Retirement Watch Weekly
Medicaid Nursing Home Rules Toughen
People who plan to have Medicaid pay for their nursing home care are in for some big surprises. A new law that has not received much publicity changes the rules. Medicaid is the program that pays the medical expenses of the nation’s poor. Medicare is the program that pays some medical expenses of older Americans. […]
Important Medicaid Update for Heirs
The new uncertainty over Medicaid eligibility is not the only reason Medicaid should not be the centerpiece of your long-term care plan. Another concern is that your heirs might receive an unpleasant surprise from the state. When Medicaid decides someone is eligible for it to pay for nursing home care, the individual is told that […]
Boomers Retirement Housing Surprises
The Baby Boomers surprised forecasters as they went through life, and they changed many aspects of the economy. It looks like they have another series of surprises in store. The Boomers’ choices of retirement homes might be very different from what many people are expecting. These choices are important not only to those who build […]
529 Plans Equalized, Estate Planning Should Adjust Accordingly
The recent deficit reduction law gave a boost to 529 prepaid college plans. There are two types of 529 plans: prepaid plans and savings plans. Under prepaid plans, the state guarantees that tuition and fees are covered by an amount determined today, even if inflation or investment returns are different from what was anticipated. The […]
Should you put your IRA in a Trust?
Many owners of substantial IRAs hope their IRAs become nest eggs for their children or grandchildren. Their estate plans include strategies that let the IRAs, when inherited, compound for as long as possible – perhaps decades. That means selecting the right beneficiaries, and being sure the beneficiaries are well-advised about their options. Unfortunately, beneficiaries often […]
Estate Planning Strategies to Give and Protect Wealth
Many people know why making gifts is part of most estate plans. Yet, they hesitate to make the gifts, because they see potential pitfalls. They fear that the gifts might be spent unwisely or wasted. The donee could squander the assets on gambling, substance abuse, or other activities. Or the wealth could be well-managed for […]
How to Help the Post Boomer Generations
Inflation, the rising cost of education, reduced investment returns, soaring real estate prices, and terrorism all concern America’s wealthy. But nothing concerns them more than how those and other factors create great obstacles for their children and grandchildren. A recent survey of America’s wealthy done for U.S. Trust revealed that, like most other Americans, the […]
The Overlooked Retirement Time Bomb
My file of articles about retiree medical expenses is filling rapidly with unpleasant headlines. One sample sums up the group: “How Safe Are Your Retiree Health Benefits?” Numerous surveys and my own experience lead to one conclusion: Most retirees and pre-retirees greatly underestimate how much medical expenses will be during retirement and are mistaken about […]
