Articles

Advanced Medical Directives and Durable Powers of Attorney

19 Dec 2017

Let me tell you a story (based upon actual events): “Ron” came into my office seeking advice regarding his mother and father, both of whom had been severely injured in an automobile accident and were in the hospital in critical condition. Ron was one of four siblings. He wanted to know how he and/or his siblings could get control of his parents’ finances while they were unable to do so…

The “Other” Travel Checklist

19 Dec 2017

How many of us have had this experience: We spend hours (or days) planning a vacation, arranging transportation, lodging, itineraries, clothing, etc., making sure that every detail of our trip is taken care of. And suddenly, in the middle of the night on the eve of departure, it dawns on us that we are actually going to get on a plane and travel thousands of miles in the air! What…

5 Reasons to Plan Early for Long Term Care

19 Dec 2017

“I am in great health, why should I be worrying about long term care?” my client asked. I smiled and said “I don’t want you to worry about it, I want you to plan for it so that you don’t end up in a crisis situation some time in the future.” I then proceeded to outline 5 reasons that advanced planning was in my client’s best interest: 1. Having a…

Protecting Yourself From Financial Abuse

15 Dec 2017

According to the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, the elderly are attractive targets for financial abuse for a number of reasons, including the fact that persons over 50 control seventy percent of the nation’s wealth, and many seniors have disabilities that make them dependent upon others for help. Sometimes the abuse comes from family members, but there are also “professional predators” out there who look for ways…

Why Planning at Every Stage of Life is Important

13 Dec 2017

People plan every year for major catastrophes and pay thousands of dollars to protect themselves if one of those catastrophes occur with health insurance, auto insurance, home owner’s insurance and/or an emergency savings account. But rarely will people plan for the one thing that will happen to each one of us. We will all DIE someday, and yet 70% of Americans die without doing any planning, not even a simple…