As we grow older, our healthcare and financial needs change. Check out this video to find out why you need to plan for those changing needs and how we can help. [Read More]
Long-Term Care Planning with Joe Friday and Columbo
One thing you could always count on from Joe Friday was direct questions meant to collect the information he needed to solve his case. Columbo was famous for collecting every detail needed to close his cases. And, like Joe Friday, Columbo followed the facts to their logical conclusion. An elder law expert will follow much the same approach, collecting detail upon detail through one or more interviews with you and your family then using those details to analyze and apply the multitude of tools available. [Read More]
The Planning Effect
Sitting bedside with her husband after his stroke, Jane is talking with the discharge planner for the local hospital. After discussing the level of care John will need, Jane and the planner have decided that the nursing home connected with the hospital is the only viable option for John’s needs. Now Jane needs to visit the nursing home and figure out how she will pay for John’s care. [Read More]
A Young Parent’s Guide to Estate Planning
For many parents, estate planning is primarily about their relationship with their children. But it’s hard to know where to even start thinking through the many decisions you need to make to set up an effective plan. Never fear; we’re here to help! If you’re a young parent (or even if you’re not), read on to find a few thought-provoking … Read More
The Biggest Mistake You Shouldn’t Make Before Turning 65
We are about to experience – some say we’re already experiencing – the biggest workforce shift from full time work to retirement in United States history. If you’re a Baby Boomer, you are a part of this generational transition. If you can see retirement on the horizon, then I have a warning for you: there’s a train following close behind retirement that you absolutely must plan for: nursing home care. [Read More]
3 Myths About Medicaid for Nursing Home Care
Nursing homes are incentivized by the state to perpetuate the hoax because the daily nursing home rate paid by the state is lower than the private pay rate. Lawyers who don’t know anything about the Medicaid regulations are telling people they have no options for planning for Medicaid eligibility. How do you overcome misinformation or a lack of information? You get educated. Here are three myths, rooted in the Medicaid Planning Hoax, that are all wet. [Read More]
Ask the Elder Law Lawyer: How Much Do I Need to Save for Retirement?
If you’re like 70% of people in the US who have a retirement plan, you still haven’t worked with a professional such as an elder law attorney in Northwest Iowa in order to determine how much money you really need to save. A recent study found that only about 30% of this group has actually sat down with a professional to come up with a realistic number. [Read More]
101 Death Hacks: A Cheat Sheet for Arranging Your Affairs Before You Die [Part Four]
When you build a house, you want to do so efficiently. Pine 2x4s are cheaper than 1½” oak floor boards, so that’s what you use to frame the house. When you’re making your estate plan, you don’t want the family farm to wind up being sold to pay a tax bill, the costs of probate, or the medical expenses of your beneficiaries. Fortunately, with a little forethought and some organization, you can avoid those kinds of problems and make a plan to pay or even avoid those costs without jeopardizing your wishes. [Read More]
101 Death Hacks: A Cheat Sheet for Arranging Your Affairs Before You Die – 21-40 [Part Two]
Thinking about your ultimate demise is probably on the bottom of your list of things you want to spend time on. Our death hacks today focus on how to make estate planning an enjoyable process, putting the right people in charge of your plan after you’re gone, and leaving the message you want to leave through well-thought out memorial planning. [Read More]
