The Special Needs Trust Fairness Act, federal legislation that allows people with disabilities to create their own special needs trusts instead of having to rely on others, is now law. The measure was included in the 21st Century Cures Act, a $6.3 billion package of health-related initiatives signed by President Obama on December 13, 2016. The Fairness Act, introduced in 2013 by Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), fixes an especially frustrating drafting error in the Social Security Act that has [...]

While you are eligible to apply for Medicare when you are 65, there are circumstances where you might not want to, particularly if you are working full time for a larger employer or contributing to a health savings account. However, there can be penalties if you don't sign up at the right time, so it is important to know when you can delay signing up for Medicare without facing a penalty. You can first sign up for Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period, which is the seven-month period [...]

Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP is pleased to announce that Erin E. Donnelly has become a Partner of the Firm. Erin graduated from Binghamton High School, received her B.A. from Duquesne University and her J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law. She is a member of the New York, Pennsylvania, Broome County, Susquehanna County and Bradford County Bar Associations. She focuses her practice on Litigation, Personal Injury and Insurance Defense and Medical Malpractice. Erin practices in both [...]

The beginning of a new year is a good time to take a look at your estate plan to make sure it is up to date. Less than half of people actually have any estate planning documents in place and many of those people may have outdated documents. Documents that were created when your children were born may need updating 20, 30, or 40 years later, after your family and financial situation have changed entirely. 1. The Durable Power of Attorney The most important estate planning instrument for taking [...]

Part B Premium Will Rise Slightly for Most Medicare Beneficiaries in 2017The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has announced the Medicare premiums, deductibles, andcoinsurances for 2017. After holding steady at $104.90 a month for four years, the standardMedicare Part B premium that most recipients pay will rise 4 percent to about $109 a month.However, approximately 30 percent of beneficiaries will see their Part B premium rise from$121.80 to $134 a month, a 10 percent increase. Meanwhile, all [...]