Under current law, the estate tax is slated for one year of repeal in 2010 (approximately two months from now), with a return in 2011 at the rates and exemption level that were in effect in 2001 ($1 million exemption). ...   more »

There has been much discussion about the temporary repeal and reinstatement of the federal estate tax. Here is a brief summary of some of the current proposals.

Right now, there are three major bills in Congress:

Senate Bill 722
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A proposal to establish a new national long-term care insurance program that would offer basic help to the elderly and disabled is under attack by the insurance industry. Although the proposed program is still included in major health reform bills ...   more »

1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Prepaid Plans
One way to plan in advance for the end of one's life is to sign a formal contract called a "preneed funeral plan." With this plan, money to pay for a funeral and/or ...   more »

Governor David A. Paterson signed into law three Governor’s Program bills that will make health insurance more affordable and improve access to health care for New Yorkers. The first extends the period of time for COBRA (Consolidation Omnibus Budget Reconciliation ...   more »

You have signed your last will and testament or revocable trust, created a special needs trust for your child with disabilities and selected an appropriate trustee to manage assets and make necessary trust distributions for your child's care. Now you ...   more »

As the economy has slowed and housing values have dropped, reverse mortgages have become even more attractive to seniors looking for ways to use the equity in their homes without moving. But a new study by the Government Accountability Office ...   more »

President Barack Obama has given his support to a proposal for new national long-term care insurance program that would offer basic help for the elderly and disabled. The President's support could be key to making long-term care coverage a part ...   more »

Redo your Estate Plan Before you Remarry
If you are getting remarried, you obviously want to celebrate, but it is also important to focus on less exciting matters like redoing your estate plan. You may have created an estate plan ...   more »

The Top 10 Health Care Mistakes Made By the Elderly

Americans are living longer than ever before, but many older Americans could better deal with their health problems, according to the Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA). To help the elderly ...   more »

A durable power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents you can have. It allows you to appoint someone to act for you (your "agent" or "attorney-in-fact") if you become incapacitated. Without a power of attorney, ...   more »

As the economy worsens, incidences of elder financial abuse are reportedly on the rise. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to scams or to financial abuse by family members in need of money.

A recent study found that up to one ...   more »

You may be interested to know that a new combination Life Insurance/Long Term Care policy has been approved in New York State. This policy differs from other combination policies in some important aspects. They are as follows:

1. The underwriting ...   more »

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled a one-to-five star rating system for nursing homes to help consumers evaluate a nursing home’s quality when selecting a facility. The ratings appear on the agency’s Nursing Home Compare Website ...   more »

When creating an estate plan, an important decision is who to name as your fiduciary. A fiduciary is a fancy legal term for the person who will take care of your property for you if you are unable to do ...   more »