The pandemic (COVID-19) is causing us to consider a lot of things that we may not have before, even if maybe we should have. It brings to mind something a colleague of mine shared recently. One unremarkable weekend, she left her small children with a babysitter and headed out to enjoy dinner at a restaurant [..]
Online Wills? When You Should, When You Shouldn’t and Where to Do It With all of the media about “digital wills” and “online estate planning” it could be tempting to think you can do your estate planning yourself, online. And, maybe you can. But, if you do, you need to know the potential pitfalls. Online [..]
A Map to Doing the Right Thing for the People You Love During the COVID-19 Pandemic Right now, huge numbers of people are coming face to face with their own mortality, and realizing they need to plan for the worst. This goes not just for those of us in the “senior” category, but for all [..]
How To Get Access to Your COVID Stimulus Money On March 27, President Trump signed a $2.2 trillion stimulus bill into law that will hopefully provide some relief for many, perhaps including you. The CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) sends money directly to Americans, expands unemployment coverage, and funds loans and [..]
Why is it important for your parents to stay at home There’s no doubt that your parents have survived frightening world events, whether that was World War II, the war in Vietnam, nuclear threat, illness, poverty, civil unrest, or all of the above. However, the use of the word “unprecedented” regarding what’s happening now is [..]
Why You Should Never Buy Your Will From Living Social or Groupon Of the handful of major life events that require your serious consideration, few are as emotionally charged as how to leave your assets for loved ones at the time of your death. This often complex process is accomplished via testamentary documents such as [..]
The Key Differences Between Wills and Trusts When discussing estate planning, a will is what most people think of first. Indeed, wills have been the most popular method for passing on assets to heirs for hundreds of years. But wills aren’t your only option. And if you rely on a will alone to pass on [..]
The poverty rate among seniors is rising, giving rise to the question of whether or not it is possible to inherit debt. In general, when a loved one passes, his or her debts fall to the estate to be paid. However, there are situations where debt is shared. For example, jointly owned credit cards [..]
Life Changes that Require an Update to Your Estate Plan Even if you do not have an estate plan that you’ve created, the State has one for you. And it’s likely one you won’t like. It may be time for you to review the plan the State has for you and make more informed, empowered [..]
A Parent Becomes Incapacitated – What You Should Know About Guardianship When a parent becomes incapacitated, whether through illness, injury, or other means, anyone could require a guardian to become appointed if they become mentally incapacitated. In such cases, if there is no estate planning in place (or insufficient planning) to keep family or other loved [..]
