To qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care in New York, you cannot have more than $15,450 in assets. But with nursing home costs as high as $6,000 to $7,000 a month, you may need Medicaid benefits to afford your care. If you want to qualify for Medicaid...
Year: 2019
Gifting goodwill may come back to bite when applying for Medicaid
Medicaid comes in handy for covering the costs of healthcare, but the limitations can be strict. And unloading your assets to qualify might not work as well as you’d like. Medicaid has varying limitations on income levels and resources, but meeting requirements may...
Have a voice in choosing a potential guardian
Few of us want a legal guardian. As adults, we only have them when we become so severely physically disabled or mentally incapacitated that we cannot express ourselves or function without the care of others. But life is full of surprises. So, it is wise to think about...
5 reasons why new parents need a will
When you welcome your first child, your life forever changes. For the first few months, you are busy caring for a newborn—figuring out how to soothe your child, feed them and survive some sleepless nights. While many parents do lots of research on the best car seat,...
What’s holding Americans back from forming an estate plan?
Americans are confused. They're confused about estate planning and rightfully so, it's a diverse topic. Should you create a will, a trust or both? It depends because they serve different purposes, but both can be beneficial to form a complete estate plan. Will and...
6 things to consider when choosing an executor
In New York, estates are settled through probate by an executor, who is named in the will or estate plan. If there is no executor, or the named executor is unable to serve, the estate can be probated by an administrator, typically a professional, who is appointed by...
Why small business owners need an estate plan
Creating an estate plan is an important responsibility that can help you ensure that your family is taken care of in the event of your death. If you’re a small business owner, this responsibility is even more important, as both your business and your family could face...
Ex-manager for Stan Lee charged with elder abuse and more
You may remember when comic creator Stan Lee began creating some of our most beloved pop culture figures in the 1960s. Lee’s popularity only grew through the years as his creations expanded to television, movies and more. In late 2018, Lee passed away at the age of...
Parents of minor children may prefer leaving assets in a trust
Parents of young children usually have different estate planning considerations than parents of adult children have. One of those considerations should be who to appoint as the guardian of minor children in case both parents unexpectedly pass away. However, a less...
The importance of a last will and testament
Some may believe writing a “last will and testament” can wait until tomorrow. But tomorrow is not guaranteed. If you don't write or help create “a will” and pass on, New York State will take over and divide the assets. The state has defined standards for dividing an...