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  Last Updated: 4/24/2009 Just about everyone who gets Social Security, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or a Railroad Retirement or Veterans Administration disability pension, will receive a one-time payment from the U.S. government of $250 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (aka the stimulus bill). Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 3/27/2009 Many people believe that joint accounts are a good way to avoid probate and transfer money to loved ones, and such accounts are sometimes referred to as “the common person’s estate plan.” But while joint accounts can be useful in certain circumstances, they can have dire consequences if not used properly. Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 3/20/2009 Elder financial abuse costs older Americans more than $2.6 billion a year and is most often perpetrated by family members and caregivers, according to a new report released by the MetLife Mature Market Institute entitled, Broken Trust: Elders, Family and Finances. The 40-page report notes that for each case of abuse Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 4/20/2009 Along with many other changes, your insurance needs change when you retire. It is a good idea to look at your insurance options and figure out what you need or don’t need and where you might be able to achieve some savings. Life Insurance. Once you retire, you may no longer Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 3/26/2009 Anthony Cirillo. “Who Moved My Dentures?” 13 False (Teeth) Truths About Long-Term Care and Aging in America. Warren Publishing. Cornelius, NC. 2003. 164 pages. $14.95 from Amazon (click on book to order). The general perception of long-term care facilities is of places to be avoided at all costs. This book is Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 3/6/2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the $787 billion stimulus package that President Barack Obama signed into law February 17, 2009, includes a number of provisions that help the elderly in need as well as the economy. Here are the highlights: A one-time payment of $250 in the form Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 4/20/2009 The financial crisis, coupled with possible changes in the estate tax law, make now a good time to review your estate plan. The future of the estate tax will likely be up for debate in Congress soon because one of the priorities of the Obama administration is making the estate tax Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 1/17/2009 The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued guidance to financial institutions clarifying the new law that allows seniors to avoid making required withdrawals from depleted retirement accounts in 2009. Taxpayers over 70 1/2 years old generally must begin withdrawing a certain percentage of the balance of retirement accounts like IRAs and Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 2/26/2009 Taking care of an elderly loved one, whether due to dementia or illness, can be exhausting and stressful. Often due to the lack of outside help, a devotion to the person needing care, or the tunnel vision that can accompany exhaustion, caretakers don’t take care of themselves. But they must. Failure Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 1/29/2009 Gilah Silber, M.D. Living and Dying in a Long-Term Care Facility: Notes From a Nursing Home Doctor. BookSurge Publishing, 2007. 179 pages. $14.95 from Amazon (click on book to order). As the population ages, more and more people are entering nursing homes. But what is life like in these often-dreaded facilities? Read Full Article