Floridians are beginning to receive their new Medicare cards. Unlike the old cards, your new card will not display your Social Security number. Instead, you will have a unique “Medicare Beneficiary Number.” (Note that if you are enrolled in a…
more
Many of our clients are frequent travelers who have accumulated significant reward points with one or more airlines. Naturally, they would like any miles that remain in their accounts at their deaths to go to loved ones. This topic has…
more
ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts allow individuals with disabilities to save in a tax-advantaged account without jeopardizing eligibility for Medicaid or other federal benefits. Funds in an ABLE account may be used only for qualified disability-related expenses and…
more
Florida has passed the Electronic Documents Act (HB 409). Signed by Gov. DeSantis on June 7, 2018, it allows for electronic signing, witnessing and notarization of wills and other estate planning documents, and outlines strict standards that must be followed…
more
On March 15, 2018 the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the Department of Labor’s proposed fiduciary rule. As we reported in November 2017, that rule was intended to curb conflict of interest by financial professionals who offer retirement account…
more
Estate Tax Exemption Changes, But Not Permanently 1-1-2018 – Effective January 1, 2018, the federal lifetime estate and gift tax exemption has doubled. An individual may now pass $11.2 million estate tax free. With portability, a married couple may pass…
more
Effective January 1, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service raises the total amount that may be contributed to an ABLE account to $15,000 (was $14,000). The ABLE account (“Achieving a Better Life Experience”) allows an individual with disabilities to save in…
more
Being a resident in a long-term care facility does not mean giving up your legal rights. In fact, anyone who lives in a nursing facility gains certain rights. You can see a summary of those rights here, and read the…
more
Headlines are made when wealthy people leave outsize fortunes to their pets. One notable example is Leona Helmsley, the hotel magnate who passed away in 2007. Cutting out her family, Helmsley left her entire $12 million fortune to her pet…
more
In Florida, the average annual cost of a private room at a long-term nursing facility now hovers upwards of $90,000 annually, with a semi-private room around $83,000. With the oldest Baby Boomers turning 70 and the escalating incidence of chronic…
more
