woman looking through the window pane

You don’t want to be struck down with an illness and have your preferences unknown. Even if you are single, you don’t want to be left with your health care in question should you become suddenly ill, according to Morningstar in “2 Estate-Planning Tools That Singles Should Consider“. How do you prepare for such an […]

question mark

Shortcutting the process can save money now. However, it will be costly later and cause problems for heirs. Trying to work around estate planning with limited knowledge can often create more problems than it solves, according to My San Antonio in the article “Estate planning workaround idea needs work“. The article concerns a rancher who […]

Holding Hands with Elderly Patient

Tom has health care issues and Louise can no longer care for him. Tom and Louise have been married for half a century and live in the same home they bought when first married. They are worried about possible nursing home costs and should be, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in “Married and concerned about […]

extended family

The basics of estate planning can deal with various situations. Since family situations differ greatly, there can be challenges and opportunities as the members deal with estate planning basics, according to the Chicago Tribune in “Dealing with property transfers and gift taxes“. In a situation in the article, the family home was rented to a […]

Leg of a Man Standing with a Shovel in a Yard

The next generation may be willing to continue. However, it is important to prepare for the legal issues. If it turns out that the next generation of a family with a farm wants to work it, you have a good start at succession. However, you will also need an estate plan to tackle that job, […]

senior couple standing together

It can get tricky if you have an age gap or earnings gap. When a couple starts thinking about Social Security, they had best do some research because there are some costly mistakes that can be made, according to Considerable in “How couples can avoid a costly Social Security mistake“. Start by looking at the […]

Attractive Mixed Race Couple Portrait in the Park

Your estate planning attorney will know what you need and when. When you meet with an estate planning attorney, the circumstances vary because you may meet when you are bringing up children or you may meet when you are living in an empty nest, according to the Houston Chronicle in “Learn about legal documents and […]

Elder Couple with Bills

More Americans may have opportunities to invest in retirement plans. There are many difficulties that arise during retirement and both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House are moving to ease those burdens, according to Next Avenue in “Will the SECURE Act Really Bring Retirement Security to Older Americans?“. With record numbers of retirees declaring […]

senior couple talking

Do your loved ones know what your want? There is simply no way to know when a sudden health event or an accident could render a person unable to communicate, according to The Advocate in “If you were on death’s door, what happens next? Advance care directives can make sure your wishes are carried out“. […]

red telephone

A serious tone and strong script are working for scammers. The Federal Trade Commission warned late last year that scamming against the recipients of Social Security topped more than 35,000 complaints and now the  AARP Bulletin reports in “How Social Security Scammers Tried to Swindle a Fraud Expert” that those calls continue to increase. The […]