At various times during my life I have had the responsibility of helping an aging relative pay their bills and handle their investments. I have been authorized to perform this financial caregiving either as a trustee or as an agent acting under a power of attorney. I can testify from personal experience that helping another […]
What is a Will?
A Will is commonly defined as a document which disposes of a person’s property after their death. But it can be much more than that, or sometimes less. A Will is also known as a “Last Will and Testament”. It is helpful to think of a Will as being a document that gives your instructions […]
Being Mortal
One major benefit of being semi-retired is that I have more time to “read” audio books each day while I walk and exercise. This is given me the opportunity to catch up on books I have long wanted to read (e.g. Steinbeck’s East of Eden) as well as more current titles. I recently read a […]
What to do When Dad should no longer be driving
Do you remember when you first got a driver’s license? For me it was over 50 years ago, but I remember it vividly. It was both scary and exhilarating: the adulthood it implied, the freedom it offered, the awesome responsibility. Wow, that was a memorable moment of my life. Now that I am at the […]
Community Spouse Resource and Income Allowances for 2019 Announced
The cost of care in a nursing home can quickly devastate the finances of a married couple. When I first began to practice elder law, the situation was dire. A married couple could spend all of their savings paying for the care of the person who was institutionalized. The spouse at home would then have […]
New Medicare Advantage Plan Benefits Have Limited Availability
[The following article was published by Kaiser Health News and is republished here with its permission. Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.] Trumpeted New Medicare Advantage Benefits Will Be Hard For Seniors To […]
Social Security Payments to Increase 2.8%
The Social Security Administration has announced that payments to retired and disabled beneficiaries will increase by 2.8%in 2019. This inflation adjustment is intended to offset the higher costs-of-living encountered by beneficiaries. The increase is effective in January 2019 for retirement benefits. Social Security is the major source of income for most of the elderly. The […]