Author Archives: Linda Fisher
What Is an Advance Care Directive?
People start out with good intentions at the start of the year, and then fail to follow through. This makes difficult situations even worse for their family. The process begins with discussions about your care wishes, explains the Chicago Tribune’s Daily Southdown in the article “Talk to your family now about advance care directives.”… Read More »
How Does A Health Care Proxy Work?
You can have some control over your medical decisions even if, one day, you cannot make or communicate those choices for yourself. You will have to create legal documents ahead of time to have a say in your treatment. One such paper is a health care proxy. This article answers the question, How does… Read More »
Mistakes to Avoid when Planning Estates
Because estate planning has plenty of legal jargon, it can make some people think twice about planning their estates, especially people who believe that they have too little property to bother with this important task. Comstock’s Magazine’s recent article entitled “Five Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Estate” warns that without planning, even small… Read More »
What You Need to Know about a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT)
Moving into a nursing home can be expensive, costing you $5, 000 to $10, 000 a month or more. More in Massachusetts, with the average monthly cost of skilled care being $15, 000. This expense can quickly wipe out your life savings. Medicaid will pick up the bill for you, if your income and… Read More »
Retirement and Estate Planning Work Better Together
So, you’ve been married for a while, and you’re both comfortable with which bank accounts, credit cards and investment accounts are shared and which other accounts are kept separate. However, where the big picture is concerned—like coordinating retirement plans, health coverage and tax planning—you both need to take an active role in planning and… Read More »
How Does the SECURE Act Change Your Estate Plan?
The SECURE Act has made big changes to how IRA distributions occur after death. Anyone who owns an IRA, regardless of its size, needs to examine their retirement savings plan and their estate plan to see how these changes will have an impact. The article “SECURE Act New IRA Rules: Change Your Estate Plan”… Read More »
Why Even “Regular Folks” Can Benefit from Having a Living Trust
A trust is a useful tool, even if you’re not a wealthy person. There are many different types of trusts, but the most basic types are revocable and irrevocable. A recent article from Business Insider “A trust fund gives you control over your money after you’re gone, and it’s not just for the super… Read More »
How Do I Plan for My Incapacity?
The Post-Searchlight’s recent article, “How to go about planning for incapacity, ” advises that planning ahead can make certain that your health-care wishes will be carried out, and that your finances will continue to be competently managed. Incapacity can strike at any time. Advancing age can bring dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and a serious… Read More »
Caring for Your Aging Parents – Top 5 Questions and Answers
Caring for aging parents can be stressful. It’s a new experience, and one that you’re not always prepared for. The good news is that there are plenty of resources out there to help you navigate this new chapter in your life. To help get the process started, we’ve curated the top 5 questions that… Read More »
How to Spot Problems at Nursing Homes
The best time to shop for a nursing home, is when you do not need one. If you wait until you can no longer safely or comfortably live on your own, you probably will not be in a position to do a lot of legwork to investigate facilities. Do your research well ahead of… Read More »