Category Archives for 2025
Obamacare Debate Defines End of the Year
To understand the fiscal tension in Congress defining the end of 2025 it is helpful to grasp it as a debate between continuing health care subsidies on which average Americans have come to rely to be able to receive medications, treatment, hospitalization and other medical services and continuing and extending tax breaks to the most […]
Continue readingHow QCD’s Save Taxes and Benefit Charities
One useful end of year tax strategy that brings with it aid for struggling charities is the QCD or Qualified Charitable Distribution. In fact, there may be few actions providing as much satisfaction as knowing that, at the same time you are reducing your personal federal income taxes you can be benefiting your favorite charities. […]
Continue readingObamacare, Trump Care and Other
If you are confused regarding heath care options today you could join a large club so to speak along with huge numbers of other Americans including policy makers, insurers, brokers and even elder law and health care attorneys. Insurance can be complicated. When discussing the “open enrollment period,”for instance, you should know a difference between […]
Continue readingPennsylvania Retention Election – A Matter of Numbers?
For most of us, accustomed to elections as being a contest between candidates from opposing political parties, the notion of a retention election seems odd, almost foreign. So the idea that there are a number of Pennsylvania judges, both in the appellate courts and lower courts up for retention might need some explanation. Although often […]
Continue readingDo Work Reporting Requirements for Health Insurance Make Sense
As part of the continuing discussion regarding the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) the continued availability of health insurance both for those who otherwise would be without and for those who regularly depend on it for coverage for routine and for critical care takes center stage. Health care decisions affect both American citizens and immigrants […]
Continue readingSocial Security Confusion Affects Taxpayers
On July 3, 2025, the day before passage of the federal law OBBB, an acronym recognized now by many Americans, the US Social Security Administration proudly announced the anticipated new law’s passage proclaiming “Social Security Applauds Passage of Legislation Providing Historic Tax Relief for Seniors.” The Internal Revenue Service followed suit stating “One Big Beautiful […]
Continue readingImpact of the Big Beautiful Bill on Health Insurance Costs
Last week Pennie, Pennsylvania’s official health insurance marketplace under Obamacare, sent a notice to enrollees notifying them of changes under the law and the Big Beautiful Bill recently passed by Congress. It begins by stating “IMPORTANT – Unless Congress acts, you will pay more for your health plan in 2026.” <emphasis added>. The significant words […]
Continue readingAttorneys Meet in Harrisburg and Discuss Big Beautiful Bill
Every summer the Pennsylvania Bar Institute holds its annual Elder Law Institute, usually in Harrisburg, which is a two day intensive review for elder law attorneys into current issues in the elder law and estate fields. This year was no exception and my daughter, Alisa, and I made our way to the Harrisburg Hilton last […]
Continue readingThe Federal Estate Tax and the Big Beautiful Bill
It is tempting to think that the budget conflicts in Washington today are something new and different from an ongoing dialogue going on for at least twenty-five years and more. The most recent major discussion concerns the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed in 2017 during the first Trump administration. The TCJA contained a […]
Continue readingSome Timely Recommendations for Persons on Medicaid
While the country is waiting for results in the United States Senate regarding a current budget proposal referred to variously as a Big Beautiful Bill which could impact large numbers of U.S. Medicaid recipients, current Medicaid recipients may be wondering what actions to take, if any, now regarding their own healthcare. Because we do not […]
Continue readingHow Health Care Has Changed For Seniors
Sometimes it helps to remember how systems were first established and how they changed and why to understand where they are now. This could be said off the Medicaid and Medicare systems of healthcare in America and of Social Security. Medicaid especially but also Medicare and Social Security have been critical areas of my legal […]
Continue readingYour Rights As a Taxpayer With the IRS
At a time when questions may arise regarding your rights it could be comforting to know that, at least as to the US Internal Revenue Service, there is a clear statement of general rights as an American taxpayer. While at times, especially with short staffing or other problems, some of these may be aspirational, the […]
Continue readingCCRC’s What You Need To Know Before Signing
Continuing Care Retirement Communities in the US have become a staple of everyday living and a common topic of conversation among seniors trying to determine whether they should stay at home or move to an environment specially adapted to provide for their needs as they age. There is no lack of opportunity to learn generally […]
Continue readingWhat Would We Do Without Medicaid?
For the past twenty-five years I have been writing about elder law issues -usually on a weekly basis – many of which relate to health care, health care insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and similar programs. Over the years as readers might imagine there have been significant changes – Obamacare, for instance, came into effect […]
Continue readingDon’t Update My Software Again – Please
If you are a techie believer who awaits every new nuance of the myriad software choices available now with the kind of greeting only known to expectant parents you might not understand this column. If you are an elder law attorney relating to clients and other professionals as well as government, court, and private offices […]
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