Given the high cost of long-term care, it’s not surprising that Medicaid (known as MassHealth in Massachusetts) is now the largest provider of funds for nursing home care in the United States. As I discussed in a previous article, MassHealth can also pay for home care, assisted living,...
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Protecting Your Life Savings Against the Cost of Long-Term Care: Irrevocable Trusts
Trusts are among the most powerful tools in the estate planner’s toolbox. The benefits of a trust include probate avoidance, greater privacy, and expedition of estate settlement. They can also establish specific parameters for the use of your assets during your lifetime and after you pass away, allowing greater customization of your...
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Options Available for Professional In-Home Care
The vast majority of elders needing assistance with daily living prefer to remain at home rather than move to an assisted living residence or a nursing home. Helping my clients accomplish this goal is one of the cornerstones of my practice. In the past, I’ve written about the resources available in Massachusetts to...
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Lunch & Learn! Elder Law 101: Protecting Your Assets
On Tuesday, March 28, I’ll be making a presentation at The Allerton House at Harbor Park. I’ll be joined by Christine Lappas, Allerton House Sales Director.
Join us for lunch at 11:30 a.m. followed by an informative presentation at 12:00 to learn more about:
Health Care Proxy
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Five Estate Planning and Elder Law Mistakes that Could Come Back to Haunt You
In honor of Halloween, I’d like to share what I consider to be some of the scariest (and easily avoided) planning mistakes.Thinking you can become eligible for long-term care assistance from MassHealth by simply giving your assets away.This might seem like a great idea, but MassHealth has strict guidelines for gifting, including...
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Thoughts on Independence from an Elder Law Attorney
Independence Day has come and gone, but this time of year always reminds me of why I focus on estate planning and elder law: these areas of practice allow me to help my clients live at home independently for as long as possible. Let’s take a brief look at some of the...
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Estate Planning Myths and Misconceptions: All Trusts Protect Your Assets
Some myths contain an element of truth. An example of this is the notion that all trusts will protect your assets against long-term care costs, divorce, lawsuits, and other threats. The truth is a bit more complicated: while some types of trusts provide excellent asset protection, others do not. When most people think...
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Join Me In Person or Online in May and Learn about Planning for Long-Term Care
Most of us will eventually need some form of long-term care. The good news is that proper planning can help ensure your wishes regarding your care will be carried out. Proper planning can also protect your life savings from the cost of such care. On Wednesday, May 11th from noon to 1 PM I’ll...
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Another Myth about MassHealth and Paying for Long-Term Care
In past articles I’ve dispelled the myth that MassHealth won’t pay for home care. Now I’d like to address another common myth about MassHealth and long-term care, namely, that the well spouse will be kicked out of the family home if the ailing spouse moves to a nursing home and MassHealth...
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Estate Planning Myth #1: Trusts are Only for “Rich” People
There are so many myths and misconceptions about estate planning that I feel compelled to dispel some of them in this forum. Consider, for example, the myth that trusts are only for the wealthiest of families, the so-called “one percent.” In truth, there are many different types of trusts, capable of helping...
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