Tolstoy said that “happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” but sometimes even the most stable and happy of families can turn angry and litigious when death and property are involved. It never ceases to be surprising how many seemingly strong family relationships devolve into backbiting and grudge-holding when… Read More »
Blog Posts Page 51
A Daytime Solution for Working Caregivers
According to a study done by the AARP over 34 million people provide care to ill or disabled adults aged 50 or over, and with the aging baby boomer population (and their aging parents) that number is only likely to grow. This presents a growing problem, because providing care to aging parents or grandparents is… Read More »
Dad Died and I’m His Executor… Now What?
Dealing with the death of a family member—especially when that family member is a parent—can be fraught with confusion and emotion even under the best of circumstances. Being named as the executor of a family member’s estate (although often considered an honor) means that you have to have a clearer head and more patience than everyone else… Read More »
A Living Will Is Good For You, Good For The Country
President Obama’s pet project of health care reform seems to have a lot of people worried. His talk of living wills encouraging people to specify their end-of-life wishes in particular are the topics bandied about most often in tense (or downright frightened) conversations. Some people seem to think that the very act of specifying your… Read More »
Medi-Cal Budget Cuts Won’t Affect Nursing Home Residents
We have received many inquiries from clients and colleagues asking whether the California Budget, just signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on July 28, 2009, will adversely affect nursing home residents who rely upon Medi-Cal to help pay for care. The good news: No. Neither will it directly affect subsidies for ancillary services, such as dental and… Read More »
“Second Childishness and Mere Oblivion”
Shakespeare wrote about the seven ages of man, in which he describes the human journey from helpless child to adult and back to helpless child again: “…Infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, pantaloon, and second childhood, ‘sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything’”. Anyone who has had to watch as their parents age knows how… Read More »
Talking Taxes Now Brings Big Savings Next April
Everyone knows that March and April are tax season, when everybody scrambles to get their taxes done, mailed off, and out of mind for the rest of the year; but according to this article from Reuters the taxes you pay in April can be significantly lower if you take the time to think about them… Read More »
Medicaid Fact and Fallacy: Shouldn’t You Know the Truth?
Health Care is one of the Obama Administration’s pet projects, and ever since President Obama took office there has been a lot of media attention and speculation about the national health care system and what changes (for good or ill) may be in store. Of course, the backbone of our national health care program is… Read More »
Avoid Caregiver Burnout
Many of our clients provide care for elderly loved ones; some even providing constant, around the clock care. Care giving is a demanding, overwhelming, and often grossly under-appreciated job. In addition to giving up their own time and interests, caregivers have to watch someone they love slowly regress and lose the ability to do even… Read More »
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Wills and Trusts
It is human nature to want to be as informed as possible before making big decisions, and although we all know how important it is, the decision to create an estate plan is a BIG one. Most people like to do a little research and asking around before putting themselves at the mercy of an… Read More »