Gray divorces, that is divorce between retirement age spouses with long-lasting marriages requires careful consideration and planning by both spouses. Generally, older couples aren’t worried about custody of the kid or kids but instead they need to worry about things like pensions. Roughly 1 in 4 divorces in 2010 occurred to people 50 and older…
You probably know who you are going to leave Grandma’s pie plate to. You might even have plans for the grandchildren to have the summer cabin. But none of that matters if you haven’t take some proper steps to inform others of your intentions. The number one reason that most people die without having proper…
This is a recent question from Elder Law Answers. My aunt lives with me and contributes to paying for bills, maintenance etc. She gave me $35,000 to help me buy the house initially. How do I protect her from losing benefits if she needs help with services and care down the road? Annie As long…
According to the Social Security Administration, nearly 400,000 retired Americans lived abroad in 2013. While that’s not a significant portion of the population, it is a growing trend. As Americans move outside the United States to parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, Central America or elsewhere in order to stretch their retirement benefits, they need to…
Although poverty rates dropped from 35 percent in 1959 to 8.7 percent in 2011, a disproportionate number of those in poverty are women. Elderly women 65 years old and older outnumber elderly men in the same age bracket three to two, making poverty and aging a women’s issue. Normal transitions such as moving from married…
If you are elderly and disabled, stay out of the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU). It’s expensive for one thing and your health is likely to decline sharply after an ICU stay. That’s not to say don’t go in at all but be aware, the less disabled you are, the better you’ll survive the stay,…
A 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the Medical cost of obesity might be as high as $147 billion annually in the United States. Why does this matter? People who are obese spent 42 percent more for medical care in 2006 compared to people at normal weight. They are…
Have you noticed that those of us not in the know can use words that look, taste and sound like something a professional says and discover we’re all talking about two different things. Take the term admit. You go to the theater and they give you a ticket which ironically enough says “admit one” and…
Protecting your assets allows you to be far more independent, whether that independence involves having a choice about where you live or what kind of care you’ll receive, it’s a level of independence that can’t be found if you have to count on others to provide it. Medicaid, for instance, will provide shelter and long-term…
Robin Williams’ full estate was left to a trust for his three children and as part of his trust, he set up another trust to support his wife in the event of his death. So, why are they all in court? Because families fight. And sometimes they fight over the ridiculous. And maybe it’s not…
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