Category Archives: Long Term Care

Caring For Older Parents- What Options Do You Have?

Long Term Care,

This informative article was contributed to Leisure Freak by Holly Klamer. We all should understand the care options available to us as we and our parents age. 

Parents are the one who enlightens us in every walk of our lives. They try to comfort us every possible way during our growing up. However, when they reach old age, it takes a toll on their ability to take proper care of even their own daily needs. It is always very tough to think that your parents can no longer take care of themselves.

Caring For Older Parents- What Options Do You Have?

Usually, in this situation, it is the family caregivers who commit themselves to help and comfort the old parents. Still, it is hard for family caregivers to take personal care of the parents as they also have other responsibilities and jobs. Furthermore, in old age, people suffer from several health complications that require special assistance.

Fortunately, there are varied types of elderly care facilities to help you find the definitive solution for your lovely old parents.

Types of Elderly Care

There are several types of elderly supervision prevailing from which you need to contemplate the precise requirements for your old parents.

It depends upon the specific needs and preferences and, most importantly, the health conditions of the elderly to choose the right care. There are mainly two types of care – Skilled care and Custodial care. Skilled care includes medical therapies and nursing, whereas custodial care is non-medical assistance to help the elderly in their ADL.

    *Residential Care Homes:

Residential care homes are for those elders who want to have a homely feel. In this type of private home, your elderly ones will dwell like they used to do in their own home.

The caregivers of the private care home provide custodial assistance to the seniors in their daily living activities like housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, bathing, and dressing.

Options for Caring For Older Parents

   *In-home Caregivers

Home health care is doctor-prescribed medical care. The professionals cure the illness, administer injections and medical equipment.

It includes medical assistance like skilled nursing, palliative care, and hospice care.

   *Assistive Living Communities:

A supportive or assisted living community helps those elders who do not need custodial help for 24*7.

Here, the elders live in an apartment with enough scope to socialize and participate in various recreational activities. The staff members will be present all the time to take care of their daily necessities.

This community also includes Alzheimer’s care facilities for seniors. The seniors receive licensed nursing and personal care for their well-being.

   *Nursing Home And Skilled Nursing

Nursing homes are for seniors who have health complications and, thus, requires all-round the clock assistance.

Here the residents share rooms with others and eat meals at the central dining room. A medical professional team, including therapists and nurses, are available 24*7 in their assistance.

   *Senior Independent Living Communities:

Retirement communities are commonly known as Senior Independent living communities. These types of complexes are for those seniors who do not need custodial services and can manage their daily living skills. Side by side, they wish to live an independent life in a community along with their peers.

These complexes have private flats in different sizes with amenities and enjoyable activities for its residents. The seniors also get daily meals, housekeeping, and transportation services upon request.

   *Specialized Non-Medical Care

Some seniors dealing with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, disability or multiple disabilities, surgery need care but not necessarily a licensed medical team. These seniors get assistance from specialized non-medical caregivers.

The caregivers are specially trained and experienced to look after the seniors dealing with any of the complications mentioned above.

   *Memory Care Community

Memory care communities are communities that cater to the needs of dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. By providing Alzheimer’s and dementia care, they can help slow down the mental decline associated with various forms of dementia. These communities concentrate on having a secure environment that prevents wandering, and typically have many different programs to stimulate mental activity for their residents. Many communities use innovative tools such as pet or music therapy to help dementia patients.

   *Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)

Also known as Life Plan Community, a continuing care community is a retirement community where independent living, assistive living, and nursing care are under the same campus. The seniors move at CCRC till their last breath. If the senior suffers from any major illness or injury, then the senior can return after recovery from the hospital.

   *Companion Care

The seniors need a companion as we get busy in our job. To fill that space, the companion caregivers build rapport with the seniors and then provide them with emotional support.

Choose The Best Elder Care Option

We know you often ponder over how to empower your elder ones with the best care options. First, you need to figure out the type of assistance your elders need or wish to have.

Think of the basic daily activities where they require assistance. You must check if they need specialized health care or independent living with little assistance or just everyday check-in care services. It will ensure to find out the level of the aid the elders’ need.

After all this, you need to quest for the best care service for the elderly. While selecting senior assisted living homes and facilities, make sure you appoint a licensed and insured center.

Remember, both the care agency and caregiver should be knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with similar types of cases in the past. Analyze the information about their charges and screening process. You can also interview them to choose the most suitable caregiver.

Conclusion

There are many senior living options, including assistive care homes for the elderly. Choose the service complimenting the specific needs of your parents. Also, involve your parents in the process and counsel them that you are not taking them away from their home or your heart. Prepare yourself for an emotional conversation. Once you and your parents determine whether to go for in-home service, assisted living, or nursing homes, take the next step to appoint. Do not forget your parents deserve care and happiness.

Author bio:

Holly Klamer guest post Holly Klamer is a seasoned writer who loves to create content related to aging issues and everything to do with senior living. She is a frequent contributor to many top online publications including Assisted Living Near Me, where she creates content that is specific to assisted living for older adults, as well as SeniorLivingFacilities.net, where she writes about common issues affecting senior citizens and provides senior living advice.

 

Coming To Terms And Preparing With Assisted Living

Long Term Care, ,

There will come a time when everyone will need a little help to get through the day. Unfortunately for many that may happen before reaching what is considered full retirement age. Whether it be for emotional support and or physical help, having some form of assisted living might become the norm. This doesn’t mean it’s over and that you should throw in the towel by giving up your independence. Coming to terms with this new lifestyle is easier than you may believe as there are structures in place to stop you from free-falling.

After years and decades of paying into Social Security you may want to know what you are owed by the government. This is exactly the right course of action in the beginning. But even so, it’s time to mold your lifestyle around your illness or disability. Once you can get your social arrangement figured out with your family, and then your finances, you’ll begin to see where and when you won’t need assistance. After all, being able to control your own life even in the latter part of life is something we all want to hold on to.

Social Security Disability-Assisted Living

Source US-SocialSecurityAdmin-Seal.svg

What you’re owed

Finances will be given priority when this time comes, and actually it’s a simple process. You can go to the social security administration website where you may apply for a social security disability application. This is so you can get the government assistance that you might be owed which in turn will help you to pay for everyday life. Once you have filled out the form it will be awaiting review. During this time you should check your social security disability status daily to catch up on the application you have filed. Be wary of the fact that it may need to be changed or edited by you if requested to do so, as sometimes a little more information is needed. If all is clear and ready to go ahead, you’ll be given a hearing date and time, the location of your current claim as well as the final decision.

Assisted Living

Photo by agilemktg1 Flickr

Making it physically easier

Now the time has come to enjoy retirement or rest up and heal. You might want to consider making life physically easier in the home. If you have a multi level home, getting up and down the stairs will slowly become a bit of a chore. Have a discussion with your family whether it would be wise to put in a stairlift to help you get up and down the home without assistance. You may also wish to consider getting a motorized wheelchair so you can go from room to room without any effort. Be mindful that getting ramps fixed onto the outside of your home could also be needed to accommodate your wheelchair.

Another route you could go is to explore private healthcare perks such as nurses who are sent to your home every day to help you. Everything from ironing clothes, cooking meals and bathing assistance is available if you get a particular service package from a provider.

 

There comes a time in life when the basics are a struggle, but if you have worked hard all your life, why should you needlessly suffer when you must tolerate your body giving up on you? Assisted living can be done with your pride intact. After decades of keeping up your end of the Social Security bargain, one of the first steps is to see what you’re owed by the government. Making it easier to keep some independence and move around your own home will soon become incredibly liberating if you plan carefully and seek out all options.

Time to Start Planning for Long Term Care: Quasi HSA Looks Promising

Long Term Care, Retirement Plan

I don’t think I am so different from most people. I was concentrating on saving for my retirement instead of worrying about planning for long term care. It seemed as something that may or may not be needed. I knew 100% that I would need to have a successfully executed retirement plan so that was my main focus. But after recently going through everything associated to a family member’s long term care issue I now see that I need to look at our options. It’s time to seriously begin our own planning for long term care.

Family’s Long Term Care (LTC) History

When it comes to planning for long term care one’s family history should be looked at. Part of our procrastination toward all of this is because of our family history. Everyone has lived independently into their 70s to early 90s until something happened. A fall, a stroke, heart attack, cancer, etc. They then either passed at a hospital, suddenly at home, or after only a few months in a nursing home.

Our most recent family member’s long term care issue ended up the same way. She passed shortly after being released from the rehab center to the nursing home.

Nobody in the family had any long term care plans. Seeing a family history of elderly relatives spending years in a nursing home would certainly be an important issue to keep in mind when planning for long term care.

My wife and I aren’t yet age 60. We don’t feel like we are anywhere close to needing to do this. But anything can happen and having some kind of plan is better than no plan. Much can change in the coming years and decades. Remaining flexible and willing to reassess and make changes is a big part of our long term care planning.

Planning for Long Term Care Starts With Knowing the Options

To be honest, when my CFP brought up adding some planning for long term care my eyes glaze over and my brain shuts off. Just like it does during any life insurance sales pitch. What I am sharing is the various actions to consider doing and the available options for funding long term care. That and what I think is my and my bride’s best plan based on what we know today.

Power Of Attorney (POA)

I believe this is a must-do for anyone planning for long term care. As long as my wife and I are around we have each other’s back. But what if something happens to the both of us? Having someone already listed as our POA will allow for the handling of our needs. We are going to have our daughters listed. After all, someone has to be legally able to execute our plan.

This should also cover things if my wife and I are separated by one’s death. The “still of this earth” should still be covered by the POA and there’s one less thing to think about setting up. We are going to set this up ASAP.

Living Will / DNR

Officially make our wishes known with a living will. I would not want to languish in a vegetative state (coma) in long term care nor bankrupt my wife paying for it. A DNR can be an option once of advanced years or ill-health. Set the conditions that align with your values.

The 800 Pound Gorilla: Paying For Long Term Care (LTC)

There seems to be just a few ways to pay for long term care if and when the time comes. It’s expensive so lets start with some financial numbers. According to what the 2016 Genworth study found, the national median nursing home cost for a semi-private room is $6,844 a month. Some states and/or cities are higher and others lower.

Long Term Care Insurance Policy

The last quote I got when this was pitched to me was about $1,700 a year a piece. So hand over $3,400 (2 x $1,700) a year for the rest of my and the bride’s lives until needed, or not needed. From some quick online research that amount falls in line with the average cost of $3,381-per-year (combined) for a 60-year-old couple buying LTC insurance.

This then provides us both an Initial policy benefit of $164,000 a piece in today’s dollars. That policy benefit amount is based on a daily benefit of $150 with a 3 year benefit period. Coverage value will increase annually because a 3 percent compound inflation growth option would be included. 

Life Insurance with a LTC Rider

You either pay a monthly insurance premium or hand over a chunk of money that can be used to pay for your long term care or a death benefit. An example I found (nerdwallet) is where a 60-year-old female nonsmoker pays a single $100,000 premium. That pays for up to $579,888 in long-term care benefits, (around six times her premium). Long-term care benefits could pay out for up to six years, at up to $8,054 per month. If the long-term care part of the policy is never used it would pay a death benefit of $193,296 to her beneficiary.

Fixed Annuity with LTC Benefits

Annuities are complicated. Hybrid annuities that combine a deferred fixed annuity with an LTC benefit are really complicated. When trying to figure this out I found a decent example (bankrate). 

A 60-year-old man purchases a $50,000 long-term care annuity that fully matures in 20 years with 5% inflation protection compounded annually with a 200% coverage maximum and a six-year benefit period.

The initial long-term-care coverage maximum is $100,000 (2 X the $50,000 premium he paid). Without inflation protection it could be three times the premium paid (3 x $50,000= $150,000).

If no withdrawals are made over 20 years at a 3.5% compound interest rate, minus annuity administrative fees, there would be $265,330 available in long-term-care insurance under the 5% inflation-protected scenario. Or a monthly maximum of $3,685 to help pay the high costs of long term care.

If long-term care is never needed or used, then the annuity can be redeemed for its accumulated value when it matures at 20 years or left to continue accumulating interest with the long-term care policy part also remaining intact. When this person dies, the heirs will inherit the greater of the accumulated annuity value (if there have been no withdrawals), or the single premium paid initially minus the amount of any long-term care paid out.

Self Fund

This is how most people who are not on Medicaid pay for their long term care needs. It certainly is how my family has handled it. Money comes from savings, retirement income, and investments. It comes down to looking at any and all income or asset sources to pay for long term care. The money to fund long term care will have to come from Social Security, pensions, annuities, savings accounts, 401k, IRA, Roth IRA, stocks and bonds.

Because of the high cost of nursing home care it can really slam a retirement portfolio. Especially if the stay turns into a long stay. Even if in one’s long term care plan opted to include one of the other annuity or insurance options, it may not pay enough or for long enough. So having invested assets to use for funding shortfalls will still be necessary.

Medicaid

Oh yes, Medicaid. The long term care funding source of last resort. Thank goodness for Medicaid too. Most people aren’t able to save a big chunk for retirement to even consider LTC options. It is the safety net for everyone. Even if you do everything right trying to fund your LTC you can still end up on Medicaid if your money runs out.

Doing nothing to plan for long term care and thinking Medicaid is a great solution should be reconsidered. For one thing Medicaid is under threat. Just look at the last ACA repeal and replace effort. Medicaid cuts where high on the list.

Not only that but there happens to be 29 States and the territory of Puerto Rico that have what’s called Filial Responsibility Laws. Meaning that the states can recover money  from family members what is spent for nursing home care through their Medicaid. Your long term care bills could become your kids or sibling’s financial burden.

Family

For some, relying on their family is their only option. Not having enough money and unable to qualify for Medicaid leaves no choices. This is a tough one as it interrupts loved one’s careers and life. Some may lovingly offer to go into this but I wouldn’t want to plan on being a burden on my children for our long term care if I can plan away from that. Nor having them being stuck with the bill for our nursing home care.

I’m Planning for Self-Funding of Any Future Nursing Home Care With an IRA

At least that is my plan for now based on what is known today. Anything can happen over the next decades. The best planning for long term care can be uprooted with government policy changes or long term care changes. Part of my long term care plan is to revisit it and make any necessary changes.

I am hesitant about insurance products. I really hate the thought of depending on an insurance company coming through as promised. Especially after taking a big lump sum or decades of payments from me. I’m a bit cynical after my company weaseled out of pension promises. That and how some in government talk about the Social Security benefit I paid for as an entitlement they want to cut or do away with.

Creating a Quasi HSA with an IRA is the Answer for Me

What I believe to be my best plan is to set aside an amount of $175,000 to $200,000 within my IRA for long term care. It will be part of my long term portfolio bucket 3 and invested as such until we reach ill-health or old age when it it will be moved to bucket 2 and 1.

Taxes are the reason for using an IRA to pay for any long term care.

A quick look through IRS Publication 502 shows that long term care expenses are allowable for tax deduction. That deduction is limited to deducting medical expenses that are above a 10% of AGI threshold on schedule A.

When looking at any IRA balance it is never lost on me that some of that money isn’t mine. I have to pay taxes on it. This medical deduction allows me to use it for a needed expense but also making a big chunk of it tax-free by way of the tax deduction offset. In a way making my IRA a partially tax-free Heath Savings Account (HSA). A quasi HSA as I call it.

This however is not without other impacts. With the high cost of long term care the large IRA withdrawals will cause some of our Social Security to become taxable. The Social Security tax calculation is based on AGI that is before any deductions. The key is to limit IRA long term care withdrawals to only what is needed. That and using tax efficient strategies to keep taxable income as low as possible by also utilizing non-retirement and Roth IRA money.

Finding a balance between IRA withdrawals and the optimum taxable income amount will be the task at hand.

As I said, this is about planning which is based on what we know today. Everything will have to be revisited if the government changes how taxes are done through tax reform or other tax rule changes.

If our family’s long term care history is any indicator of what we can plan for then this should be enough along with other income (Social Security) and savings to cover our shorter length nursing home care. If not needed it’s all still part of our portfolio to pass on.

Of course this plan goes to hell if one of use languishes in a nursing home for years and years. But then other long term products have length limitations too. There are no guarantees for anything in life.

Last Words

It was much easier getting excited about saving for and planning for early retirement. Retirement is about freedom. There is nothing free about living the last of your life in a nursing home. There is something to be said about living independently and free until dying in your sleep.

Everyone’s situation is different. Family history, available portfolio, risk tolerance, etc., can be as varied as there are people in the world. In a way other than some legal issues around POA and Living Will I am not doing much. Money is just where it is. However I am now cognizant that I must leave a LTC chunk untouched in my long term IRA portfolio bucket and develop my retirement withdrawal strategy around it.

Comments would be very welcome. I would be interested in hearing what you have in your long term care plan and why you went the way you did.

Broke Family Member’s Long Term Care Can Be Your Retirement Shock

Long Term Care, Retirement Shock

Saving for a decent retirement is tough enough. Financially planning for our old age adds a lot of overhead to the numbers. But did you know that in some cases a family member’s long term care can become your retirement shock?

There are many people who couldn’t or wouldn’t save for retirement. Some of them may even be a family member or two. Many people have no plan for their old age nor any needed long term care. The issue of extended family’s long term care becoming our legal financial obligation just came to light for us.

We are now navigating the tricky issues around the sudden need for long term care for a parent. I thought it important to share what we have discovered.

First some numbers: According to what was found in the 2016 Genworth study, the national median nursing home cost for a semi-private room is $6,844 a month. 

Our situation: Where our parent lives the nursing home care happens to be $5,000 a month. She has $3,500 a month in Social Security and Pension income. That leaves a $1,500 a month shortfall that has to be paid from her other assets. Once all her assets are exhausted then State Medicaid can be applied for.

That is when things can become your own retirement shock to deal with. Fortunately our parent isn’t broke. Not yet anyway. Medicaid or our financial assistance won’t be needed or involved for a little while.

Filial Responsibility Laws Might Cause Your Retirement Shock

At issue is what’s called Filial Responsibility. The State can try to recover amounts paid out for long term care from family members. There was even a recent case in Pennsylvania where the courts backed a private nursing home. They singled out and sued one child for $93K under the state’s Filial Responsibility laws for his mother’s care. Medicaid had been applied for but not yet granted before his mother left. 

There are 29 US States and the territory of Puerto Rico that have these Filial Responsibility Laws. Our parent happens to live in one.

The following States have their specific flavor of Filial Responsibility laws on their books:

Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia, and in the territory of Puerto Rico

Filial Responsibility isn’t limited to one’s parents either. The State laws where our extended family members reside applies to siblings too.

That was a surprise to me and nothing I planned for. It’s one thing to try to help out a parent. But extending that financial responsibility to siblings goes far beyond anything I considered in my retirement planning.

I happen to have one financially reckless sibling who also lives an unhealthy lifestyle. I am not thrilled to know that my sibling’s life choices could turn into my retirement shock down the road.

The State Filial Responsibility Law Where our Extended Family Resides Says the Following:

“Children shall first be called upon to support their parents, if they are of sufficient ability; if there are none of sufficient ability, the parents of such poor person shall be next called upon; if there are neither parents nor children, the brothers and sisters shall next be called upon; and if there are neither brothers nor sisters, the grandchildren of such poor person shall next be called upon, and then the grandparents.”

Some State’s filial responsibility laws can also impose both criminal and civil penalties for failing to support their parents.

Broke Family Member now your Retirement ShockThe takeaway from all of this is that these laws allow nursing homes, hospitals, governments and certain third parties the ability to file a lawsuit against family members. They have legal backing to go after a judgment. One that obligates a family member(s) to pay their parent’s, sibling’s, or grandparent’s bill.

In the above mentioned Pennsylvania case. The nursing home didn’t even have to bother including all children in their lawsuit.

The Good News and Bad News Regarding Filial Responsibility Enforcement

The Good News- The filial responsibility laws have thus far been rarely enforced by the States. From what I read it’s because it is very expensive to track down and begin a suit against relatives of a broke Medicaid recipient. Not only that but judicial systems are already overburdened and filial enforcement would add to that burden.

States with these laws don’t even agree with each other over aspects of the laws. For example in the area of “sufficient ability” to pay. Nor have they figured out how to go after family members who live in a different State that does not have filial responsibility laws on their books.

The Bad News- The times they are a changin. There seems to be an appetite in Washington to reduce federal Medicaid support to the States. State budgets are already strained. If federal cuts do occur or States develop huge budget shortfalls they may feel that they have no choice but to hunt down extended family members who haven’t stepped up to the plate for their filial responsibility qualified family members.   

Mitigating Filial Responsibility Risk: What To Do

I wish we had been more involved in our parent’s financial condition and future elder care issues. It is usually uncomfortable to bring this up with a parent. I know I have heard “none of your business” many times from my parents. Along with our love and concern for their care, with filial responsibility it is our business.

If luck prevails, the hope is always that an elderly parent or family member can stay functional and healthy enough to remain in their home with our help.  Arrangements can also be made to have them live with us or with a sibling.

My mother lives with my sister in an apartment built specifically for her in my sister’s home. My sister and mother find it is a mutually beneficial arrangement.  

However, luck doesn’t always prevail. There is always the risk of incapacitation.

My mother-in-law was functional at home with her children’s assistance. But a fall and subsequent stroke has ended that option and left as us all scrambling. Something like this happens out of the blue and then there is no going back.

Here is what we are working through. I hope my sharing this will help others realize that it has to be part of our own financial planning to avoid serious future retirement shock.

Look into your parent’s State Filial Responsibility Law

Look online and find out what is on the books. We all want to do what is best for our loved ones. Knowing this will both motivate us to get moving and use it as leverage to get cooperation from an elderly parent who prefers financial privacy.

We only found out about filial responsibility after the fact. It was a financial surprise during an already emotionally stressful time. We are lucky that our parent has the funds to cover the financial side for a while. It gives us some time to adjust our finances to prepare for when our assistance may be needed.

Go over all of their financial information

Siblings should decide who should act as the lead. That way it is done once and not by everyone concerned. Have your parent write down all account information and assets held. Home equity/mortgage information, beneficiary designations, signers on accounts, etc. This is something that should be done for spouses and may have already been completed. If so then make sure it is up to date.

We had done this last summer when she was considering moving into an assisted living center. She had concerns that the house was too much. But she wasn’t ready to make a huge move like that yet. At that time we were just figuring out if she could financially handle it. Although we looked at account signers, beneficiary designations, etc. in the event of need, we should have been more seriously considering long term care too. I wish we had insisted she make the move then. But we all live without knowledge of what is ahead. The whole hindsight thingy… Our thought was she will decide soon enough on her own.

Power Of Attorney (POA)

It is important to get a POA. This is necessary to cover any assets that may need to be sold if our parent becomes totally incapacitated.

We were told one was in place but it was confused with beneficiary designations or something else. We should have all communicated more clearly among the siblings instead of taking our elderly mother-in-law’s recollection. My mother-in-law’s home equity is a big percentage of her assets. However there is still a $100k mortgage. That means we have to somehow come up with a nursing home funding shortfall and her home mortgage/HOA/etc. All those payments will quickly deplete other accounts until we can sell the home. Getting a POA now will be a huge challenge. Working under a “Guardianship” condition is time-consuming and costly.

Consult with an experienced Estate Planning or Elder Law Attorney

Be sure to seek a lawyer in the State where your parent lives. Filial responsibility laws and processes can vary State by State. A little money spent ahead-of-need will save a lot of trouble later on. Get educated. Know what is needed to facilitate and handle all the difficult decisions and options once a health event incapacitates a loved one. Develop a strategy covering which assets to use first for long term care, how/when to sell any property, and Medicaid issues.

We missed doing this before it was needed and have now met with an elder law attorney after the fact. The first thing they needed was a list of all the assets. Fortunately we had that done. We now wait to get their advice on next steps. Fortunately one of my mother-in-law’s accounts has one of our siblings as a signer. Otherwise we would be handling all the current financial issues for house payments, utilities, HOA payments, nursing home, etc. ourselves until things can be worked out.

Last Words

We did a lot in our own retirement and old age planning to make sure we won’t be a burden to our children. We now have the retirement shock of knowing we may have to also include a plan to handle a parent’s or even a sibling’s long term care debt as our financial problem if things go wrong.

It is important to be ahead of need in these issues. The goal is to have a clear long term care support strategy in place. One that is ready to be used in the worst case scenario. That includes having all the necessary legal work done to gain access to assets in the case of incapacitation.

Even though filial responsibility law enforcement is not a high priority in most cases for States to pursue, it doesn’t mean they never will.

We should all care about our elderly loved ones to help provide for them. Caring for a parent’s long term care wasn’t a big highlight of our retirement planning. Now it will be.

Doing things right can avoid ever having to worry about filial responsibility laws telling us through the courts what we will be paying and causing us severe retirement shock. By having a plan it also makes sure we are optimizing all options in a strategic way to reduce overall cost and provide the best care.