Aging & Family Decisions

We all lose our glasses or keys on occasion. That is the sign of a busy life. What you should watch for, however, are the signs that may indicate the early stages of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. If you detect such signs, do not panic, but rather consult your medical doctor and then start a discussion with your lawyer right away to formulate an estate plan. An estate plan encompasses not only how to handle your assets after you pass away, but also important decisions

Quite often I'm asked about Healthcare Directives, which are sometimes called Living Wills, or a DNR form ("Do Not Resuscitate"). The Healthcare Directive was developed after a prolonged legal battle, which resolved around 2005, between the husband of Terri Schiavo and her family. Terri Schiavo was found on the floor, unconscious and not breathing, without oxygen flowing to her brain for several minutes, after she suffered cardiac arrest. She spent years in a hospital with he

Most people regard estate plans as something needed for distributing your assets after you die. In reality, however, a good estate plan maps out how you want to live in retirement, long before your death. Every person has a vision of their days enjoying retirement, perhaps traveling or on a beach with a book; however, careful planning is necessary to make this a reality. Especially for women, as shown by the following statistics according to the U.S. Census Bureau estimat