Why You Need More to Retire Than You Think
Some people approach retirement planning like an extended math problem. Frankly, many financial advisors do as well and with good reason. There are so many “unknowables” that the only way to wrestle the decision to the ground is to make some general assumptions and then follow them down the line. For instance, in no particular […]
Continue readingWhy Smart People Don’t Recognize Financial Infidelity
I have to admit I never recognized the term “financial infidelity” until recently but it does make sense. The expression recognizes the blindness many of us have in relationships to the spending habits of partners and the effect it has on our own finances. Take the case of a recently widowed or divorced individual who […]
Continue readingE-Mail Estate Misinformation – Problems and Answers
Lately it has come to my attention that the most current methods of communication today not only can lead to confusion and misunderstanding but also unnecessary dissension and inefficiency. Twitter comes to mind but emails can be among the worst. It might seem this is not a problem for businesses or for attorneys but that […]
Continue readingWhat To Do When Inheriting a House
A recent article in Elder Law Answers, www.elderlawanswers.com, an online publication for lawyers and clients, caught my attention mostly because it raised issues I had not thought of explaining in detail to clients. The article was titled “When Inheriting Real Estate, Consider Your Options.” Sometimes we as estate attorneys deal with issues that are so […]
Continue readingMajor Changes to IRAs and Retirement Plans In Effect Now
The 2020 New Year brought with it major changes to IRA’s, 401(k)’s and retirement planning generally for millions of Americans. The SECURE Act, also known as Setting Every Community Up For Retirement Enhancement Act, was one of the few noteworthy changes of 2019 in the financial services industry, passing the U.S. House and then the […]
Continue readingClean Out – A New Year’s Resolution
New Year’s Resolutions have a way of repeating themselves. There are the healthy ones like the promise to exercise. The recent Peloton commercials with one fit woman, and now, women and men furiously riding their exercise bikes fit that category. Then there are resolutions to be kinder or to spend less and earn more and […]
Continue readingShould You Tell Your Children Their Inheritances?
So, as you approach the New Year, you decided to take out your old Wills which were drafted when your children were toddlers and then to add to that new Financial and Health Care Powers of Attorney and Living Wills or Advance Health Care Directives. You make arrangements to visit your attorney and you decide […]
Continue readingHome From the Hospital – What Services Are Covered
You just arrived home from the hospital and were told some services could be covered by the Medicare program at your residence. What are they and what other services that might not be covered by Medicare could still be helpful at home? Here is a summary. OT, PT, and Home Health. Occupational therapy (commonly referred […]
Continue readingHIPAA, Medical Privacy and Project Nightingale
The Wall Street Journal and several medical sources reported recently that Google and Ascension, a nonprofit considered to be the second largest health system in the U.S. have entered into a project “to collect and crunch the detailed personal-health information of millions of people across 21 states.” See “Googles ‘Project Nightingale’ Gathers Personal Health Data […]
Continue readingCan Your Bank Refuse Your Power of Attorney?
If you find it more difficult in recent years to have your Power of Attorney recognized by banks and financial institutions than previously, it might help to know some of the history behind both changes in the law and in attitude. Under Act 95, a Power of Attorney law passed in 2014, substantial changes were […]
Continue readingDeal Kindly With Unequal Inheritances
When a parent is inclined to leave a child out of her Will, it can lead to unintended consequences. Disinheriting one or more children is usually not recommended if for no other reason than continuing family discord after your death. However, relationships are complicated and, if your intent is serious, before taking that step there […]
Continue readingSafety Questions When Deciding To Stay At Home
When asking healthy adults whether they would rather stay at home or move to a nursing home, the answer is obvious. When residents of facilities are asked if they would like to come home, the answer is often the same. Studies demonstrate that most people would rather stay home and “age in place.” The exceptions […]
Continue readingCan Medicaid Take My Home?
Will Medicaid take my home if I need nursing home care? Well, I did deal with that a bit before but Medicaid does not take your home, certainly not during your lifetime and the nursing home does not take your home. But if you have a home that is sitting empty and you have bills […]
Continue readingHow To Remain In Control When You Appoint a Power of Attorney
I am convinced that one reason clients can hesitate when deciding whether to appoint an agent under Power of Attorney is the fear of losing control. That fear can be aggravated on realizing that most Powers of Attorney today take effect after signing both by the person giving the power and the one receiving it. […]
Continue readingPaying for Nursing Home Care
Is it too late to do anything if my loved one is already in a nursing home? That is a common misconception. It is not too late to engage in planning if your spouse is in the nursing home. And it was a recent case in Pennsylvania that is what’s called the Third Circuit Court […]
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