Filing a Medicaid Application? Better be Prepared for a Battle (Part 2)
In last week’s post, I started to tell you about what has been happening with increasing frequency to the Medicaid application process. Denials have become almost routine and for reasons that range from flat out incorrect to the bizarre. For example, last week we received a Medicaid denial for failure to provide a deed or
Filing a Medicaid Application? Better Be Prepared (Part 1)
Even before the current pandemic, getting a Medicaid application approved was increasingly challenging. Now, with some government staff working remotely and many government offices short staffed because of social distancing requirements, it has not gotten better. What we are finding in our office is that applications that should clearly be approved are being denied. In
What if I Can’t Find the Original Will? Part 2
In my post last week I began discussing the options to probate when an original will can’t be located. Probate in New Jersey tends to be relatively inexpensive in comparison to many other states because appearances before a judge aren’t normally necessary and a bond isn’t usually required unless you
What If I Can’t Find the Original Will – Part 1
We all know the statistics. 110,000 deaths attributed to Covid-19 and climbing. Our office has received more calls in the last 3 months regarding the need for estate administration than at any time that I can recall in the past 25 years. In many instances the decedent (the person who
2020 Medicaid Penalty Divisor
Many of my articles concern Medicaid and avoiding or trying to minimize a Medicaid penalty. That penalty, which is a waiting period for benefits is a result of a mathematical calculation. The amount of any transfers for less than fair value is divided by the Medicaid divisor to get the resulting penalty. The divisor is what
Do It Yourself Estate Plan – Part 2
In last week’s post I was telling you about Mary and John’s do it yourself wills. For less than $100 they purchased a software program that helped them assemble their wills. When John died only then did Mary learn of the mistakes they made. I already told you about the IRA which John intended
A Do It Yourself Will Gone Bad – Part 1
I recent call I received from Mary illustrates the risks of do it yourself estate planning. In this case Mary and john, her husband prepared their wills using Quicken’s Willmaker software which can be purchased online for less than $100. It couldn’t be easier, right? Hiring an estate planning attorney could cost several hundred to a
Stimulus Checks Issued to Deceased People
A few weeks ago I wrote about Stimulus checks, the part of the CARES Act that gives one time payments of $1200 to every American whose adjusted gross income is $75,000 or less (and a smaller amount for those with income between $75,000 and $99,000). Since then, some people have received the payments direct
Is it Still Possible to Probate a Will?
Last week, I heard the statistic reported that the number of Covid-19 related deaths has now exceeded the number of people who died in the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War, of course, spanned 11 years while the current pandemic has been ongoing for a few months at this point. The compressed
Covid Medicare Coverage
What we know about the Coronavirus is that seniors are at a higher risk of serious illness than younger age groups. So how has Medicare, the primary health insurance program for Americans over 65, responded?