Family caregiving in U.S. valued at $450 billion in one year

Family members who provided care to another adult with functional limitations contributed an economic value of approximately $450 billion in 2009, according to a recent report. The report, issued by the AARP Public Policy Institute, says that family caregivers incur...

New ruling clarifies law on Medicaid liens

Appeals court judges earn their pay interpreting the meaning of laws that seemingly conflict. Consider, for example, a recent case about Medicaid liens. (Tristani v. Richman, Nos. 09-3537, 09-3538, rendered by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit,...

Who should you name as your trustee?

Trusts are increasingly common – even in middle class estate planning – for their effectiveness in avoiding probate, protecting assets, helping minor children, and serving the disabled. If you’re not the trustee of your own trust, who should you name? Even if...

Medicaid estate recovery: don’t lose assets on the “Back 9”

Golfers know the heartbreak of building an impressive score on the first nine holes, only to see it slip away into disaster the “Back 9.” Something similar can happen in Medicaid planning. People sometimes do well protecting assets during their lifetimes, only to lose...