Our Blog
Welcome to the blog of R. F. Meyer & Associates, where we share company news and informative articles related to our Elder Law, Probate and Estate Planning legal practice.
Medicaid’s Power to Recoup Benefits Paid: Estate Recovery and Liens
Federal law requires the state to attempt to recoup benefits paid for long-term care from a Medicaid recipient's estate after the recipient's death. If steps aren't taken to protect the Medicaid recipient's house, it may need to be sold to settle the claim. For...
Don’t Let Medicare Open Enrollment Go By Without Reassessing Your Options
Medicare's Open Enrollment Period, during which you can freely enroll in or switch plans, runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. Don't let this period slip by without shopping around to see whether your current choices are the best ones for you. During this period you may...
What to Look for When Buying an Annuity
An annuity can be a useful tool for long-term care planning, but annuities are also complex financial products that are hard to understand. If purchasing an annuity, you need to consider your options carefully. An annuity is a contract with an insurance company under...
Most Are Taking Social Security at the Wrong Time
A new report finds that almost all retirees are deciding to take Social Security at the wrong time, and are losing out on more than $100,000 per household in the process. The average Social Security recipient would receive 9 percent more income in retirement if they...
How to Use a Trust in Medicaid Planning
With careful Medicaid planning, you may be able to preserve some of your estate for your children or other heirs while meeting Medicaid's low asset limit. The problem with transferring assets is that you have given them away. You no longer control them, and even a...
October 2019 newsletter now available
We’ve just released out October 2019 newsletter from R. F. Meyer & Associates. This edition of our digital newsletter includes articles about: Using trusts in Medicaid planning; When to start taking Social Security; Things to look for when purchasing an annuity,...
Recently transferred assets can gum up Medicaid application
In order to be eligible for Medicaid, you cannot have recently transferred assets. Congress does not want you to move into a nursing home on Monday, give all your money to your children (or whomever) on Tuesday, and qualify for Medicaid on Wednesday. So it has imposed...
Will My Advance Directive Work in Another State?
Making sure your end-of-life wishes are followed no matter where you happen to be is important. If you move to a different state or split your time between one or more states, you should make sure your advance directive is valid in all the states you frequent. An...
New Rule May Make It Harder for Medicare Beneficiaries to Receive Home Care
It may become harder for Medicare beneficiaries to find home health care due to a new rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Although the rule changes the way home health care providers are reimbursed, it could affect patient care as well....