All posts by Janet Colliton

What debt ceiling results mean for senior citizens

A few weeks ago I wrote on the negotiations going on in Congress regarding raising the national debt ceiling. Now that the Budget Control Act of 2011, which incorporates the compromise on the debt ceiling, has passed and been signed into law, senior advocates have been working on analyzing its effect on programs including Medicare, […]

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Paper Social Security Benefit Statements Are Early Casualty of Budget Cuts

While Americans are considering what the effect of debt ceiling negotiations might mean for entitlement programs and discretionary spending, one small but extremely important paper communication from the Social Security Administration has already been discontinued, maybe temporarily, maybe permanently, due to budget constraints. For years, retirement planners have been telling people to pay close attention […]

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Why Do-It-Yourself Legal Solutions Can Cause Problems

When people tell me that they can handle a legal matter by themselves, sometimes I catch  my breath.  Lawyers are more likely to know the dangers inherent in doing something on their own where they do not have regular and recent experience. Legal challenges can be daunting, especially when you’re unfamiliar with the local regulations […]

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Caregivers Need Encouragement

Sometimes people are doing better than they think and need to be reminded. I considered this recently when meeting with a man who felt he was without options in caring for his mother. The rest of the family was engaged elsewhere and ignoring the problems. His mother with her physical and mental conditions needed help. […]

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Why the Debt Ceiling Negotiations Matter to Seniors and Everyone

In the past few years Americans have become more savvy about what default on their credit obligations can mean for them personally. A payment a few days after the grace period on a credit card bill could mean higher interest rates or denial on the next loan application. A continuing mortgage default can ultimately result […]

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Supreme Court Decides Some Controversial First Amendment Issues

Before I became a lawyer, in the summer between high school and college, I had the opportunity to attend a summer program in social studies and political science at a Virginia college. We completed the program with an individual paper on a topic of our choice. My dorm mate, Rosemary, wisely chose “The Involvement of […]

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Understanding What the Supreme Court Decided on Affordable Care Act

One of my friends, an elder law attorney in California, wrote to us on the listserv last week the day before the U.S. Supreme Court decided the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”). “Let’s face it.” She noted. “On Thursday, we are all going to be printing out the decision no […]

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Real estate solutions for land-rich, cash-poor seniors

As seniors look to stretch their assets in retirement, they might consider the equity in their homes. Unfortunately for many, that value may have reduced along with the economy. However, when there is enough equity in the house, it is worth taking a second look to incorporate real estate strategies into the overall plan. These […]

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Take this information with you when leaving the hospital

When you leave the hospital if you are over age 65, when you pack your toothbrush, you should pack away some information with it. Here are important tips for you to take with you. You can appeal your discharge. This is not to suggest that you should appeal but only to make you aware that […]

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What happened to Medicaid? Understanding the changes

While more seniors seek the services of assisted living and at-home care, and the rules for Medicaid qualification for nursing homes have stiffened, you might get the false impression that nursing home care and Medicaid have taken a back seat in long-term care. It is true there are fewer Medicaid certified nursing home beds available […]

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What to know before bringing your parent home

When an older parent leaves the hospital today, she or he might first go to a nursing home or rehabilitation facility for follow-up therapy. Medicare, along with a private Medicare Supplement insurance plan or a Medicare Advantage plan, might cover the cost for up to 100 days. Often the time is less, sometimes in the […]

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Women Who Stay at Home Might Lose Out On Some Social Security Benefits

Last week I wrote about a few of the little known ways to increase Social Security benefits.  This week I thought I might add to the discussion by revealing lesser known facts that keep women (and some men) from claiming higher benefits. One of the least recognized facts about Social Security is that the number […]

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New York trip shows new life rises from Ground Zero

<Author’s Note: I could not know as I wrote the beginning of this column that, on Sunday evening, President Obama would announce the death of Osama bin Laden. Seeing the massive crowds at Ground Zero that night, at the place where my daughter and I had been just two weeks ago, reinforced my views reflected […]

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Little Known Social Security Benefits Can Increase Income

Many people think that Social Security is only a retirement benefits program where claimants can go to file either on reaching age 62 for early retirement, age 66 for full retirement benefits and at age 70 for the most expansive benefit on their own work record. If this is your view of Social Security, you […]

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Simple health insurance claim turns into chaos

About a year ago while chaperoning my daughter in a trip to Hershey Park, I had a mock serious discussion with a parent of one of her friends who holds a management position with a Philadelphia hospital. The question was whether we would prefer to submit a claim to government, such as Medicare, or to […]

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