Category Archives for 2020
What New Years Means This Year
On January 1, 2020 I positioned myself carefully as the sun rose over the ocean in Long Beach Island, New Jersey and there was a reason for that, a reason that I replay in my mind today with the approaching New Year. I was following a custom I began about 20 years ago or so. […]
Continue readingPlanning An Uncertain Stimulus In the Pandemic
As I write this column the question whether the U.S. Congress will pass a second stimulus package during the COVID-19 pandemic is still uncertain. While Democrats and Republicans both report a deal is near, the clock ticks and both a proposed $900 billion pandemic relief bill and a potential government shutdown at midnight are on […]
Continue readingSome Advice on Trusts
Sometimes our office receives a call with a question like “I need an irrevocable trust. Can you do that?” My immediate response is “why do you believe you need an irrevocable trust?” The reason might be the caller heard or read that irrevocable trusts can shelter residences for Medicaid purposes or avoid creditors or protect assets […]
Continue readingShopping For a Home In a Virtual Market
A year ago if you were shopping for a new home, chances are you drove around your prospective neighborhood, maybe consulted some listings, and then contacted a Realtor to visit homes in the area. Sometimes a year ago seems like ten. While the rest of the world has changed, the buying and selling of real […]
Continue readingThe Executor As Referee
When your parents named you as Executor of their Wills after both of them passed you probably thought this was an honor and showed the respect they had for your intellect and good judgment – and likely this was the case. However, if you ever served as Executor of an estate where there are more […]
Continue readingWhen You Cannot Gather For the Holidays
This year is like no other when it comes time to celebrate for the Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Hannukah and related holidays. In past years we asked what it would be like to reconnect sometimes with people we had not seen in several months or even several years. We talked about pleasure at seeing new […]
Continue readingTruth in Elections and in Sports
No one could seriously state that 2020 has not been a year of endless surprises. We underwent a grueling election and are experiencing an unthinkable series of COVID-19 cases. In the old expression our world “has turned upside down.” So it could be argued we could use a break from more upheaval and drama. It […]
Continue readingAffordable Care Act Is On the Line – Again
Now that the presidential Election Day is past and President Elect Biden is preparing for the future, including especially efforts to deal with the national resurgence for an exhausted country of COVID-19, Obamacare, otherwise know as the Affordable Care Act is back for consideration before the U.S. Supreme Court. Arguments in the case brought by […]
Continue readingElection Day Arrives – Its Meaning
Election Day has finally arrived not just for the presidential election but U.S. Senate and a multitude of offices at the federal, state and local levels. For the newer COVID-19 era voter, Election Day has come to look more like Election week or Election month or whatever time period marked the beginning of early and/or […]
Continue readingWhat Is Herd Immunity?
The expression “herd immunity” has received a great deal of attention lately since it was mentioned by President Trump in answer to some questions on Covid-19. The idea supposedly is that prior to approval of a vaccine for the virus, herd immunity could be considered as an alternative to handle the crisis. Herd immunity is […]
Continue readingOptions To Consider When Inheriting A House
Sometimes parents want to benefit one of their children by leaving the house to him/her. This can be what sometimes has been referred to as a “mixed blessing.” For one thing the conditions that were in effect at the time of drafting the Will might no longer be applicable. The child might not want the […]
Continue readingVoting By Mail – A Postscript
Last week, recognizing the importance of voting in this election for seniors and, in fact, for voters of every age, I drafted my column with step by step instructions for mail in balloting. It must have hit a nerve since I received responses and this seemed like a good time to address some of them […]
Continue readingVoting By Mail – Step by Step Instructions
At this point Chester County and many other counties throughout Pennsylvania have already mailed their mail-in ballots for those voters who have requested them. You might have requested a mail-in ballot through the internet or maybe during the last voting cycle in the Pennsylvania Primary Election when you checked off the box stating you wanted […]
Continue readingMedicare Open Enrollment Is Coming Soon
It is that time again – the time to remind anyone who wants to review or change their Medicare coverage that Medicare Open Enrollment is almost here. If you are on a Medicare Advantage Plan or if you are on a Medicare Supplement but have prescription drug coverage under Medicare D, Medicare Open Enrollment is […]
Continue readingAn Anxiety Reliever For Estate Documents – You Can Change Your Mind
Some years ago I had a client who announced it is impossible to plan because “things keep changing.” Without missing a step I answered “because things keep changing we have to plan.” The answer was instinctual. That does not always mean everything has to be taken down on paper but many times it should be. […]
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