Another Word about QITs
I last wrote about qualified income trusts (QITs)last September but I want to revisit the topic because of 2 recent applications in our office in which the trustee failed to follow the very specific requirements that the State of New Jersey has imposed. It has often happened that people call our
Divorce and Medicaid – Part 3
In last week’s second part of my post, I laid out some basic strategies for couples who, while still legally married and living together, view themselves as separated or divorced. Unfortunately in the eyes of Medicaid you aren’t divorced unless you’ve got the Judgment of Divorce to prove it. When I tell
Divorce and Medicaid – Part 2
Last week I wrote about the recent calls we’ve received regarding couples in unhappy marriages where one spouse now needs care. Even though they may have kept their finances separate for many years, under Medicaid rules the healthy spouse’s assets will be counted as well as the ill spouse’s assets when
Divorce and Medicaid – Part 1
Divorce rates in America have steadily risen for years and much has been written about it. There are, however, many more couples in unhappy marriages who for varied reasons did not go the divorce route. For some, it may have been about being more comfortable with the life they know vs. the
2nd Stimulus Checks – Same as the 1st?
Last month Congress and President Trump finally agreed to additional stimulus checks to be sent to Americans in need during the current pandemic. This is the second such round of payments since the COVID crisis hit. There are some differences, however between this second payment and the first. The most important change is
Medicaid Applications – Like a Tax Audit on Steroids
While I am not an accountant and have never experienced an income tax audit, when describing the Medicaid application process I often reference it to a tax audit. It is an intrusive government review of an applicant’s finances over a 5 year time period. I have been filing Medicaid applications for
A Word about the PAS (Part 2)
Last week I wrote about the medical part of Medicaid eligibility. The preadmission screening (PAS) process requires the state to certify that the applicant needs nursing home level care. Nursing home level care means needing assistance with at least 3 of the activities of daily living. Those activities are transferring (eg. in and out
A Word about the PAS
When talking to clients about achieving Medicaid eligibility, we spend most of our time focused on the financial requirements. That includes an asset test and an income test and transfers that are potentially subject to a Medicaid penalty. However, I always tell families that we can’t forget about the medical test. If we
Withdrawing IRA Funds Before Year End – Part 2
This year has been unlike any other. The pandemic has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and many Americans continue to face economic hardships caused by the government imposed shutdowns and restrictions. At the same time Congress did pass a relief package back in March called the CARES Act. As I said
Withdrawing IRA Funds Before Year End – Part 1
As we get to the close of the year, many seniors if they haven’t done so already must withdraw enough from their retirement accounts to meet required minimum distribution requirements. The tax deferred status of these accounts can increase their value substantially, however, eventually the government wants its share in taxes. The