Seniors Affected by Recent Data Breaches
Data breaches have been one of the hot topics this year in the wake of the Capital One data breach which compromised nearly 100 million Americans. But what hasn’t been receiving much major media coverage are the recent breaches affecting seniors. One such breach occurred last year in May, and that
Do You Know Which Hospital You’ll Go To?
When you dial 911 for emergency medical services (EMS) your transport may route you to a hospital that is not near your home. While you have the right to ask to be transported to the hospital of your choice, either out of preference or to stay in your insurance network
Protecting Your Spouse from Poverty
30 years ago, Congress put in place protections for the savings of married couples using Medicaid. These protections prevent husbands and wives from bankrupting themselves trying to fund care for their loved ones. They originally required states to allow spouses of nursing home residents to maintain a certain amount of
How Can I Benefit From an Elder Law Attorney?
According to the US Census Bureau, more than 51 million Americans are currently aged 65 or older, and the number is steadily increasing while medical and technological advancements are allowing seniors to live longer and better lives than ever before. The expanding needs of the US aging population are contributing
Your Guide to Advance Directives
Kevin stands at the door of Winnie’s nursing home room, tears streaming down his face. The medical staff just finished inserted a feeding tube into Winnie – an act Kevin knew she didn’t want. Unfortunately, Winnie couldn’t express her wishes due to advanced dementia, and she had no legal documents
The Newly-Appointed Property Guardian Checklist
Your grandfather Martin can no longer make decisions on his own. A court appoints you to be Martin’s guardian of property, to help Martin manage his money. You become Martin’s “fiduciary.” The law now requires you to act to a high standard of good faith and honesty. There’s a lot of
How to Manage a Loved One’s Benefits
You have been appointed to help your seven-year-old nephew Roberto manage his Social Security benefits. In the Social Security system, you’ll be called Roberto’s “representative payee.” The situation is similar if you’re appointed to help your elderly father, who has dementia, manage his Veteran’s benefit checks. In the Veterans Administration system,
The Real Risk to Social Security
According to a recent government report, available here, Medicare and Social Security are at risk of insolvency. Unless action is taken, Social Security will exceed its income by 2020, whereas Medicare is projected to exceed its hospital insurance fund by 2026. Social Security will have to start spending down, potentially
Your Guide to the Senior Safe Act
The Senior Safe Act, signed into law by President Trump earlier this year, is designed to protect our elders from financial abuse from either within a family or support system or by scam artists preying upon them. Tens of billions of dollars each year are illegally taken from US seniors
What to Do with Your Beloved Collection
Whether your beloved collection consists of artwork, books, cars, music, or other significant items, you should not forget about this valuable asset when estate planning. You have likely spent quite some time — whether years or your entire life — building your collection; you should not leave its fate to