For many people, the chance to use your wealth to support a worthy cause or charity is one of the great joys of developing an estate plan. While you can choose to give gifts now or donate them through your estate, you may want to consider establishing a charitable trust. Charitable trusts give you a wide range of options when choosing how to leave your gift, and they are not only for the wealthy. If you haven't thought about a charitable trust before, here are several issues you may want to … [Read more...] about A Charitable Trust – Not Just For The Wealthy
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Practical Steps Checklist for your Financial Power of Attorney
Step 1: Review it. Before ever trying to use your power of attorney you should always have an experienced and qualified estate planning lawyer review it. This is especially important if such a lawyer lawyer didn't make it for you. No third party will honor a financial power of attorney if it doesn't comply with state laws because they risk being held responsible if they do. Many boilerplate powers of attorney found in stores, on CDs or on the Internet are incomplete and defective and may not … [Read more...] about Practical Steps Checklist for your Financial Power of Attorney
California Advance Health Care Directive – 5 Important Elements
Element 1: Health care power of attorney. A California Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD), which is the California version of a document also known as a health care power of attorney, will let you choose someone who can be responsible for making medical decisions on your behalf should you ever become unconscious or otherwise incapacitated. While you can choose whomever you wish, that person should always be a capable adult who can be easily reached by your health care providers in case of an … [Read more...] about California Advance Health Care Directive – 5 Important Elements
How Parents Can Choose a Guardian
Whenever parents contemplate their child's future, it's natural to think about how the child would fare if you should die. This is never a pleasant thought, but there is some way to help alleviate the worry. By creating an estate plan in which you choose a guardian to take over caring for your child if you should die, you can rest assured that your child will be cared for by someone of whom you approve. There are two types of guardianships that need consideration. Guardians of the estate are … [Read more...] about How Parents Can Choose a Guardian
4 Reasons You May Want to Consider Funeral Arrangement Planning
If you’re beginning to plan for the future with an estate plan, you may also want to consider funeral arrangement planning. Funeral arrangement planning best ensures that your wishes will be respected, and can help to keep your loved ones from having to make difficult decisions in a time of grieving. Take a look at the following information, to better understand this planning tool. If you have any questions, or if you’d like to discuss your own funeral arrangement plans, contact an estate … [Read more...] about 4 Reasons You May Want to Consider Funeral Arrangement Planning
Boomers Continue to Divorce Into Retirement Age
While the likelihood that a marriage would end in divorce has decreased slightly over the last several years, the number of Americans age 50 and older who are getting divorced is now at its highest level ever. A new study from researchers at the National Center for Family and Marriage Research shows that senior divorces have increased by 50% over the last several decades In 1970, about 13% of people between the ages of 46 and 64 were divorced. By 2010, that number had reached almost 33%. More … [Read more...] about Boomers Continue to Divorce Into Retirement Age
Medi-Cal Expansion May Prevent Deaths
Researchers at the Harvard University School of Public Health have recently released the results of a study which show that states that have expanded their Medicaid coverage provisions have a lower death rate than neighbor states which did not. The study used information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to compare death rates in New York, Maine, and Arizona, as well as their neighboring states, in 2001 and 2002. During those years the three states expanded their Medicaid … [Read more...] about Medi-Cal Expansion May Prevent Deaths
Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Pension Benefits – 3 Facts
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, about 2 million or more veterans qualify for the Veterans Aid and Assistance pension benefit program, yet few of them take advantage of it. The program was created to provide monthly payments to elderly or disabled veterans who require full or part-time care provided by an in-home caregiver or a nursing home facility. The program also allows veteran surviving spouses to receive payments, and the veteran need not have become disabled or infirm as a … [Read more...] about Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Pension Benefits – 3 Facts
Funeral Trusts Can Be a Useful and Flexible Planning Tool
Are you looking for a way to ensure that your wishes will be honored with regard to your funeral, making sure your family is not burdened with paying for your funeral, and sheltering money for Medi-Cal planning purposes? Consider creating a funeral trust which can accomplish all three goals, if drafted properly. A funeral trust is a specialized trust that is aimed at paying your final expenses. As with any trust, you must name a beneficiary. In this case, the funeral home that handles your … [Read more...] about Funeral Trusts Can Be a Useful and Flexible Planning Tool
VA Aid and Attendance: The Basics – Part 3 of 3
APPLYING FOR VA BENEFITS Gathering and preparing the right documents is critical. Once you gather the right documentation, the next step is to complete and submit the appropriate application form. The process generally takes at least several months, so make sure you do your best to avoid any additional delays along the way. Keep in mind, while applying and qualifying does take time, benefit payments are retroactive to the date the VA received the application. During this time, the applicant … [Read more...] about VA Aid and Attendance: The Basics – Part 3 of 3
