It is an understatement to say that receiving a diagnosis for cancer, heart disease or a chronic condition is frightening. Such a diagnosis could change your entire life – as well as your family’s. As in the case of COVID-19, an illness or condition could also...
Estate Planning
To make your wishes known, you must ask hard questions
Planning for the future – especially one’s future care – is important, but it can be a difficult task. You may know how important it is to establish an advance health care directive to ensure you have a say in your medical care, but this will require the courage to...
Who can access your health care information?
There are some things in life that you simply want to keep private. Your health and medical information are likely some of those things. Thankfully, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 ensures that you have the right to keep your...
Pre-planning a funeral can help avoid family disputes
At any point in your life, death is often the last thing you want to think about. Whether it is regarding a loved one’s plan or your own, it is a difficult and emotional subject to discuss. The anxiety that this subject causes is often one of the main reasons...
Does your college student need to consider estate planning?
It can be exciting when your child begins their college career. It is a new chapter in both your lives and a chance for your child to strike out on their own. However, are college students truly prepared? What happens if students fall sick, or face a serious accident?...
How could dementia affect estate planning?
Dementia is a heartbreaking disease for individuals and their families to grapple with. It can make the future suddenly seem uncertain. The future might seem even more overwhelming if your parent does not have an estate plan set up. In the United States, roughly five...
What should you do if a loved one is mentally incapacitated?
As loved ones age, families can run into many tough decisions about how to care for them. These decisions become even harder if loved ones start losing mental capacity. So, what can families do if they believe their loved one is mentally incapacitated? First, how can...
When is it time to consider getting a professional caregiver?
When parents start aging, many adult children take on the duty of caring for them. Many might see it as their responsibility since their parents took care of them as they grew up. However, becoming a caregiver can be both a physically and emotionally stressful...
Tips for talking estate planning with your parents
There are two topics that many individuals do their best to avoid talking about: money and the end of their life. This was clearly shown in a 2016 study conducted by Fidelity Investments. The study found that many families disagree about when it is necessary to...
Two things every conservator must know
Watching as loved ones struggle with their health can be a challenge. However, it can be dangerous when loved ones can no longer fulfill their basic needs. In these cases, it might be necessary for families to consider establishing a conservatorship to ensure their...