All posts by Janet Colliton

Medicare May Claim Against Some Awards

Seniors on Medicare who continue to work after age 65 but receive health care benefits through their employers may be the first to encounter the distinction between employer-based coverage which is considered “primary” and Medicare as “secondary.” Similarly, seniors and the disabled receiving coverage directly or indirectly through Medicare might find a claim placed against […]

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Two Months Out Sequester Results Are Uneven

On March 5 my Daily Local News column discussed the impact of the federal government sequester on seniors.  Now, almost two months later we are beginning to see the effects.  As one example, while the Department of Veterans Affairs was itself exempted from the cuts, as matters play out, Veterans themselves are not necessarily unaffected.  […]

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Physical Therapy Crucial to Care

Personal experience can sometimes lead to helpful observations in your field.  Using my focus on healthcare issues, experience over the past six months,  has caused me to develop some conclusions regarding the critical need for quality physical therapy- check physical therapist Idaho Falls center.  How that happened and the assistance that was given to cure […]

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Clean Out the House Now

  A year ago in April I wrote a column on Spring cleanout.  It was one of the most popular ever.  Here, with slight modification, are those observations updated… Spring is in the air finally and predictable warmth seems to be what gets people moving. Along those lines, one of the first resolutions for the […]

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Last Minute Tax Tips For Seniors

With Tax Day less than a week away, here are some tax suggestions with special significance for seniors that might be considered in filing your annual return. Be Sure to Maximize Medical Deductions Where Applicable.  Although the medical deduction on Schedule “A” of the federal tax return, beginning with tax year 2013, will only apply […]

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High Court Finds Children Must Support Some Parents

If today were not the day after April Fools Day, it might seem a ruse to report that support of indigent parents by adult children in Pennsylvania is allowed to stand but it is true.  In a process, known as allocatur, similar to certiorari used by the United States Supreme Court, the State Supreme Court […]

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When Do You Need Original Documents

If there is any question commonly asked about financial and estate documents, the most frequent is how long do they need to be kept. The answer to that question varies and can depend on circumstances. Where Medicaid might become an issue in paying for long term care, for instance, the government requires five years of […]

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Not Just a Will, You Need an Estate Plan

When discussing wills and estate planning, every once in awhile, the question arises – what happens where there is no Will?  Hopefully, this question is not addressed for the first time after the death of a loved one. The answer could depend on whether all of your assets are non-probate, that is they are jointly […]

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Estate Planning & Death in a Wired World

For those who feel that traditional estate planning needs updating for the 21st century, digital estate planning which includes preservation of “digital assets” and leaving an on-line legacy – or not –  should fit right in. It is best to consult with the Long Beach attorneys helping clients with probate issues before making permanent changes in the […]

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Setting up a burial reserve

A few weeks ago I wrote a column on old life insurance policies often held by seniors. Everyone knows the type. Issued by such companies as Prudential, John Hancock and Met Life, these policies had face amounts of less than $10,000, often less than $2,000. People held on to them for what seemed like a […]

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What Seniors Need to Know About the Sequester

Federal budget discussions lead one to wonder what generations of the future will think of the many terms we use to describe the ever changing landscape in Washington or whether maybe future generations will continue the debate with expressions of their own. So far, recently, we have undergone discussion of the debt ceiling, the “fiscal […]

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Know the Difference Between Irrevocable and Revocable Trusts for Planning

In dealing with Medicaid structuring and estate planning, I am often asked whether a trust could be the answer. Trusts are not an easy subject to understand. There are different kinds and the laws and regulations keep changing. Even when we have the right answers, Congress or a state legislature or a Court decision may […]

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Insights As Elder Law Attorneys Meet in Texas

A few weeks ago, I made my annual trek to the town of Grapevine near Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas to the Embassy Suites Outdoor World Hotel where experienced elder law attorneys come to meet to discuss issues affecting their practices and their clients. Sponsored by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the “Unprogram” as […]

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Things Elder Law Attorneys Would Like to Hear

Several years ago, Madeline Lamb, one of the best family law attorneys in Chester County, penned an article for New Matter, the Chester County Bar Association publication, listing some of the statements that she wished she would hear from clients and adversaries in the course of litigation.  Madeline tragically died last year taking with her […]

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The Next Four Years Forecasted

With President Obama’s recent Inauguration for a second four year term, one of my columns published November 8, 2004, titled “The Next Four Years Forecasted” seemed especially relevant.  Most predictions still work today although government employment and benefits are not as secure and the ongoing turnkey services movement has been slower than expected.  Here is […]

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