to Designate Representative Payees in Advance
|
What is a representative payee? A representative payee is a person appointed by Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide payment management for SSA beneficiaries who are unable to manage their Social Security benefits on their own. Generally, the appointed person is a family member or friend of the beneficiary, . |
|
|
|
|
|
New Resource for Seniors: AARP Launches Virtual Community Center
|
|
There is a new resource for seniors to find learning, self-improvement and fun… and it’s FREE for everyone! In early February, AARP launched its Virtual Communi...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nawrocki Center Offers FREE Webinars
|
|
To help keep or clients and friends appraised of the latest developments in Elder Law, we are offering FREE Webinars on Elder Law topics of interest, at specific scheduled times,...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Top Eight Mistakes People Make With Medicaid
|
|
Medicaid planning can be a difficult and confusing process. Getting assistance from a qualified attorney will help you avoid these common mistakes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nursing Home Residents Face Even Greater Barriers to Voting Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
|
|
The coronavirus pandemic has forced nursing homes to place a number of restrictions on their residents. These constraints are having the unintended consequence of making it more difficult for nursing home residents to vote.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Medicare Beneficiaries May Be Eligible for an Extra 100 days of Skilled Nursing Coverage Due to Pandemic
|
|
Medicare beneficiaries who qualified for skilled nursing facility (SNF) coverage may be eligible for an additional 100 days of coverage. Whether beneficiaries can actually get the extended coverage is another question.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Ins and Outs of Guardianship and Conservatorship
|
|
Every adult is assumed to be capable of making his or her own decisions unless a court determines otherwise. If an adult becomes incapable of making responsible decisions, then the court will appoint a substitute decision maker.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reverse Mortgages: A Way to Remain at Home Longer
|
|
Reverse mortgages make it possible for house-rich but cash-poor elders to use their housing equity to pay for home care while they remain in the home, or to use the money for anything else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Which Nursing Home Rating System Should You Trust?
|
|
Choosing a nursing home for a loved one is a difficult decision and it can only be made more confusing by the various rating systems. A recent study found that using both Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare site and user reviews can help with the decision
|
|
|
|
|
|
Can You Transfer Your Medicare and Medicaid Plans When You Move to Another State?
|
|
If you plan to move states, can you take your Medicare or Medicaid plans with you? The answer depends on whether you have original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or Medicaid.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Movement Grows to Add Dental Coverage to Medicare
|
|
Medicare does not offer much in the way of dental benefits, but advocates for Medicare beneficiaries are arguing for that to change.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Will Restrictive Immigration Policies Cause a Shortage of Caregivers for the Elderly?
|
|
As the population ages, the need for caregivers is growing, but restrictive immigration policies, whatever you may think of them, could have a negative impact on a caregiving industry that is already facing workforce shortages.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most Are Taking Social Security at the Wrong Time
|
|
A new report finds that almost no retirees are making financially optimal decisions about when to take Social Security and are losing out on an average of more than $100,000 per household in the process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tips for Preventing, Detecting, and Reporting Financial Abuse of the Elderly
|
|
Reports of elder financial abuse continue to increase, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to scams or to financial abuse by family members in need of money.
|
|
|
|
|
|
What to Look for When Buying an Annuity
|
|
An annuity can be a useful tool for long-term care planning, but annuities are also complex financial products that are hard to understand. If purchasing an annuity, you need to consider your options carefully.
|
|
|
|
|
|
How to Plan Your Funeral
|
|
Thinking about your funeral may not be fun, but planning ahead is helpful. It both lets your family know your wishes and assists them during a stressful time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Final Retirement Account Distribution Must Still Be Made After Death
|
|
Federal law requires that after you reach age 70 1/2, you must begin withdrawing a minimum amount
from your retirement accounts. But what if you die after age 70 1/2 and before all the account funds have been distributed?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Medicare's Different Treatment of the Two Main Post-Hospital Care Options
|
|
Hospital patients who need additional care after being discharged from the hospital are usually sent to either an inpatient rehabilitation facility or a skilled nursing facility, and Medicare offers very different coverage for each.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tips on Creating an Estate Plan that Benefits a Child with Special Needs
|
|
Parents want their children to be taken care of after they die. But children with disabilities have increased financial and care needs, so ensuring their long-term welfare can be tricky.
|
|
|
|
|
|
How Parents Can Provide for a Caregiver Child
|
|
Taking care of a parent can be a full-time job. Parents who want to compensate a child who takes on the burden of caregiving may do so in one of several ways.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Using a Donor-Advised Fund May Be a Way to Get a Charitable Tax Break Under the New Tax Law
|
|
Donor-advised funds are a growing trend in giving that may get more popular due to the new tax law.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Don't Wait Too Long to Purchase Long-Term Care Insurance
|
|
The older you get, the harder it is to qualify for long-term care insurance. If you are interested in buying this insurance, it is better to act sooner rather than later.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Costs of New Long-Term Care Insurance Policies Vary Considerably
|
|
We’ve all heard the advice “It pays to shop around,” but this has never been more true than with the current market for long-term care insurance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guns and Dementia: Dealing With A Loved One's Firearms
|
|
Having a loved one with dementia can be scary, but if you add in a firearm, it can also get dangerous. To prevent harm to both the individual with dementia and others, it is important to plan ahead for how to deal with any weapons.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Why Not Just Use an Off-the-Shelf Power of Attorney Form?
|
|
A durable power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents you can have. It is important to get it right, so you shouldn't use a do-it-yourself form.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Best and Worst States for Protection Against Elder Abuse
|
|
The older the population gets, the greater the potential for elder abuse. States have laws in place designed to combat elder abuse, but some states are doing a better job than others.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Understanding Medicare's Hospice Benefit
|
|
Medicare's hospice benefit is one of the most comprehensive benefits and can be extremely helpful to both the terminally ill individual and his or her family, but it is little understood and underutilized.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Be Careful About Putting Only One Spouse's Name on a Reverse Mortgage
|
|
A recent case involving basketball star Caldwell Jones demonstrates the danger in having only one spouse's name on a reverse mortgage.
|
|
|
|
|
Brighton Office: West Branch Office
10299 Grand River, Suite N 2116 M-55, Suite B
Brighton, MI 48116 West Branch, MI 48661
Phone: 810-229-0220 Phone: 989-418-3500
Website: www.nawrockilaw.com
|
|
|
If you would like to unsubscribe and stop receiving these emails click here.
|
|
|
|
