For most of us, debt is a way of life. We finance our cars and homes, we use our credit cards to pay for holiday gifts and vacations. We borrow money to send our kids to college. Even if we use credit wisely, we still may end up with a pile of debt at the end of our lives.
So, who is responsible for paying it when you die?
That depends on the situation.
Getting older has its perks, and one of the best parts is the abundance of freebies, discounts, and special benefits available only to people of a certain age.
Whether you’re celebrating your 50th milestone or embracing life beyond 65, there are a lot of deals to be had. From complimentary services to discounted products, there’s something for everyone.
Here are just a few examples of places where older people get much-deserved special treatment.
No one looks forward to conversations about death and finances.
At best, such topics are uncomfortable.
And you introduce a whole other layer of complexity when the conversation in question is with your adult children and other family members who will be personally affected by your estate planning decisions.
Good news! You can take a hearing test over the phone.
That’s right, the National Institute of Health has provided a grant to support this easy test that you can take in the privacy of your home.
No one wants to admit they’re losing their hearing, but according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) hearing loss is a reality for more than a third of people age 65 to 74, and more than half of those over the age of 75.
These numbers make it one of the most prevalent health issues for older Americans. Only arthritis and heart disease affect more seniors. Continue reading
According to a 2019 estimate by the University of Minnesota approximately 7.39 million people in the United States are living with an intellectual or developmental disability known as IDD.
Typically present at birth or starting in childhood, IDDs adversely impact a person in one or more of the following ways:
Caring for an aging loved one can be a very challenging responsibility, even under the best of circumstances. But, when the caring must be done long distance, you add a whole other layer of complexity and difficulty.
Even an hour’s distance can increase hardship exponentially in the context of our always too-busy lives.
According to recent studies, long-distance caregivers represent more than 1 in 10 of the country’s estimated 53 million family caregivers. (Long-distance caregivers are those who live an hour or more from their care recipient.) And, as expected, long-distance caregivers tend to have a heavier financial and emotional burden than caregivers who are caring for loved ones who either live with them or live locally.
Contesting a Will or other transfers on the grounds that the person signing the Will lacked the capacity to do so, is both difficult and emotional. But it’s something that comes up quite frequently in our practice.
In Connecticut, there are two different standards to determine capacity:
Classic television is home to its share of unique roommate situations. There’s Felix and Oscar (the original odd couple); Mork & Mindy (a human and an alien); Jack, Janet, and Chrissy from Three’s Company; and the venerated “Golden Girls” (who were clearly ahead of their time).
Across the country, retirees are opening their homes to young people, offering relatively inexpensive housing in exchange for light housework, help with errands, and even just company.
Most people are aware that there are steps you should consider to protect your assets from being liquidated to pay for long-term care. And to protect your heirs from the burden of heavy estate taxes upon your passing.
However, are you aware of the related risks associated with the capital gains tax?
The practice of elder law is a little different than most other legal niches. As opposed to being defined by the type of legal issues they handle, elder law attorneys are more often defined by the individuals they help – primarily older persons.
Elder law attorneys work with this population and their families or representatives to advocate and address legal issues related to elder care such as health and long-term care planning, caregiving, navigating government benefits, financial elder exploitation, estate planning, legal capacity counsel, retirement planning, aging in place, and the like.
An elder law attorney offers knowledge, understanding, and guidance when it comes to the ins and outs of long-term care planning. In an ever more costly and changing care environment, they can help evaluate options and develop strategies for paying for long-term care costs and examine and advise on interrelated issues and concerns.
Connecticut Estate Planning Attorneys Blog