There are a lot of benefits to establishing a trust in your estate plan. It can eliminate the need for probate, keep your affairs private, and reduce the chances of issues arising among your heirs regarding their inherited share. However, creating a trust is a big investment that involves a…
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New York Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog
Estate Planning Mistakes in Beneficiary Designations
One of the most common estate planning mistakes comes in the handling of beneficiary designations. Many people do not understand that inheriting retirement accounts, life insurance, and other assets that involve a beneficiary designation are different than inheriting from a will. Here are some of the most common mistakes that…
Do I Really Need a Will? Yes, You Do
A lot of people who have not started estate planning often ask if they really need a will, or if any estate planning is really necessary? Usually, it is followed with a statement about how the children will take care of it, or that the situation is pretty straight forward,…
A Better Flu Shot for Seniors
For the last four years, doctors, pharmacies, and medical clinics have all offered seniors a higher dose version of the annual flu shot. At the time that the vaccine was released the science was lacking but the hope from medical professionals was that the higher dosage would provide better protection…
Joan Rivers: Big Funeral, Big Tax Break
Comedian and trailblazer Joan Rivers passed away this week, with friends and family saying goodbye at a memorial service in Manhattan. Details about her estate and funeral have not been made public, but it was no secret that Joan Rivers wanted her funeral to be as extravagant as the rest…
Medicare Ratings Allow Nursing Homes to Game the System
Only one-fifth of all 15,000 nursing homes in the nation hold the distinction of a five star rating by the Medicare system, but an examination into the process has found that many top ranked nursing homes have been given their rating due to incomplete information regarding the conditions at their…
The Hazards of Unequal Inheritance
When many people begin the estate planning process, they sometimes believe that they are doing the right thing by giving more to one child than the other. One child may be making more money, is more successful, or has married into wealth of his or her own. Parents think that…
Couples Divorcing to Save on Long-Term Health Costs
Elderly couples are divorcing at a higher rate than ever before for a surprising reason: soaring medical and long-term care costs. These expenses are being aggravated by longevity and uninsured risk from a lack of long-term care insurance. Although these senior couples still care for each other very much, the…
LGBT Estate Planning Questions a Year After DOMA
A little more than a year ago, the United States Supreme Court struck down Section Three of the Defense of Marriage Act. In doing so, the federal government gave same sex couples access to the same federal rights as heterosexual couples. Many of these rights involve taxes, housing, Social Security,…
How to Complain to Medicare
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says that it reviews more than 100,000 complaints and appeals every year. Beneficiaries of the programs file around 16,000 complaints relating to hospital care and discharge orders as well as 18,000 complaints against nursing homes, home health services, and hospice programs. Another 30,000…