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.
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....
Medicaid’s Gift to Children Who Help Parents Postpone Nursing Home Care
In most states, transferring your house to your children (or someone else) may lead to a Medicaid penalty period, which would make you ineligible for Medicaid for a period of time. However, there are circumstances in which transferring a house will not result in a...
September newsletter available
Earlier today we released the September 2019 newsletter from R.F. Meyer & Associates. This edition contains three informative articles about Medicaid rules on the coverage of long-term care in nursing homes, and a fourth about important estate planning...
Reports Find Hospice Deficiencies Go Unaddressed
Hospice care is supposed to help terminally ill patients maintain their quality of life at the end of their life, but two new government reports find that serious problems in some hospices may be actually causing harm to hospice patients. The reports propose that...