Do I Need a New Will?
An old Will is only outdated if circumstances have changed. If they have, you may not need a new Will. You may only need a Codicil. If you are wondering if you need a new will, these 15 questions will help you determine if your documents reflect your current reality.
Medicaid Estate Recovery Program: the New Death Tax
Texas has no estate tax. Texas has no inheritance tax. The federal estate tax exemption for a married couple has risen to $23.4 million. But many of us will pay a death tax called the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program.
Maybe You Don’t Need a Will
Writing a Will is a nice gesture. But, really, apart from a few mementos, what will you leave behind? Maybe you don’t need a will. Read more for reasons why you would not need a will in the state of Texas.
Talking About Death and Dying
Who wants to talk about death and dying? No one seems to want to talk about the process of dying with family members, let alone doctors. But we must in order to get what we want.
Keep a Journal of Intent When Planning for a Special Needs Child
When planning for the future of a special needs child, many parents write a letter of intent for a future trustee or care manager. Yet, we’ve kept journals for years. Keep a journal of intent instead.
Fake Diagnoses Hide High Rates of Drugging at Nursing Homes
Antipsychotic drugs are dangerous for older people with dementia, nearly doubling their chance of death from heart problems, infections, falls and other ailments. But understaffed nursing homes have often used the sedatives so they don’t have to hire more staff to handle residents. Using fake diagnoses, nursing homes hide the rates of drugging at their facilities.
How To Help a Parent Who Doesn’t Want Help
One of the most frustrating parts of attempting to be a care giver, or even an advisor, to an elderly parent is finding that our help is not wanted even when it is clearly needed. Anyone who has raised a teenager is familiar with this dynamic. Most teenagers eventually muddle through. The older adults in our lives may not, with disturbing consequences. How do you help the parent who doesn’t want your help?
How to Gather and Organize Important Documents
Which documents should you keep? Where should you keep them? And for how long? Who should have access to what? When? Just the thought of gathering documents, let alone organizing them, can be overwhelming – like having to prepare an income tax return. This article provides tips on how to gather and organize important documents.
VA and Medicaid Planning: Why Use an Elder Lawyer
These days there are a lot of folks out there who say they can help you get VA or Medicaid benefits, or both, – for a fee. Sometimes those folks can help you. But if things go wrong, they have no malpractice insurance on which you can collect and no state bar you can complain to. Reasons to use an elder lawyer for VA and Medicaid planning.
How To Be a Caregiver
Even if you’re not a caregiver now, odds are that you will find yourself in the role someday. Experts on caregiving and aging, as well as dozens of people who have been caregivers themselves, share their best advice to help the next generation of caregivers.
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