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 […]

When buying a home, it’s not always easy being green

Homebuyers, businesses, and residential and commercial tenants are all showing interest in “green” buildings these days – those designed to save energy, use sustainable materials and have less of an impact on the environment. Many buyers and renters are willing to pay a little more for a green building – especially if they can recoup […]

It’s easier to sue a store for selling liquor to a minor

It’s easier to sue a bar or a store for selling alcohol to a minor, under a recent decision from the Massachusetts Appeals Court. In this case a teenage boy went to a store and bought a 30-pack of beer. He shared it with some friends. One of the friends then drove away and struck […]

Mass. businesses must do more to stop identity theft

Many Massachusetts businesses will have to adopt new procedures to prevent the theft of sensitive customer information, as a result of new state regulations that take effect on May 1. The new rules put Massachusetts in the forefront of protecting consumers’ private data and preventing identity theft. However, they also create many new hurdles for […]