Medicare Extends Deadline for Relief from Part B Penalties

Medicare is extending its offer of relief from penalties for certain Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in Medicare Part A and had coverage through the individual marketplace. Beneficiaries who qualify will be able to enroll in Medicare Part B without paying a penalty for late enrollment if they enroll by September 30, 2018.

Individuals who do not enroll in Medicare Part B when they first become eligible face a stiff penalty, unless they are still working and their employer’s plan is considered "primary." For each year that these individuals put off enrolling, their monthly premium increases by 10 percent -- permanently.

Court Overturns Obama Rule Protecting Investors Saving for Retirement

A U.S. court of appeal has struck down a Department of Labor (DOL) rule that was intended to prevent financial advisers from steering their clients to bad retirement investments, but the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed new regulations to at least partially address the same problem.

Prompted by concern that many financial advisors have a sales incentive to recommend to their clients retirement investments with high fees and low returns because the advisors get higher commissions or other incentives, in February 2015 President Obama directed the DOL to draw up rules that require financial advisors to act like fiduciaries. A fiduciary must provide the highest standard of care under the law.

Several industry trade groups sued to overturn the so-called fiduciary rule, arguing that the DOL overstepped its authority in enacting the regulation. A federal court judge initially upheld the rule, but in March 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit overturned it. According to the court, the DOL did not have the authority to enact the rule. The court criticized the DOL for overstepping its boundaries into an area that should be handled by the SEC. The Trump administration, which delayed the fiduciary rule at first but eventually allowed it to go into effect, has not appealed the decision.

While the fiduciary rule might be dead for now, the SEC has proposed new regulations that would require investment brokers to act in the best interest of their client when recommending an investment. It also requires brokers to disclose or mitigate conflicts of interest. The proposed regulations do not, however, define what "best interest" means, which may cause confusion for brokers and consumers. There is a long road ahead before these regulations are approved. The SEC is accepting comments on the regulations until August 7, 2018.

Even if the SEC's regulations are approved, they do not solve every problem. Consumers should always use caution when selecting a financial adviser. In particular, consumers should check their financial adviser's experience and credentials and beware of phony credentials.

The Little-Known Tax on Roth 401(k) Distributions

Employee retirement savings plans come in two main flavors: the traditional 401(k) and the Roth 401(k). The benefit of a Roth 401(k) over a traditional 401(k) after retirement is that distributions from a Roth 401(k) are tax-free, but there is a little-known situation where distributions can be taxed.

Contributions to a traditional 401(k) are made pre-tax, so while it reduces your taxable income in the year you contribute to it, you have to pay taxes on the money you withdraw during retirement. On the other hand, contributions to the Roth 401(k) are made after taxes. This means you won't have to pay any taxes when you withdraw the money.

Some employers offer to match any contributions you make to your 401(k) as an employee benefit. If your employer matches your Roth 401(k) contribution, the contributions will be made before the employer pays taxes on it. This means you will have to pay income taxes on the match and any growth associated with the match when you take distributions. In other words, the employer match is treated like a traditional 401(k).

The maximum amount you can contribute to a Roth 401(k) (in 2018) if you are younger than age 50 is $18,500 per year. If you are older than 50, you can contribute $24,500 (in 2018). Your employer can match as much of your contribution as it wants, but the total contribution to a Roth 401(k) (in 2018) cannot exceed $55,000 or 100 percent of your salary, whichever is less.

When Can an Adult Child Be Liable for a Parent's Nursing Home Bill?

Although a nursing home cannot require a child to be personally liable for their parent's nursing home bill, there are circumstances in which children can end up having to pay. This is a major reason why it is important to read any admission agreements carefully before signing.

Federal regulations prevent a nursing home from requiring a third party to be personally liable as a condition of admission. However, children of nursing home residents often sign the nursing home admission agreement as the "responsible party." This is a confusing term and it isn't always clear from the contract what it means.

Typically, the responsible party is agreeing to do everything in his or her power to make sure that the resident pays the nursing home from the resident's funds. If the resident runs out of funds, the responsible party may be required to apply for Medicaid on the resident's behalf. If the responsible party doesn't follow through on applying for Medicaid or provide the state with all the information needed to determine Medicaid eligibility, the nursing home may sue the responsible party for breach of contract. In addition, if a responsible party misuses a resident's funds instead of paying the resident's bill, the nursing home may also sue the responsible party. In both these circumstances, the responsible party may end up having to pay the nursing home out of his or her own funds.

In a case in New York, a son signed an admission agreement for his mother as the responsible party. After the mother died, the nursing home sued the son for breach of contract, arguing that he failed to apply for Medicaid or use his mother's money to pay the nursing home and that he fraudulently transferred her money to himself. The court ruled that the son could be liable for breach of contract even though the admission agreement did not require the son to use his own funds to pay the nursing home. (Jewish Home Lifecare v. Ast, N.Y. Sup. Ct., New York Cty., No. 161001/14, July 17,2015).

Although it is against the law to require a child to sign an admission agreement as the person who guarantees payment, it is important to read the contract carefully because some nursing homes still have language in their contracts that violates the regulations. If possible, consult with your attorney before signing an admission agreement.

Another way children may be liable for a nursing home bill is through filial responsibility laws. These laws obligate adult children to provide necessities like food, clothing, housing, and medical attention for their indigent parents. Filial responsibility laws have been rarely enforced, but as it has become more difficult to qualify for Medicaid, states are more likely to use them. 

Problems With Guardianship System Is Focus of John Oliver Show

John Oliver recently highlighted problems with the guardianship system on his HBO show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. The comedian provided a scary and funny explanation of how guardianship works, ending with a public service announcement by William Shatner, Lily Tomlin and others explaining steps you can take to avoid the guardianship.

The show focuses on the abuses of a professional guardian in Las Vegas, April Parks. She is clearly at the far end of guardianship exploitation and is currently facing prosecution on more than 200 charges. But Oliver does a good job of explaining how guardianship takes away rights without providing oversight of the people appointed to handle personal and financial decisions for people who can no longer make decisions for themselves.

He explains how courts do not have the resources necessary to provide proper oversight, reporting that only 12 states certify professional guardians. In addition, according to an investigation by the Government Accountability Office, states don't even do credit or criminal background checks on candidates for guardianship.

Nevertheless, the reality is that guardianship and conservatorship actually work in most cases. Family members seek the legal authority they need to make personal, financial and legal decisions for loved ones who have lost the capacity to do so for themselves. In many cases, these non-professional guardians don't follow through with the court reporting required by law, not because they have anything to hide but because they don't know that they have the obligation or don't know how to provide the reporting. More robust follow up by the probate court could seek to enforce the reporting rules, but also could result in much more red tape without much more protection for the people under guardianship or conservatorship.

In any event, the best approach is to avoid the need for guardianship and conservatorship by putting durable powers of attorney and health care proxies in place ahead of time when you can choose who you would like to make decisions for you when necessary. Even if you're not at risk of exploitation because your children or grandchildren would step in, the need for court intervention causes otherwise unnecessary expense and delay.

This is what estate planners counsel their clients all the time. But William Shatner, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno, Fred Willard, and Cloris Leachman do it so much better. With some side discussions about hippos, they recommend executing a durable power of attorney and health care proxy naming someone you trust to make decisions for you if you can't for yourself. They all agree that the person they most trust for this role is Tom Hanks.