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AgingCare Expert since January 2010

12 comment stars from 17 members
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AgingCare Expert

RalphRobbinsCFP

Ralph Robbins

Certified Financial Planner

Boca Raton, Florida

Ralph S. Robbins, CFP© is a fully licensed Certified Financial Planning Practitioner. For 20 years he has specialized in counseling those in and approaching retirement on investment strategies, estate planning, risk management and public benefit eligibility.

For the past 10 years he has exclusively worked with elders and their families who find themselves confronted with the prospect of large long-term care expenses.

By carefully coordinating the care recipient’s and/or family’s own resources with public benefits such as Medicaid and/or Veteran benefits, Mr. Robbins helps financially guide his clients through the myriad possibilities of aging in place and providing for a continuum of care.

Elder care planning issues are complex and ever changing and Ralph focuses his practice, education, and training on these matters. He also believes in a team approach to solving client’s problems by working closely with colleagues in the kindred fields of geriatric care management, elder law, and health care.

He participates actively in community affairs and organizations focused on the concerns of the elderly and is a member of the Broward County Coalition on Aging, The Partnership on Aging of Palm Beach County, and the Elder Services Resource Network of Broward County.

Born in Manhattan, Ralph grew up in Westchester County, N.Y. and attended Cornell University. A resident of Florida for over 25 years, he currently resides and practices in Boca Raton, FL.

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Jul 21, 2010

lisa1234
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Thank you for responding. Yes I am very frustrated.I think first they had to prove it was not in-service since he was disabled. Also I listed every medical provider I could think (thus over 10 listings that needed to be confirmed). Still I think it was unusually timely. Finally was getting somewhere and now it is hexed. Hopefully it will be resolved favorably.

Jul 12, 2010

Bree
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Hello again, I am in so much mental anguish, you would not believe. I will try to make this short.
My mother has been in a NH almost 5 months now. I totally wish I had chose a different one. From the start I have had nothing but problems.. the biggest was the nh had not switched her medicaid over to "nursing home" medicaid...and was billing me . So I was taking the little ssi income I had and tried to pay the monthly extra $634. That led me to visit the SSI office , explain to them my dilemma...hoping honesty meant something , hoping they would increase my mothers small check of 611 a month inorder to pay her NH bills. Instead, a very cruel cold person took the check totally away..out of my hands and started sending it to the nh. As though I was a criminal. After numerous visits over the months to the ssi office, another worker "cleared" up the problems. Still sending the check to the NH...making the NH bill medicaid, and pay me back 1/2 of 1,000 i paid out of my pocket. So at this moment, The medicaidis still waiting to go into effect. I was reimbursed 689 of 1,000 dollars...and was told thats all I will get back. I recently found out that my mothers SSI check was changed..cancelled. She will no longer be a SSI recipent..she is on SDI now(?) and her check amount is now $83.00. The NH WILL GET $53.00 OF THAT.
I am so torn...why? how can they do this? IS THIS A NORMAL PROCEDURE? For social security to throw a person away like this?
My mother is even more disabled than she was before! How can she only recieve $83.00!
AND HONESTLY...I DO NOT LIKE THIS PLACE..I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE HER...HOW CAN i DO THAT ..WITH HER HAVING A INCOME OF $83.00??
This NH and the SS has truly made a bad situation horreffic. I am looking for work...and trying to deal with my reality...trying to deal with the pain and anquish of loosing my mother...the only one Ive ever known.
No body seems to beable to tell me if ANYTHING can be done...why does this feel soooooooooo wrong!?
I need help, wisdom please.

Mar 25, 2010

N1K2R3
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Dear Mr.Robbins, The question was about gifting restrictions on the 1040, that's why I answered it the way I did. I value your expertise on these issues.
Norene Rootare
p.s. My Dad was an estate /real estate attorney. Although he is deceased, I believe that he's still in Martindale/Hubbell.

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Aging Parents and Elder Care Expert

RalphRobbinsCFP

Ralph Robbins

Certified Financial Planner
Boca Raton, Florida

Ralph S. Robbins, CFP© is a fully licensed Certified Financial Planning Practitioner specializing in Eldercare Financial Planning. He works everyday helping families in crisis find creative ways to fund long-term care expenses and deal with family financial issues.

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