test

Share on Facebook

test

Share on Facebook

The number one reason that people die without protecting their assets or their heirs is not that they lack the money to create an estate plan, and it’s not that they don’t know that they need one, or how to create one—It’s procrastination. Most people who die without an estate plan in place do so because they dawdled.

For most of us it’s all too easy to put off thoughts of sickness or death, and all planning for the unlikely—but inevitable—event get pushed to the wayside. Writer M. P. Dunleavey reminds us in the article Last Things Can’t Wait Till Last that procrastination is not a planning tool and that in actuality, once you buckle down and start, protecting your heirs is not such a difficult process after all; especially if you have the right person helping you.

At our office we agree with Dunleavey’s article to the extent that we want to ensure that you have everything you need to best protect your assets and your heirs without making it unnecessarily complicated. Life insurance, guardianship, Medicaid, wills and trusts: taken piece by piece they can overwhelm even the staunchest of individuals; but our office can help you sort through each of these issues together, and be confident in your future security and the security of your heirs.

In a world with complicated tax laws, and in which we often have very complicated lives, it’s nice to know that your estate planner is working to make your life simpler.

Share on Facebook

Nothing, it seems, has the potential to cause a fight over inheritance quite like a second marriage. The Wall Street Journal’s SmartMoney magazine, in an article entitled Before Your Parents Say ‘I Do’ Again says that poor estate planning (or even worse, no estate planning) can cause terrible damage to family relationships:

“As Americans live longer, they’re more likely to move into second marriages, and legal experts and financial planners say the resulting friction with the kids is steadily mounting. In more cases grown children are going to court against their parents even while they’re still alive, only to run up against a legal framework that leaves them with surprisingly few rights compared with their parents’ new spouses.”

How can you avoid family friction — not to mention legal battles — if you choose to remarry? According to the article, there are a number of ways: open communication, careful estate planning, the use of prenuptial agreements, or even skipping the marriage ceremony altogether.

Not all methods are right for all families, but everybody can agree that it pays to think ahead, which is why the advice of a qualified estate planning attorney before the wedding ceremony is crucial. After all, according to one attorney quoted in the article, “People get over the loss of a loved one sooner than the loss of an inheritance”.

Share on Facebook

All the news lately seems to be about swine flu. Every day brings at least 3 new stories about it, and it’s all people on the street can talk about. But how worried should we really be? We know that many of our readers are caregivers for the elderly, and are concerned about swine flu for more than just themselves, so we did a little research on the subject and are pleased to report that so far, in spite of its communicability, swine flu is nothing to panic about.

According webmd.com the worst thing about swine flu is how it is currently being blown out of perspective. The website brings things back to earth by giving 7 Facts to Consider if You’re Fearful About Swine Flu. According to this article, swine flu is still much less dangerous than regular influenza, which even in the U.S. kills about 36,000 people in an average season. “Swine flu hasn’t come anywhere close to that.” This article also reminds us that most people who have been diagnosed with swine flu have recovered without being hospitalized. If you still have concerns after reading this article, webmd.com has an entire page of their website devoted to providing information and answering your questions about swine flu.

If you are a caregiver your concerns about swine flu are greater than just yourself. How can you keep your patients safe? The New Old Age blog has posted a list of 7 Things Caregivers Should Know About Swine Flu, with is filled with good suggestions, including the logical ones such as avoiding large group situations, and phoning the doctor instead of going into the office (or worse, the emergency room) if you suspect you have symptoms. But the most important and comforting information from this post is that “So far, the virus does not seem to have disproportionately affected the elderly” and “The measures normally used to avoid the flu should be effective.” These measures include washing your hands often, and keeping frequently touched household surfaces such as handles, doorknobs, faucets, and telephones clean and sanitized.

We hope all of our readers stay safe and healthy this flu season.

Share on Facebook