We offer all of the following services to help make the financial planning of your retirement easy, as well as helping you manage the business of your day to day life.
At the Retirement Center we strategize your plan, identify, quantify, and prioritize risk, even as we work to mitigate it. Our strategic approach to risk is positioned to differentiate the client experience. Our comprehensive array of insurance products is designed to meet the personal insurance needs of affluent individuals and families. We provide service to clients with a wide range of financial planning needs, for individuals, families and business owners with substantial assets, requiring a highly customized approach designed to manage risk and protect both assets and loved ones for all.
Our Retirement Specialists provide solutions that are best for your individual situation. We also partner to address insurance needs related to complex estate planning and wealth transfer issues of our clients. Your overall retirement roadmap may have a variety of nontraditional needs, so the Retirement Center creates an understanding of how Health Insurance, Medicare, Long-Term Care and Life Insurance may fit into your plan.
In our retirement years, we all face a major risk of a long-term care event that can be financially devastating. Incorporating lifetime income into your retirement financial planning is important because without income, there is no real retirement. We will create a tailored retirement and financial plan to determine whether an insurance solution is right for you.
Christina Sammartino of Sammartino Law is one of our retirement specialists that is uniquely experienced in the areas of Elder Law, Estate Planning Wills & Trust, Medicaid Planning & Applications, Estate Probate & Administration and Guardianship. In addition, she can help both new and existing home-owners facilitate all types of mortgages such as a Reverse Mortgage, Reverse to Purchase, New Purchases, Refinances, Commercial and Non-QM-ITIN, 1099 & Bank Statement Loans.
Driven by personal experience, Christina developed a passion for estate planning after witnessing the complications that arose from her grandfather’s passing without a proper estate plan. This firsthand encounter underscores her commitment to helping others plan and avoid similar challenges. Christina resides in Lindenhurst with her husband, two children and a dog, deeply rooted in the Long Island community.
Please reach us at if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Having an estate plan ensures that you choose the people who will take care of you while your still alive and choose who will carry out your wishes once you are no longer here. While you are alive you should have a Health Care Proxy (HCP) and Power of Attorney (POA)- these are documents that will be needed in the event something should happen to you but you do not pass away. For example you are unconscious or in a comma, you will need someone to make medical decisions for you (your HCP agent) and someone to continue to pay your bills and take care of your finances (your POA agent).
If an adult (someone 18 years and older) does not have a valid POA and/or HCP then someone (usually a loved one) would need to Petition the Supreme Court to be appointed the Guardian under Mental Hygiene Law Article 81.
A Guardianship under MHL Article 81 is a proceeding in which the Petitioner (the person bringing the proceeding) Petitions the Court and asks that he/she be appointed your legal guardian to make medical and financial decisions for you. The Petitioner alleges that the Person who is incapacitated (usually called the AIP) can no longer make their own decisions and that they do not have documents appointing someone to make those decisions.
Once your loved one passes away, it is important to determine whether or not they have a Last Will and Testament (Will) and what assets are in the person’s name. If someone passes away without, then the laws of intestacy apply.
A Last Will and Testament is a legal document whereby the Testator ( the person creating the Will) memorializes all of his/her wishes and desires as to who gets his/her assets when the Testator is no longer here.
When a person passes away, has a will and assets in his/ her name, the person named as Executor in the Will must probate the Will in order for the Will to have any legal effect. Probate is the process by which you take the Last Will and Testament and file it with the Surrogate’s Court. You ask the Court to make a determination that the Will is valid.
A Trust is a legal document created by the Creator during his/her lifetime in order to legalize his/her desires regarding his/her assets. There are several different types of trusts just as a revocable trust, Medicaid irrevocable trust, supplemental needs trust, etc. Each trust is uniquely tailored to the goals and needs of each client. Trust avoids probate so the beneficiaries gain access to these assets much quicker than if the assets have to do through the Probate Process.
Medicaid is a federal and state program, whereby it allows people in need to obtain services. There are two types of Medicaid services for people who need long term care. There is community Medicaid (care at home) and institutional Medicaid (when someone needs to go into a nursing home)..
There are specific asset and income limits that applicants must comply with in order to be eligible for Medicaid services. The 2023 asset limit is $30,182 and the income limit is $1,677.
A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust is an irrevocable trust that protects the assets in the trust from Medicaid. The assets placed into the Trust do not court as the Creator’s assets for purposed of Medicaid eligibility. There is still the 5 years look back rule for Institutional Medicaid.
Our dedicated staff of insurance professionals are here to assist you in securing an insurance policy to protect you and your loved ones for years to come. We have a vast knowledge of all types of insurance and a strong working relationship with many carriers, equipping us to shop for the best policy that meets your specific needs. Our job is to help you navigate through the sea of policy options and clarify any questions or concerns you may have along the way.
We treat each individual with respect and compassion. Shopping for insurance can be difficult, but our staff does the work for you. Maintain your peace of mind knowing that our insurance professionals have your back. At the end of the day what separates one agent from another is their ability to proactively service their policy holders and their knowledge of the insurance industry, products, and different situations that may present themselves to their clients.
No more waiting on hold and dealing with long phone calls that don't get you anywhere.
We'll handle all of that.
Just call us and we'll help you with any questions you might have regarding your health plan.
Everyone's health care needs are different and not all plans are the same. Your needs might be much different than your friends.
We will evaluate your specific situation and put you in the plan that best fits you.
Because we are Long Island based, we remain up-to-date on local plan benefits, changes to Medicare, and anything else you need to know.
We work for you, so we will always put you first and make sure you're satisfied.
Please contact us if you cannot find an answer to your question.
A Medicare insurance broker is an independent agent who represents multiple carriers so that they can work to give you an unbiased opinion on your Medicare plan options. They are appointed by many different insurance companies so that they can find the right fit for you, rather than having to push one carrier. Your Medicare broker will be able to review all the options available and search for a plan that most closely fits your individual needs and budget.
Medicare brokers get paid by the insurance companies they represent, so you pay the same rate for your insurance if you use a Medicare consultant (broker) as you would by enrolling yourself. There is no extra fee or cost for enrolling through a broker. This means you pay ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for our help.
For most people Medicare enrollment should happen during your initial enrollment period, which begins three months before you turn 65 and runs three months after the month you turn 65. There are special election periods available as well as the situation requires. Click here to learn more.
If you decide to collect social security benefits before or on your 65th birthday, Medicare is automatic. For those who opt to receive social security after 65, Medicare is not automatic and you have to enroll yourself. We can assist you with the enrollment process that best fits your needs.
This depends on how many employees are part of the group health insurance plan. If 20 or more employees are covered in the group plan you can delay your Medicare enrollment without any penalties. If the group is smaller than 20, you will need to enroll to ensure your coverage.
Neither Medicare nor Medicare advantage plans will cover long term care. Long term care insurance is a completely different insurance policy.
Medicare does not cover cosmetic or routine dental unless it is considered medically necessary such as with oral cancer or infection.
Yes, most people will have to pay for Medicare part B; the base premium in 2023 is $164.90. Some people may pay more based on their income. Medicare has established a sliding scale. Click here to learn more.
Medicare advantage plans are federally funded, and they may set up their premiums and fees the way they want to. Many carriers offer zero premium plans across the country and many times the plans have just as good or even better benefits than plans with a monthly premium.
Original Medicare can leave you with a lot of out-of-pocket expenses. Part A covers your hospital and inpatient stays after a $1556 deductible is paid per occurrence. Part B has a smaller deductible of $233, then covers up to 80% of doctors and outpatient bills. There is also no cap or limit to your out-of-pocket costs . Plus, original Medicare does not cover prescription drugs.
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