Nursing Homes Must Have Minimum Number of Staff, Say Feds
In April 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new rule seeking to combat understaffing in long-term care facilities. The new mandate has its share of controversy.
Senators Propose Boosting Seniors’ Social Security Benefits
In late March 2024, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act. The Act centers on changing the formula that the SSA uses to calculate Social Security benefits for older adults.
States With the Highest and Lowest Assisted Living Costs
Seniors seeking information on assisted living options may find recent data from the Seniorly Resource Center useful. Its new 2024 report sheds light on the costs of assisted living - from the most to the least expensive - across the U.S.
Could Medicaid Payback Rules Come to an End?
As of late 2023, the median monthly cost of a semi-private room in a nursing home in the U.S. was close to $9,000. The vast majority of people cannot afford to pay these prices out of pocket over the long term.
Avoiding Property Tax Foreclosures for Older Adults
If you are a homeowner who is falling behind on your real estate taxes, you may end up facing foreclosure on your property. Because your property taxes hinge on the value of your property, you may find your taxes rising beyond what you can afford.
Elder Financial Abuse by Family Caregivers
Older adults lose an estimated $20 billion each year from financial abuse by family, friends, and caregivers. In many cases, the perpetrators of elder financial abuse are not strangers but trusted individuals, often family members.
Medicare’s Hospice Benefit: Little Known, Little Used
Many Medicare beneficiaries are unaware that Medicare's all-inclusive Hospice Benefit is available to assist dying patients and their families.
States With the Highest and Lowest Assisted Living Costs
Today, 58 million adults in the United States are 65 and older. Seniors make up more than 17 percent of the American population. The U.S. Census Bureau expects this number to reach 83.7 million by 2050.
Meanwhile, one in every...
Older Adults Are Failing at Retirement Planning, Study Shows
Research by the American College of Financial Services sheds light on the need for improvements in retirement financial literacy. The overall retirement income literacy score was just 31 percent -- a failing grade.
What Is the Difference Between a Will and a Trust?
Everyone has heard the terms "will" and "trust," but not everyone knows the differences between the two. Both are useful estate planning tools that serve different purposes and can work together to achieve your goals.