Why Is Blue Cross and Blue Shield Waiving Cost-Sharing Fees?

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota said Monday it will waive fees on doctors' visits for its Medicare Advantage customers for the rest of the year, joining a growing number of health insurers to offer discounts in response to COVID-19.

How the CARES Act has Changed RMDs for 2020

Here is what you need to know about delaying required withdrawals from a retirement account until 2021.

Fearing COVID-19, Older People Alter Their Living Wills

May 23, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Elder Law, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Fearing COVID-19, Older People Alter Their Living Wills Fearing COVID-19, Older People are Altering Their Living Wills. Minna Buck, 91, had been following the craze surrounding COVID-19. Last month, Buck decided to revise a document specifying her wishes if…

What if I Don’t Have a Will in the Pandemic?

Until now, you may have viewed writing a will as something you’d get around to doing someday. However, because of the vicious coronavirus, it’s time to treat writing a will as something every bit as important as washing your hands and using hand sanitizer, considering the potential consequences of not doing those things.

Will Mom Get a COVID-19 Stimulus Check in the Nursing Home?

As part of the CARES Act, the majority of Americans, including those who are elderly and on fixed income, will receive a one-time stimulus check from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Caregivers May be Eligible for Paid Sick Leave Under Coronavirus Response Act

Caregivers May be Eligible for Paid Sick Leave Under Coronavirus Response Act The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued regulations clarifying that people who have to take time off work to care for family members with disabilities may be…

Coronavirus Stimulus Allows Retirees to Tap Funds Early, With Little or No Penalties

May 5, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Law, Estate Planning

Lawmakers in Washington are making it easier for Americans struggling with the fallout from the coronavirus to draw on the trillions of dollars in their 401(k)s and other retirement accounts.

Scammers Beef Up Efforts in a Crisis

The Inspector General of Social Security, Gail S. Ennis, is warning the public about fraudulent letters threatening suspension of Social Security benefits due to COVID-19 or coronavirus-related office closures.

COVID-19 Raises Fears of Health Care Rationing, Disability Discrimination

April 19, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Elder Law, Estate Planning, Special Needs Planning

COVID-19 Raises Fears of Health Care Rationing, Disability Discrimination As hospitals around the country brace for an expected surge of patients infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, fears have been raised that health care providers will begin rationing treatment, with lethal…

If Not Now, When? Is It the Time for Estate Planning

April 16, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Estate planning attorneys are getting mobbed with questions. Here is some timely advice from three attorneys on what families and business owners should be doing to prepare, in case the unimaginable happens.