Our need for sleep changes throughout our lifetimes, but maybe not as much as we once thought. Contrary to popular belief, adults 65 and older do not require less sleep than they did at 35 or 50. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep a night for adults…
If a loved one has named you as their POA (Power of Attorney), you now have written permission to help manage that loved one’s financial decisions during his or her lifetime. It’s a powerful document. It puts complete trust and authority in you to handle the financial matters of the…
The Older Americans Act (OAA) originally passed in 1965, the same year Medicare and Medicaid were added to the Social Security Act. It was a banner year for older Americans, establishing funding for needed medical care and social services. The OAA has evolved over its 50-year history, and each successive…
Can you hear me now? It’s an unkind stereotype—the aging person who is constantly saying, “Eh?” because they can’t hear what someone else is saying. While it might make for a funny bit on a TV show or in a movie, in real life, hearing loss is no joking matter.…
(Note: this post has been updated due to potential IRS changes) Do you know about the new changes that could affect your retirement accounts? Some are positive, others may require you to make some new planning decisions. Either way, the goal of this new legislation is to improve retirement security…
Many a well-intentioned family member has taken on the responsibility of caring for an aging parent only to realize that they’ve committed to more than they can handle on their own. And many more people will need to step into a caregiver role in the coming years. The U.S. Census…
If you haven’t heard of the Medicare Savings Program, today may be your lucky day. You could save thousands of dollars a year on medical costs courtesy of the State of Connecticut and Medicaid. The Medicare Savings Program covers out-of-pocket expenses for premiums, deductibles co-pays and subsidizes your prescriptions drug…
When you die, someone is going to benefit from the use of your car. Wouldn’t it be nice to decide now exactly who that person should be? You can do that today – it’s easy! When registering a vehicle, you can designate a transfer-on-death (TOD) beneficiary, not unlike what you…
Your spouse just passed away, and everything your spouse owned had a joint or beneficiary designation. All of your spouse’s assets go to you without having to go through probate first. End of story, right? Not exactly. Did you know that you still have to file paperwork with the probate…
If you’re confused, or unfamiliar with trusts as part of an estate plan, you’re not alone! Some people need to have a trust, others do not. Then there’s the probate process. Does having a trust impact the probate process? Should you have a trust to avoid the probate process? To…