How to leave a vacation home to your children
You might think it’s easy to leave a vacation home to your children in your will. But there are many issues that can arise. For instance, over time children might squabble over who will pay for major repairs or renovations, especially if some children use the property more than others. Children might disagree about whether […]
Who gets cash hidden in house by deceased former owner?
Imagine you bought a house and, a year and a half later, you discovered bundles of cash that had been hidden away by the deceased former owner. Who would be entitled to the money – you or the former owner’s estate? Confronted with just such a case, an Oregon appeals court determined that the new […]
Here’s a second chance if you elected early Social Security benefits
Did you elect to take Social Security benefits before your full retirement age? If you did and are now looking for extra income, there may be an answer. Once you reach full retirement age, you can pay back the money you have received and reapply for full retirement benefits. Although you can collect Social Security […]
Ombudsmen: front-line advocates for nursing home residents
Disagreements with a nursing home can arise regarding any number of topics, including the quality of food, troublesome roommates, lack of privacy, and services that are less than what was promised. Many disputes can be resolved by speaking with a nursing home staff member or supervisor, or moving up the chain of command. But if […]
New law makes changes to reverse mortgages
In addition to addressing the current housing crisis, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 makes changes to reverse mortgages, including higher borrowing limits and protections from aggressive marketing. A reverse mortgage allows a homeowner who is at least 62 years old to use the equity in his or her home to obtain a […]
Spouses of Medicaid recipients may keep more money in 2009
The amount of money that spouses of Medicaid recipients can keep may increase in 2009, as a result of new guidelines issued by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The amount of assets that spouses of people who are on Medicaid and living in nursing home can keep for themselves is set by […]
Can you deduct the cost of ‘assisted living’ on your taxes?
If you live in an assisted living facility – or have a family member who does – you know that the costs continue to rise every year. But did you know some of those costs may be tax-deductible? Medical expenses, including some long-term care expenses, may be deductible if they are more than 7.5 percent […]
Workers at small companies can sue for sex discrimination
Employees who work at tiny companies can sue for sex discrimination, the Massachusetts high court recently ruled. In the past, it was widely believed that a company couldn’t be sued for sex discrimination if it had fewer than six employees. That’s because the state sex discrimination law says that it only applies to companies with […]
Can divorcing spouses blog about their ex?
It’s no surprise that divorce is unpleasant, and many spouses want to tell the world about how awful their ex-partner is. In the past, a spouse’s ability to do this was limited. They might want to tell the whole world, but in practice they usually just told a few friends over a drink or two. […]
How to leave a vacation home to your children
You might think it’s easy to leave a vacation home to your children in your will. But there are many issues that can arise. For instance, over time children might squabble over whether to sell the property or who will pay for major repairs or renovations, especially if some children use the home more than […]
