Roughly half of all Americans don’t have a will, so if you’ve already taken this vital step to protect your assets and successors then congratulations are in order - you’re already ahead of the curve. While a will is a necessary document that every person who owns assets should have, it is still a relatively simple document that may not cover everything you want it to.
Polypharmacy refers to the concept of taking multiple types of medications simultaneously. Many seniors take more medications than they need and risks may occur.
It may be that you think the world of your son or daughter-in-law, but it may still be your wishes that all of your assets are preserved for your children. That is a very reasonable and understandable position to take. To ensure that it goes as planned requires some strategy.
When a loved one is seriously ill and hospitalized, the issue of whether to obtain a DNR order may become an issue. A Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order is a legally binding physician’s order that requires medical staff to take no further actions to restart a patient’s heart or restore breathing if the patient goes into cardiac or respiratory arrest.
Your parent is getting on in age, but you don't have a clear idea if there is a plan in place for their care. It is a difficult topic to broach; no one wants to talk about death and the financial realities that come with aging.
Either before you file for divorce or immediately thereafter, there are several estate planning documents that must be updated. While this may be easy to overlook, failing to update these important documents can end up with your assets going to your ex-spouse.
The trust debate rages with many clients who ponder, “do I really need a trust?” Many think trusts are only for the super wealthy. The answer is usually, “it depends”.
Failing to update your will on a regular basis or creating a will that is poorly drafted can lead to a costly, drawn out will contest by your future heirs. Taking measures to prevent a will contest is extremely wise given that a contest can derail your wishes and be emotionally devastating to your loved ones during a time of grief.
Dorothy Miller, a social worker, first created the term “sandwich generation” in 1981. A Journalist, Carol Abaya, continued to study and add to what the term means. In 2006, Miriam Webster included the term, sandwich generation, in the dictionary for the first time.
