Good estate planning attorneys will never beat the fees online providers offer for estate planning documents.   It is true that all estate planning attorneys use forms.   Some law firms create their own forms, others purchase memberships to estate planning companies that provide template forms.  And as noted above, online companies sell legal forms at low […]

Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will increase 1.7 percent in 2015.  Changes are based on the increase in average wages.  Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax will increase to $118,500 from $117,000.  Of the estimated 168 million workers who pay Social Security […]

Our elder law firm helps families qualify for nursing home MassHealth benefits while maximizing the preservation of assets for the ill and healthy spouse.   Historically, MassHealth funding for programs designed to keep seniors at home paled in comparison to the costs incurred by Medicaid to care for persons in nursing homes.  Fortunately, this is beginning […]

The IRS has expanded the contribution limits for employees with tax-favored retirement savings accounts.  The maximum contributions for private sector 401(k) plans will be raised from $17,500 in 2014 to $18,000 in 2015.  For people over 50 years of age, the “catch up contribution” for IRAs increases from $5,500 to $6,000. With enough advance planning, […]

Asset protection planning is a multi-level shield against many risks.  As Massachusetts elder law attorneys, our plans often protect homes from MassHealth liens and preserve assets through the use of Medicaid-qualifying annuities.   However, the estate plans our Medicaid planning attorneys craft also contain additional protections for seniors.   Good powers of attorney can give an attorney-in-fact […]