Q. My Medicare Part D drug plan just denied coverage for my medication. Can I appeal its decision? A. Yes. If your Medicare drug plan denies coverage for a drug you need, you don’t have to simply accept it. There are steps you can take to appeal the decision. Background: The insurers offering Medicare drug… Read More »
Blog Posts Page 16
Can I Use Father’s POA To Make Gifts To Accelerate His Eligibility for Medi-Cal?
Q. My father suffers from advanced dementia and needs care in a nursing home. It costs about $9,500 per month, and we are rapidly spending down his savings. I was told that he might qualify for a Medi-Cal subsidy to help with the cost once his savings are below $2,000. Years ago he signed a… Read More »
Interest on Home Equity Loans May Still Be Deductible under New Tax Law
Q. My wife and I have a home equity loan. In the past, we have been able to deduct the interest we paid on our taxes. However, under the new tax law, I hear conflicting opinions as to whether those interest payments are still deductible. Do you have any word on that? A. Thanks to… Read More »
Using ‘Unavailability’ As a Medi-Cal Spend Down Strategy
Q. I need to qualify my mother for a Medi-Cal subsidy to help pay for her nursing home care, due to her progressive dementia. However, she has about $20,000 in a bank account with just her name on it, and no power of attorney in place to allow me to draw upon it. I was… Read More »
Why Amending A Trust Isn’t Always A Simple Task
Q. My late wife and I set up a trust about 10 years ago, and now I want to change the Successor Trustee and remove a beneficiary. Is that a simple thing to do? A. Like so many things in life, it depends. Here are some of the considerations: Is It Amendable? Not all trusts… Read More »
How Does Mom Revoke Her Power of Attorney?
Q. My mother named my brother as her agent under her power of attorney to handle her financial affairs, but he seems to be abusing his authority and my mother wants to revoke it. Can she do so, and how would she go about it? A. The simple answer is, yes, she can revoke her… Read More »
What’s in the New Tax Law?
Q. I hear a lot about the new tax law that Congress passed and President Trump just signed, but I am unclear as to how it might affect me and my family. Can you give us a summary? A. Sure. While much of the new “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” was designed to reduce the… Read More »
Will Mom Lose Medicare or Medi-Cal Coverage If She Leaves the Nursing Home To Visit Family?
Q. Mom has been receiving care in a nursing home. She is currently covered by Medicare, but soon will switch to Medi-Cal. She would really like to come to our home for a short visit for family celebrations. However, I heard that she might lose her coverage if she does so. Is that true? A…. Read More »
Medi-Cal Expands Home Care Option For Married Individuals
Q. I have been caring for my wife at home for some time, and I could really use help. In the past I was told that our modest savings and incomes were too high to qualify for a Medi-Cal subsidy to enable me to hire care-givers. However, I just heard that these strict requirements may… Read More »
8 Questions to Ask Before Agreeing to Be Trustee
Q. A close friend asked me to be the Trustee of his trust in the event of his incapacity or death. While it is an honor to be asked, I wonder what questions I should ask before accepting? A. It is indeed an honor, as it means that your friend trusts your judgment and is… Read More »