One question many New York seniors (and their loved ones) considered during the presidential campaign was how each candidate’s election might affect programs like Medicare and Medicaid. While it is hard to say with certainty what changes, if any, will be made to these areas, much of the discussion between…
Concerns are rising among many in the financial and estate planning fields as the year winds down without any more clarity on the future of the estate tax. A recent post from Advisor One, for example, explained that the shrinking 2012 calendar means that there are less than three months…
Life insurance is an important piece of long-term financial security for local families. It is entirely reasonable for parents and family breadwinners to wish to provide some security to their loved ones in case the unthinkable happens. However, with money tight and uncertainty about financial security remaining, some are unsure…
The acting commissioner of the Dutchess County Department of Services for Aging, Veterans and Youth penned an article this week on the toll that elder caregiving takes on family members throughout the state. The purpose of the piece was two-fold: to recognize the amazing work done by so many local…
In recent years there has been a push to alter care for seniors with dementia. Most arguments about superior elder care focus on limiting medication-only treatment options. These “chemical restraints” are still overused, with seniors in many nursing homes lulled into a near-stupor as a result of antipsychotic medication. In…
A new book is being released entitled “The Adventures of a Free Lunch Junkie.” The author, an 86-year old retired man, wrote the interesting tome based on his goal of eating at 50 “free lunches” over the course of a year. Most of the lunches were obtained during seminars, explaining…
It is perhaps every senior’s worst nightmare: a dispute over their finances influences the care they receive in their later years. It seems self-evident that nothing should get in the way of making medical and caregiving decisions based on maximizing a senior’s quality of life–not maximizing an inheritance for others…
Not many years ago student loans and estate planning were rarely discussed in the same sentence. That is because in decades past far fewer individuals took out student loans and, even when they did, the size of the loans were smaller. Things are changing, however. Higher education is becoming more…
As more and more information emerges about the true scope of senior financial exploitation, senior care advocates are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to tackling the problem. The latest statistics from MetLife suggest that, amazingly, one out of every five seniors over 65 years old have already be…
Senior care advocates repeatedly remind families that oversight is needed in some cases to ensure seniors do not fall victim to financial exploitation. Having an elder law estate planning attorney involved in the process is one way to provide some professional oversight. However, beyond protecting against scammers and hucksters, many…