What Is a Life Estate?
The phrase “life estate” often comes up in discussions of estate and Medicaid planning, but what exactly does it mean? A life estate is a form of joint ownership that allows one person to remain in…
Changes in Social Security Claiming Strategies Arrive Next Month
Recent changes to the Social Security retirement program will eliminate two claiming strategies that can possibly increase your rate of return. These changes will take effect for people who have not used them before April 29th. If you have not yet applied for Social Security benefits and could benefit from one of these strategies, you should get help from a qualified elder law attorney, such as Linda Strohschein and her team at Strohschein Law Group.
Court Approves Use of Short-Term Annuities for Medicaid Planning
A lesson learned in Pennsylvania declares immediate annuities must still meet a number of stringent requirements to be accepted as legitimate by Medicaid authorities. Families considering them should get help from a qualified elder law attorney, such as Linda Strohschein and her team at Strohschein Law Group. This is an FYI for you to think about what long term care planning can put in place for you before you transfer assets to afford it. Call us today (630) 377-3241
Incentives to Keep Working While You Collect Social Security
In general, it is better to wait as long as possible before taking Social Security benefits, but sometimes it is necessary to start taking benefits early. However, if you are able to continue working while receiving benefits, you may be able to increase your overall benefit. For more information on how work affects Social Security call Strohschein Law Group. We help clients everyday plan for the future. (630) 377-3241
Woman’s Efforts to Change Will Without Professional Assistance Backfire
Just as making a will without the help of a qualified attorney can be dangerous, trying to change an existing will on your own can fail as well. A recent court decision in Minnesota serves as a cautionary reminder to anyone thinking of altering their estate plan on their own. Strohschein Law Group is here to protect what matters and just a phone call away to save you money and potential heart ache.
Incentive Trusts: Ensuring That an Inheritance Will Be Well Spent
Many parents or grandparents with sizable amounts of money to pass on to their heirs are apprehensive about the effect it may have on their children or grandchildren. In some instances, they fear that the recipients will misspend the funds on drugs, fancy cars or failing businesses. In other cases, the fear is simply that their children will lose their drive to achieve and overcome barriers that may present themselves if there’s no financial necessity to do so. But some parents set up what are known as “incentive trusts,” which get very specific in their instructions to trustees to ensure that the trust funds support what the trust’s creators view as positive behavior and discourage unproductive activities. Read more…
Know Your Options Before Signing Up for Medicare
As you get ready to turn 65, you may be inundated with information about Medicare. All this information is confusing, but it is important to do your research before choosing your plan. If you aren’t fully informed, you could end up making mistakes that will cost you down the road, particularly when it comes to how “Medicare Advantage” and “Medigap” plans interact.
Linda Strohschein Supports NAELA Membership Contest to IL DHS Proposed Amendments to the Bureau of Appeals and Hearings
Linda Strohschein, Principal Attorney for Strohschein Law Group, testified to help improve proposed regulations by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Bureau of Appeals and Hearings.
How to Protect Your Deceased Loved Ones From Identity Theft
One way that identity thieves find victims is by looking through obituaries. When writing your loved one’s obituary, try to avoid information that might be useful to identity thieves such as date of birth, mother’s maiden name, or the decedent’s address. Think about what information someone would need to open a bank account and avoid including that in the obituary.
Obama Signs Law Requiring Hospitals to Warn of Costly Medicare Loophole
President Obama has signed a new law intended to prevent Medicare beneficiaries from spending days in a hospital only to find that they hadn’t been admitted to the hospital at all – they were only under “observation.” This is important because Medicare covers nursing home stays entirely for the first 20 days, but only if the patient was first admitted to a hospital as an inpatient for at least three days.