The same-sex partner of a man who died following an on-the-job accident is not entitled to the Workers’ Compensation death benefit a surviving spouse in a traditional marriage would receive, a divided upstate appeals panel ruled yesterday.

The civil union ...   more »

Billionaire Warren Buffett urged Congress to preserve the estate tax, saying that plans to repeal it would benefit a handful of the richest American families and turn the country into a "plutocracy."
Buffett, the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and the ...   more »

On September 24, 2007, the New York Office of Health Insurance Programs issued a directive stating that the penalty period for gifts will no longer apply to applicants for the Lombardi program. "Effective immediately: if an individual applies for Medicaid ...   more »

Genworth Financial, Inc. convened a national symposium of noted experts from the healthcare industry, seniors organizations, government and academia on Capitol Hill to discuss the future of long term care in America. It also released the results of a new ...   more »

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the new Medicare premiums, deductibles, and coinsurances. The standard Medicare Part B premium is increasing by 3.1 percent to $96.40 a month, the smallest increase since 2001.
The increase is ...   more »

Many Americans retire early prior to reaching age 65 and receiving Medicare coverage. If they do not plan carefully, they will not have health care coverage before they can be covered by Medicare.

Many Americans retire early prior to reaching ...   more »

One of the major concerns for parents with children with disabilities is how to provide for their financial future. Here are some legal tips:


Buy enough life insurance. A parent is irreplaceable, but someone will have to fill in. In ...   more »

Being the executor of an estate is not a task to take lightly. An executor is the person responsible for managing the administration of a deceased individual's estate. Although the time and effort involved will vary with the size of ...   more »

Medicare is mandated to cover your home health benefits with no limit on the time you are covered. Unfortunately, few Medicare beneficiaries get the level of service they are entitled to and many find their services cut off prematurely. Getting ...   more »

Admitting a loved one to a nursing home can be very stressful. In addition to dealing with a sick family member and managing all the details involved with the move, you must decide whether to sign all the papers the ...   more »

The House and Senate have approved a $2.9 trillion budget resolution that would keep the estate tax at where it will be in 2009 under the current law. This means that the per-person estate tax exemption would be $3.5 million ...   more »

Facing expiration of the estate tax in 2010, the U.S. Senate voted 51-41 to reaffirm its support for a budget resolution that establishes the current-law 2009 estate tax rules through 2012. In 2009 the per-person estate tax exemption will be ...   more »

Try these practical tips to avoid feuds and spare feelings.

1. Spell things out. Ask your parents to figure out who gets what, right down to the Christmas tree lights. Some people put stickers with names on the bottoms; others ...   more »

The Open Enrollment Period (OEP) during which Medicare beneficiaries can make one election to change in certain kinds of plans, ends on March 31, 2007. The Open Enrollment Period applies to individuals who are changing Medicare Advantage (MA) plans or ...   more »

We have planned our next two elder law and estate planning seminars! Learn how to PLAN NOW, not later, in order to protect everything you’ve worked a lifetime to acquire. Come and discover the answers to crucial and timely questions ...   more »