Author Archives: Linda Fisher
How Elder Law Attorneys Can Help Seniors and Their Loved Ones
Many aging Americans depend on family members or friends to help manage their financial, health, and other affairs during retirement and beyond. They often believe that their family members will be able to take care of any issues that arise. While consulting with loved ones about plans and wishes can be beneficial, relying solely… Read More »
What Does a Successor Trustee Do?
This is a common concern of people when they learn they have been named as a successor trustee, says nwi.com in the article “Estate Planning: The role of a successor trustee.” The first thing to do? Verify that you are a successor trustee and what authority and powers you have. If the settler is… Read More »
Protecting Adult Children with Disabilities
One in four Americans has some kind of disability, and an increasing number of children are being diagnosed with some form of autism. The life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased from living to age 12 in the 1940s to nearly 60 today. Most children born with cerebral palsy live into their… Read More »
Estate Planning Documents for a Natural Ending
If you want to control your demise, there are a handful of documents that are typically created during the process of developing an estate plan that can be used to achieve this goal, says the article “Choosing a natural end” from The Dallas Morning News. The four documents are the Medical Power of Attorney,… Read More »
Do I Need Long-Term Care and Why?
A recent article by Forbes entitled “Does Medicare Pay For Long-term Care? Don’t Make A Big Mistake!” explains that there are several settings that provide long-term care. These include adult day-care centers, nursing facilities, assisted living facilities and residential care communities. Many people think Medicare pays for long-term care because there are some services… Read More »
What’s Your Retirement Distribution Plan?
If you were supposed to take out an RMD of $4, 000 from your retirement accounts and somehow forgot to do this, you’ll be writing the IRS a check for $2, 000. Ouch! This is something you can easily avoid, says Yahoo Finance’s article “Know These 3 Facts to Avoid Paying Half Your Retirement… Read More »
SECURE Act Means It’s Time for an Estate Plan Review
The most significant legislation affecting retirement was signed into law on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019. After stalling for months, Congress suddenly passed several bills, as attachments to budget appropriations, as reported by Advisor News’ article “SECURE Act, Signed by Trump, A Game-Changer For Retirement Plans.” Here are some of the key points that retirees… Read More »
From Gentle Persuasion to a No-Nonsense Approach, Talking About Estate Plans
Sometimes the first attempt is a flop. Imaging this exchange: “So, do you want to talk about what happens when you die?” Answer: “Nope.” That’s what can happen, but it doesn’t have to, says The Wall Street Journal’s recent article “Readers Offer Their Advice on Talking to Aging Parents About Estate Plans.” Many people… Read More »
Business Owners Should Start End-Game Planning Now
Most parents understand that the ultimate goal of child-rearing is to help a child become an independent adult. For the business owner, this means building a business that would continue after they have retired or passed away. However, when it comes to estate planning, says the article “Why Business Owners Should Think About Estate… Read More »
Why Is a Power of Attorney Important?
A son who is preparing to help his mother with her legal and financial affairs asks what legal documents he needs to obtain in the article “Tips for becoming a power of attorney” in Hometown Life. He is concerned about a sibling who is estranged from the family and could cause problems in the… Read More »