Shikuma Law Offices, PLLC in Seattle Washington is dedicated to providing personalized estate planning counsel and asset protection planning at a reasonable price. We can also assist you with medicaid planning, probate, trust administration, VA pension benefits planning, charity planning, pet trusts and much more. See our services and practice areas for more deatils.
There are currently over 25 million veterans alive in the United States. There are over 9 million surviving spouses of veterans currently living in the United States. Many of these veterans and surviving spouses are receiving long term care or will need some type of long term care in the near future, and there are funds available from the Veterans Administration (“VA”) to help pay for that care. Unfortunately, many of those who are eligible have no idea that any type of benefits exist for them or that an attorney can help them become eligible.
Cotinue reading Helping Veterans Pay for Long Term Care
During the month of March, and after much debate, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 were signed into law. This new legislation, commonly referred to as “health care reform,” made sweeping changes to health care as we currently know it, including the introduction of new programs aimed to assist older Americans with long term care.
This issue of The ElderCounselor™ will focus on four areas where health care reform impacts our senior population and their loved ones: Medicare improvements, prescription drug help, expansion of Medicaid to home-based services, and long term care insurance available for any working adult.
Cotinue reading Understanding Health Care Reform and Its Effect on Our Senior Population
With our current economic challenges, those of us looking forward to retirement need to be well-informed about our financial needs in coming years. And not only pre-retirees, but individuals already in retirement need to be wise to the changing economic environment. The good news is there are trained professionals who keep abreast of changes in the current economy, changes in laws and changes in government programs for the elderly. Professionals in this field are equipped to handle everything from help with retirement savings accounts, investment advice, guidance on government programs, estate planning or even new funding options such as reverse mortgages. A little planning prior to retirement will allow you to maintain your current lifestyle; whereas, a lack of planning may require you to live on an extremely tight budget. For those already retired, taking time right now to deal with financial problems instead of waiting for a crisis to happen is well advised.
Cotinue reading The Financial Health of Aging Seniors
Community Aging Services and Long Term Care
There are many private, religious and government organizations across the country that provide supportive services for older people. Many of these services center around helping people stay in their homes and avoid having to go to live in an institution or perhaps move in with family. Because of the emphasis on helping people remain independent, many community aging programs could be viewed as long-term care programs. In fact it’s probably just a matter of semantics; long-term care and community aging services are just two sides of the same coin. Other community services may provide socialization or training opportunities. Community aging programs might include:
Cotinue reading Community Aging Services and Senior Centers
It might sound strange to be told to insure your retirement funds, but after working hard and diligently saving all that money, wouldn’t you want to make sure that the funds will be there for you when you need them?
As you move into retirement, you are also moving towards age-related health problems. Events beyond your control, such as stroke, heart disease and cognitive impairment can change one’s way of life.
Cotinue reading Insuring Your Retirement Funds
Helping Veterans Pay for Long Term Care
The Financial Health of Aging Seniors
