We never know what's around the corner. Big changes come in all different types. Best strategy: be prepared and deal with whatever comes. Of those Americans who actually have a will and an estate plan in place, there's still a tendency to let years go by before they update their…
If you don't believe any friends or family members can serve as your executor, what are your options? A question is raised by a well-to-do husband who is concerned that his wife is not prepared to handle a significant estate if he should predecease her. The couple has no children,…
Whether on the evening news or a serial drama, we love to watch the inner workings of family businesses—in large part because of the drama and the high likelihood of failure. The narrative of family dynasties is intriguing. According to the Yakima Herald in "Passing the baton: 6 challenges for…
The double nickel year has potential for allowing you to tap your 401(k) without an early withdrawal penalty, but you have to know exactly how it works to avoid problems. There's one exception to the rule that you must be at least 59 ½ to tap your 401(k) without incurring…
In many cases, the incapacitated person does need the protection of a guardian. But far too often, the guardian is the source of abuse, and the lack of oversight leads to appalling situations. Celebrity cases where persons appointed as guardians fleece their relatives or sequester them against their wills in…
Rules on claiming benefits were never simple and recent changes have eliminated "file and suspend" techniques. Here's what you need to know about Social Security benefits right now. Social security was originally designed to serve the elderly and destitute, but today, working Americans depend on Social Security benefits to fund…
Whether for reasons of death or divorce, an estate sale can be an emotional roller coaster. Prepare yourself for challenges so that you are not taken by surprise when possessions unleash a flood of memories. It's not always easy to make rational decisions when handling the logistics of an estate sale, explains…
The entire US is up for grabs for retirees who are moving to a wide variety of location—from the mountains of Montana to the moderate temperatures of South Carolina. Is Houston a hot spot? Once upon a time, if you lived in the north, your default retirement destination was either…
This is one of those problems that you think you've solved, only to discover that the problem still exists. The best workaround we can think of: overdoing due diligence, well in advance. When you took the necessary and advisable step to have a parent or other relative sign a durable…
Nursing homes that give substandard care to residents are the target of new Elder Justice Task Forces intended to move faster in targeting and penalizing certain facilities. The National Review reports in "DOJ Task Forces Target Elder Fraud in Health Care" that teams from several Elder Justice Task Forces deployed…