This summer, the US House of Representatives passed a bill to amend the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (H.R. 2922). With this legislation, the establishment of a permanent Elder Justice Initiative in the Department of Justice is demanded. What would this...
If you have a safe deposit box, do you know who can access it after your death? This question becomes even more crucial if you are currently or plan to store estate planning documents in a safe deposit box. Your agents will need to access those documents, and if they...
Once your estate planning documents are finished and signed, you need to store them securely but also be able to access them when needed. For most people, storing these documents in a safe deposit box is not necessary and may actually cause issues if you should pass...
After a year or more of job losses or underemployment due to the pandemic and lockdowns, older adults may be looking at retirement very differently. The current full retirement age set by the Social Security Administration is 66 years and 2 months for adults born...
Prior to the pandemic, it was a widely known fact that family caregivers tend to experience high levels of emotional and physical burn out, depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, and decreased physical activity. The toll is so common, there’s even a term for it:...
For many of us, the pandemic and resultant lockdowns forced us to examine (or reexamine) our estate planning. What does this look like for you? What changes might you expect? Let’s take a look. Medical Decisions First, many of us have been forced to confront difficult...
Seniors who suffer from hunger are often overlooked, sometimes even by family. If the older adult is living alone and struggling due to mobility or transportation, it may be easy for them to hide the problem, or for family and caregivers, who are not living with the...
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a rise in estate planning, and yet too many Americans still aren’t planning ahead. In the spring of 2020, news reports were rife with stories of advisors experiencing a surge in demand for wills and estate planning. Power of attorney...
What are the tax consequences of selling the family home? When should you sell your parents’ or grandparents’ home? This is an enormous decision and may come with added stress, anxiety, and grief, especially if you or your parents have an emotional connection to the...
Tax changes are expected under the new administration. We don’t know how quickly President Biden will move to enact his tax proposals, or whether the Democrats’ thin margin in Congress will be a moderating force. Many analysts believe that economic recovery will be...
