When someone dies, a death certificate records on paper the time and place where the decedent passed away. While the funeral director where you lay your loved one to rest will usually obtain several copies for your records, it may be necessary to obtain a certified copy that has a…
In a rare showing of bipartisanship, Congress finally passed a long term budget to keep the federal government open and fund everything from the military to vital healthcare programs millions of Americans rely upon to survive. Additionally, the new budget included provisions to shore up issues with Medicare that often…
As part of recent measures to protect the Social Security numbers of Medicare beneficiaries, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Studies (CMS) has issued new Medicare ID cards with a random, 11-digit number. However, reports suggest scammers are simply retooling their efforts with more creative ways to extract personal financial…
A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation examining current and projected trends for out of pocket expenses related to care provided by Medicare found the country’s elders and those living with disabilities can expect those payments to increase. Those out of pocket expenses include health care services such as…
Advance directives for health care are legal documents that ensure an individual’s wishes are carried out if he or she cannot make decision. New York State recognizes three types of advance directives including a health care proxy, living wills, and do not resuscitate orders (DNR). Even younger and more healthy…
Planning your estate and having a last will and testament is important to ensuring your final wishes are carried out and your heirs receive everything you intend to pass on to them. Whether you are the testator or executor, there are many duties you will need to perform to make…
When planning their estate, many individuals consider setting up some form of trust to avoid family squabbles over assets, particularly the home. To achieve the goal of a smooth transition of assets and maintaining family harmony, most folks choose to set up some form of trust to avoid probate and…
One of the most common estate planning goals for high net worth married couples is to reduce their estate’s tax liability by taking full advantage of state and federal estate tax exemptions. The 2012 Tax Relief, Unemployment Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act (TRA) gave couples much more leeway to plan…
An important consideration in anyone’s estate plan is to consider appointing a trusted individual to make important health and financial decisions in any case where the testator may be incapacitated and unable to act in their best interest. One way to do this is to create a durable power of…
If you are in sole proprietorship of your business, you have a number of options to hand over your company when it comes time to retirement or pass away unexpectedly. If you do not have partners in your business, you are generally within your right to hand over the entire…