A living will lays out your preferences for life-sustaining medical treatment. It is often accompanied by a health-care proxy or power of attorney, which allows someone to make treatment decisions for you if you are incapacitated and the living will does not have specific instructions for the situation at hand. “Living will” and “advance directive” […]
It is essential to bring up a parent’s aging expectations and set goals together even though initial discussions may be uncomfortable. Often, an exploration into a parent’s future thoughts about health, finances, and residential plans can make the difference between reacting to a crisis or following an established plan that can bring both the parent
General Topics to Consider When Caregiving for an Aging Parent Read More »
This is a common question we hear. Read on for information to help figure out whether you need a trust and, if so, what kind fits your specific situation. For example, maybe you have a disabled child and you want a trust to permit that child to inherit without losing government benefits. Maybe your
You have been appointed to help your seven-year-old nephew Roberto manage his Social Security benefits. In the Social Security system, you’ll be called Roberto’s “representative payee.” The situation is similar if you’re appointed to help your elderly father, who has dementia, manage his Veteran’s benefit checks. In the Veterans Administration system, you’ll be called
Managing Someone Else’s Social Security or Veteran’s Benefits Read More »
Powerful “power of attorney” (POA) documents are essential, if there ever comes a time when you or your elder become unable to manage your finances or make health-care decisions. Beware if you rely only on POAs that hospitals provide, or that you have pulled off the Internet, or that you have got from other