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…
The same level of advance planning needed for a new baby or for a child going to college is necessary for retirement and estate planning. Decisions about housing, income, health care and your heirs' lives after you pass away are not always easily made. These decisions involve emotional, financial and…
Privacy and a faster resolution to settling estates are just two good reasons to create an estate plan. You really don't have to be a millionaire or famous to create an estate plan, as noted in an article appearing on the Forbes' website, "Prince and Estate Planning: What We Can…
Despite countless celebrity estate battles, most Americans still put off having a will created. Think of a will as an itinerary for your family that will make their lives easier once you are gone. Prince was clearly busy with performing, writing, recording and creating. But that's still not a good…
One Chief Justice's seemingly simplistic will was the target of a lot of humor. Tongues wagged in Washington that he had utterly failed to do any estate planning. The gossips had it all wrong. It may be surprising to outsiders, but Washington D.C. actually functions in many ways as a…