For most aging adults, family members act as the health care and financial agents. Most of us have a spouse, adult child, sibling or other family member who is able and willing to be our agent(s). More and more frequently, however, we are hearing…
Category: Estate Planning
How Often Should You Update Your Documents?
Your estate planning documents should be updated regularly. They are not meant for you to “set it and forget it.” We recommend that everyone follow the following rule of thumb for updating their advance directives: Whenever there is a new decade, death, diagnosis, divorce,…
The Lives of Elder Orphans
By now, many of us have heard of the term “Elder Orphan.” An elder orphan has no adult children, spouse or companion to rely on for company, assistance or input. This growing issue has captured the attention of the news media in the last…
Digital Estate Plans
I’m sure you saw the headlines in February for the sudden death of QuadrigaCX’s CEO Gerald Cotten. He allegedly died with the business’s passwords, meaning that their 115,000 users couldn’t access their accounts that were valued at over $188 million. The time has come…
Organizing and Keeping Files
Many of our clients come into the office toting grocery bags, cardboard boxes or backpacks filled with about fifty years of paperwork. As time goes by and our financial situations change, the amount of paperwork we must keep grows exponentially. That said, by the time…
A To Do List for Aging Loved Ones
Last week we met with the adult children of an older couple that needs help. Dad was taking care of mom on a full time basis—she has been living with dementia for the last five years— until he had a stroke. Now mom is receiving…
Talking to Your Loved Ones About Your Advance Directives
The other day, we met with a family that wanted to update their wills, powers of attorney and advance directive. This was a couple in their 80s and their two adult children. As is customary in our office, we all sat around my conference room…
It's Time to Write Your Will
Get yourself a will because dying without one, “intestate,” is a drag for everyone. Not everyone has a will – even Prince died without one. Imagine, all that money and one of the greatest performers didn’t spend a little of it on sorting out his estate.…
Peace After Death
A clear goal in your estate planning should be peace after death. Being flexible and thoughtful in your estate planning can help avoid family feuds over your possessions – their inheritance. Who gets the pink tablecloth? The latest indications are that your heirs…