Wills vs. Trusts: Part 5 of 8
Previously posted in 2015. By Christine Steinmetz, J.D., Hotline Attorney This post is part of a series regarding wills and trusts. In our previous posts, we discussed that a will always goes through probate. We also began talking about how a trust avoids probate. As we discussed previously, probate administration is the court process to distribute property owned by an individual at their death. If … Continue reading Wills vs. Trusts: Part 5 of 8
Wills vs. Trusts: Part 4 of 8
Previously posted in 2015. By Christine Steinmetz, J.D., Hotline Attorney This blog is the fourth in a series regarding wills and trusts. Many clients call the hotline each week with questions regarding living trusts. In our previous post, we began discussing living trusts. In this post, we will discuss exactly what is a living trust. A trust is a written document that creates a relationship … Continue reading Wills vs. Trusts: Part 4 of 8
Caring for Children
By Vonda Vantil, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist During the holiday season, most of us, regardless of our beliefs, focus on the children we love. Children are our future — we share our knowledge and talent with them — we pass on our values to them knowing they will share those gifts. Social Security safeguards children all year long, but we’d like to take this … Continue reading Caring for Children
Do you think your income-related Medicare premium is incorrect?
By Vonda Vantil, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist Medicare is our country’s health insurance program for people age 65 or older. Certain people younger than age 65 can qualify for Medicare, too, including those with disabilities and those who have permanent kidney failure. If you’re a Medicare beneficiary who has been informed that you must pay more for your Medicare Part B or Medicare prescription … Continue reading Do you think your income-related Medicare premium is incorrect?
Wills vs. Trusts: Part 3 of 8
Previously posted in 2015. By Christine Steinmetz, J.D., Hotline Attorney In our previous post, we defined a will as a document that contains your instructions about how you want your assets (also known as your estate) distributed upon your death. A will allows you to determine who receives what share of your assets after your death. There are four different types of wills: holographic wills, … Continue reading Wills vs. Trusts: Part 3 of 8
Beware of Scammers Pretending to be from Social Security
By Vonda Vantil, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist In the digital age, frauds and scams are an unfortunate part of doing business online. During the holiday season, Social Security has traditionally seen a spike in phishing scams, and we want to protect you as best we can. We urge you to always be cautious and to avoid providing sensitive information such as your Social Security … Continue reading Beware of Scammers Pretending to be from Social Security
Grandparents and Scams
By Nicholas Goodman, MiCAFE Network Specialist What do grandparents and the holidays have in common? The spirit of giving. Unfortunately, scammers exploit this trait and financially ruin lives. Stories to trick a person into giving money vary widely, from a supposed grandchild being in jail to scammers posing as the Internal Revenue Services or Social Security Administration. A new report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), research indicates that in 2018, people age 70 and over, sent … Continue reading Grandparents and Scams
