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  Last Updated: 3/2/2010 2:14:01 PM As ElderLawAnswers has reported, the estate tax expired on January 1, 2010. It remains to be seen whether Congress will reinstate it before it returns in 2011, but the fact that there is currently no estate tax can have unintended consequences for spouses. Standard language found in many estate Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 2/26/2010 9:34:53 AM Jan Warner and Jan Collins. Next Steps: A Practical Guide to Planning for the Best Half of Your Life. Quill Driver Books. Fresno, CA. 2009. 255 pages. $11.66 from Amazon (click on book to order) Aging endangers many things we take for granted when we’re younger: health, assets, family Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 2/8/2010 3:42:13 PM Reprinted by permission of retirementrevised If you have long-term care insurance, brace for the possibility of a steep increase in premiums this year. Some of the largest long-term care (LTC) underwriters are asking state regulators for large increases on some policies this year. The current ultra-low interest rate environment Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 2/12/2010 9:56:19 AM Several changes are coming to Medigap plans, which supplement Medicare’s coverage. In June 2010, four current plans will be dropped and two new plans will be added, bringing the total number of available Medigap plans to 10. Between copayments, deductibles, and coverage exclusions Medicare does not cover all medical Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 10/15/2009 9:41:14 AM If you are retired or are nearing retirement, the main questions on your mind are probably “Will I run out of money in retirement?” and “Will I be able to maintain my standard of living?” For answers, people often turn to free online retirement calculators, such as those listed Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 12/8/2009 10:43:58 AM A durable power of attorney (POA) allows the person creating the document, called the “principal,” to name a trusted agent who can act on his behalf in almost any situation. But because of the risk of abuse, many banks will scrutinize a POA carefully before allowing the agent to Read Full Article

  Virginia Morris. How to Care for Aging Parents. Workman Publishing Company, Inc. New York, NY. 2004. 691 pages. $12.89 from Amazon.com (click on book to order) As your parents age, their needs begin to change. How to Care for An Aging Parent — a revised and greatly expanded edition of a book first published Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 1/12/2010 1:57:32 PM As ElderLawAnswers reported earlier this year, the uncertain stock market has made prepaid 529 plans more attractive to parents looking to save for their children’s college education. However, the same economic problems that have increased the popularity of the plans are also putting the plans in jeopardy. Many plans Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 1/6/2010 5:31:45 PM Funerals rank among the most expensive purchases many consumers will ever make. A traditional funeral costs about $6,000, although “extras” like flowers, obituary notices, acknowledgment cards and limousines can bring the total to well over $10,000. Moreover, people often “overspend” on a funeral or burial because they think of Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 11/18/2009 8:01:04 AM It is that time of year again — time to reassess whether your Medicare plan is working for you. Medicare's open enrollment period began November 15 and continues until midnight December 31. During this period, you may enroll in a Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plan or, if you Read Full Article