Whether through illness, injury, or other means, anyone can require a guardian to become appointed if they become mentally incapacitated. In such cases, if there is no estate planning in place (or insufficient planning) to keep family or other loved one’s out of court, a guardianship, or conservatorship as it is sometimes called, must be established via a court process in the county probate court. Obtaining Read More
Advice for the “Sandwich Generation”
July is Sandwich Generation month. Now that I've got you thinking about turkey BLTs or meatball subs, I have to break it to you (though I bet you can already guess,) this article isn't about food. So what is the Sandwich Generation? The average age of parents raising children in the US continues to rise, leaving many middle-aged Americans in a category commonly referred to as the the “sandwich” generation: often Read More
Navigating the Sandwich Generation with Ease
July is Sandwich Generation month. If you've never heard of it: the average age of parents raising children in the US continues to rise, leaving many middle-aged Americans in a category commonly referred to as the the “sandwich” generation: often still raising kids at home when they become responsible for the care of their own aging parents. The stress and financial strain of managing the affairs of both children Read More
Even Celebrities Act as Caregivers for Aging Parents
We may not think about it often, but even celebrities act as caregivers for their aging parents. Actress, singer, and songwriter Queen Latifah plays an active role in caring for her mother, Rita Owens, who was diagnosed with heart failure more than 10 years ago. A Familar Children as Caregivers Story Owens learned of her condition when she passed out at work one day. She moved from New Jersey to California to Read More
You Don’t Have to Spend Everything: 3 Costly Medicaid Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
By Guest Blogger, Tracey A. L. Ingle, Esq. of Ingle Law, P.C. It’s a sad story I hear all the time, “We finally spent all Mom’s money. I guess it’s time to apply for Medicaid now.” Ugh. It hurts. It legitimately hurts when I hear clients tell me their story of how they heard from someone that’s what they had to do. The truth is, long-term care is expensive. Very expensive. It’s not unusual to find nursing homes in Read More
Medicare Facts For You, Your Parents
People who are nearing the age of 65 should be making plans for the transition from private health care to Medicare. It is not a simple process or one that happens automatically. You have to initiate the enrollment process at a specific time or suffer a monetary penalty. It is important to understand that applying for Social Security benefits and enrolling in Medicare are two totally different things. Don't confuse Read More
What Do You Know About Long Term Care and Medicaid Planning?
When was the last time you actually looked at your estate plan? Have you ever seen your parents' estate plan? Many people don't like to even think about their parents aging and the eventual need for long-term care, much less their own. Changes in Medicaid eligibility requirements have taken place in the last four years or so that make this "ostrich approach" to one of life's unpleasant facts a very expensive Read More
