Will Medicare Cover a Coronavirus Vaccine?
With the coronavirus pandemic responsible for more than a hundred thousand deaths and disrupting life across the United States, the only way for the country to return to normal is an effective vaccine. When a vaccine is available, Medicare will cover the cost.
Medicare covers vaccines in a variety of ways,...
Caregiver Contracts: How to Pay a Family Member for Care
Although people are willing to voluntarily care for a parent or loved one without any promise of compensation, entering into a caregiver contract (also called personal service or personal care agreement) with a family member can have many benefits. It rewards the family member doing the work. It can help alleviate tension between family...
A Modest Raise for Nursing Home Workers Could Save 15,000 Lives a Year: Study
Raising the minimum wage by as little as 10 percent would significantly improve the safety and health of nursing home residents, according to new research.
Most direct care in nursing homes is provided by nursing assistants, who make up about 40 percent of the nursing home...
Long-Reviled Military ‘Widow’s Tax’ Is Finally Being Phased Out
A controversial policy that reduces the benefits of military spouses is on the way out. The so-called “widow’s tax” cuts assistance to surviving military spouses who qualify for benefits under two different military benefit programs.
The two programs are:
The Department of Defense’s Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), which allows a military...Five Topics to Discuss With Your Spouse Before You Retire
You may have a vision for your retirement, but does your spouse share that vision? Spouses often disagree about many key retirement details. It is important to work together to come up with a plan you both can accept.
Many husbands and wives are not in accord about retirement. For...
When Planning Your Estate, Don’t Let the Perfect Be the Enemy of the Good
There are many unknowns when planning an estate, but you can’t let the uncertainties get in the way of creating any kind of plan. Having an imperfect plan is usually better than having no plan at all.
When planning an estate you want to be able to consider all...
Say It Loud: Fight Over James Brown’s Estate May Finally Be Drawing to a Close
Litigation over James Brown’s estate has been dragging on for 14 years, but the case took a big step towards resolution when the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the woman claiming a spousal share in Mr. Brown’s estate was never legally married to him.
Mr. Brown, known as the...
Dealing with a Deceased Loved One's Debt Collectors
The last thing anyone wants after the death of a family member is calls from debt collectors dunning the loved one's estate. While some family members can be contacted by debt collectors, the family is protected from abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices.
Usually the estate is responsible for paying any...