Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives Acts on Taxes
Those of us who have been following the Presidential primaries over the past few months may have missed developments closer to home. Last week, Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives engaged in what was described by one Allentown newspaper as a “tax cutting party” slashing everything from Pennsylvania inheritance taxes to taxes on business profits, cell phones, […]
Continue readingMental Gymnastics To Combat Aging
One intriguing question regarding living longer, healthier lives is whether mental exercise can effectively slow age related memory loss or even Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. As an older gentleman asked at one of my presentations, “Can’t you just take care of that by doing crossword puzzles?” As “Boomers” age, these questions will persist and, while […]
Continue readingHow to Access Medicare Preventive Services
Of all the Medicare “alphabet” services, Medicare Part “B” probably receives the least attention. Since seniors pay a premium under basic Medicare for Medicare “B” by way of deduction from their monthly Social Security benefit, they may do well to explore what benefits they may not be using. The premium for 2008 is indexed to […]
Continue readingGet Honest About Money
We pretend, when it comes to finances, all decisions are rational and can be plotted on a straight path toward a predictable result. This simplified notion forms the basis for the “Write Your Own Will” kits sold in stationery stores and the computer programs that forecast a guaranteed return in a given amount in a […]
Continue readingA Good Marriage Is Good for Your Health
Researchers have just discovered another reason to be good to your spouse. It turns out that older happy, well adjusted couples are less likely than hostile or controlling ones to damage their hearts from atherosclerosis, also referred to as hardening of the arteries. With health costs spiraling out of control and the need for […]
Continue readingPlanning with a disabled spouse not easy
When a spouse has been diagnosed with a chronic disabling illness, both parties are faced with decisions. The options can seem overwhelming and each professional consulted seems to know only a piece of the puzzle. This can be an interesting hurdle for my practice since, if elder law attorneys do anything, it is to assemble […]
Continue readingUnderstanding the meaning of ‘probate’
Of all the misunderstood legal terms in estate planning, probably the most unfairly maligned is the idea of probate. In fact, probate has been so regularly attacked in popular periodicals and in do-it-yourself estate publications that average people have sometimes gone to great expense to avoid the process altogether. The result is that some authors […]
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