The swiftness of fires and flood in the news in recent months, even in places that have never experienced dramatic disasters, puts a spotlight on the need for preparedness. That includes your estate plan. The evening news presents enough reminders about the need to plan for disasters. However, many people…
If you live far from your hometown, you may be used to seeing large changes in aging parents from year to year. However, if you are involved in their day to day life, you may not notice the changes, or they may seem to come and go. When you are…
Don’t have a medical directive, or don’t remember the last time you reviewed it? That means it’s time. We never know when an emergency or sudden onset illness will strike. The biggest problem with medical directives, is getting people to confront the concept of being incapacitated or near death. Once…
Remember that estate planning is not just for the wealthy, and now that the federal exemption is so high, not just for the billionaires either. Estate planning is also much more than a will. Your estate plan has a lot of work to do for you, both while you are…
To make sure that your wishes are carried out, you’ll have to do your homework. Make sure that you cover these most important documents. The last thing you want to do, is leave a bureaucratic mess for your loved ones when you die. Not only will it cause the family…
The roles are reversed when parents age. You can’t count on them to take the lead in having discussions about money, health, aging and other concerns that come in the later years. When you were a kid, your parents were in charge. Now your parents are older, and you must…
“The man who took care of Robert Indiana in the last years of his life, told a probate court hearing Wednesday that he was paid roughly $250,000 a year to tend to the aging artist, whose estate and legacy are now the subject of acrimony and lawsuits.” Under questioning by…
Professionals who have had clients with family members suffering from dementia have a greater understanding of the challenges these families face. However, living through the experience personally is totally different. When a loved one receives a diagnosis of dementia, as described in this deeply personal article from Financial Advisor, “The…
It’s understood that everyone needs a will. However, many people put it off. Don’t be one of those people. Your family will remember, and it won’t be a happy memory! Celebrities aren’t the only ones who fail to plan for their passing. The difference is, their failures can become instructive…
We’re not talking about what happens to your soul, or if you are headed to a peaceful place, or even what happens to your physical remains. Have you thought about what happens to the world you leave, your family and friends and your possessions, after you die? Let’s say you…