Below is a quick summary of some of the provisions of the new tax plan and how it may affect you moving forward: Individual Income Tax Provisions Seven income tax brackets – 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%; top bracket begins at $600,000 for joint returns, $500,000 for singles and heads of households. Married […]

For those individuals receiving SSI or Medicaid, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its Spousal Impoverishment Standards for 2018. Minimum Community Spouse Resource Allowance: $24,720 Maximum Community Spouse Resource Allowance: $123,600 Maximum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance: $3,090 The minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance for the lower 48 states remains $2,030 ($2,536.25

The 10th Annual “Fall Prevention Day” is next Friday, September 22nd, the first day of fall. Every year this days stands to bring awareness about how to prevent fall related injuries among older adults. The statistics around senior falls are staggering. One in four Americans aged 65+ falls each year. Every 11 seconds, an older adult

Of all the health issues that people fear, being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia are high on the list. People do not want to lose their ability to live independently, and their family members don’t want that for them either. Unfortunately, the number of people who have been diagnosed with these conditions is on

For most Americans, the Social Security pension will be their largest asset in retirement. Deciding when is the most advantageous time to retire and when to take this benefit is crucial to maximizing long-term wealth. At Bratton Law Group, we guide our clients through the myriad rules surrounding Social Security pension calculations to maximize their

A recent New Jersey appellate court case yielded bad luck to a grandmother who attempted to loan her daughter funds to pay for her granddaughter’s tuition. Medicaid, the federal program that will pay for long-term care objected to this type of transaction because the regulations classify this type of transfer of funds as a “gift.”

We often counsel our clients with regard to the importance of fully understanding the content of admission agreements and any other contract for that matter. Recently, a District Court of Appeals in upheld an arbitration clause in the admission agreement signed by the applicant’s daughter and attorney-in-fact, Debra. Debra assisted her mother, Sheila, in her

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released new figures relating to Medicaid’s Community Spouse Resource Allowance, Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance, and Home Equity Limits. Read more: 2017 Spousal Impoverishment and Home Equity Figures Released Call 856 770 2744 or complete the Contact us form

There is a point in everybody’s life where the roles we play for one another can begin to reverse.  While our children grow older and become self-sufficient adults who no longer need their parent’s watchful eye, our parents who once took care of us become elderly and may need our regular assistance.  Though many elderly