Assigning and updating beneficiary designations for your retirement plans, life insurance policies, and annuities are tasks that notoriously get ignored. While the process itself is usually pretty straightforward — putting someone’s name on a form — the consequences of your choice can be fairly substantial. Don’t wait any longer!
If you use a wheelchair or are a caregiver for a loved one who uses a wheelchair, you already know that transportation can be a challenging issue.
While experts agree that riding in a vehicle’s regular passenger seat is the safest option, if it’s too difficult or unsafe to transfer someone from their wheelchair into the vehicle, it’s time to look at alternative options. But which options are best, and how do you even know what to look for?
Two organizations doing research and publishing information about the best ways to keep wheelchair users safe while in transit are:
By Beth Dance
I have a vivid memory of adjusting my dad’s bow tie before we strolled down the aisle. For many brides, the ceremonious event of having your dad walk you down the aisle is emotional. That wasn’t me. I am very stoic, just like him.
When he walked me down the aisle and into the arms of my husband, he very distinctly and directly said to him “you take care of my baby,” to which I simply smiled. After all, my dad would in theory, still be there to take care of me, no matter what. A dad doesn’t just stop being dad once the formal “I do” is exchanged. Even still, I appreciated the sentiment and knew he’d always be there to guide me through life as needed.
If you could design the perfect retirement community, what would it look like? What kinds of amenities would you offer? How would you use technology to enhance safety and comfort? How would you support residents’ physical and mental wellness?
These are questions that the designers of tomorrow’s senior homes and retirement communities are thinking about right now.
The senior housing landscape is undergoing rapid and in-depth transformation for a variety of reasons, and innovators are taking the opportunity to imagine a whole new kind of housing solution for the older generations.
Elder law attorneys are often asked by clients about the difference between Medicare and Medicaid. While the names of these government-sponsored programs sound very similar, each has a distinct purpose and serves a specific audience.
MEDICARE is a federal health insurance program. No matter what your income is, you can obtain Medicare benefits if you are 65 and over, or have a qualifying disability. The program is not free – you must pay part of the costs through deductibles for hospital stays and you must pay monthly premiums for coverage.
MEDICAID is a federal and state financial assistance program for people over 65, people with disabilities, children, pregnant women and parents of eligible children. To be eligible for Medicaid benefits, individuals from these groups must also have low income. Because it is run jointly by the state and the federal government, rules and eligibility requirements vary state by state.
You’ve been blessed to find a love for a second time. Congratulations! A new (re)marriage can bring the joy of finding a loving partner twice in a lifetime and the promise of happy times to come.
So, it’s no wonder that amongst newly remarried couples sticky topics such as finances and blending of family dynamics can easily get pushed to the side. After all, who wants to be distracted from the bliss of their new marriage to talk about who inherits what and how much?
But, addressing estate planning decisions is not something that should be put off – especially if you have just gotten remarried. When it comes to finances and inheritance, the best policy always combines honesty, clarity, and a proactive approach.
When my children were little, a neighbor told me: “just remember, everything is a phase.”
The point they were making was that if there was something annoying or frustrating my kids were doing, that I only needed to wait a while and it would likely stop on its own.
By Brendan Daly
I last saw my father on February 25th at his condo in Rhode Island. We had a wonderful day together—he showed off his new Subaru in a slightly harrowing ride, where he coasted through stop signs (aka the “Rhode Island slide”)—and I took my leave of him as he stood at the door waving while I drove away. When Dad didn’t make the 7:30 Monday morning Mass, his friends knew something was wrong, and I soon received a call at work that he had passed away at home.
I couldn’t process this news because I had just seen him. He looked healthy and was in good spirits. I inspected his bike to ensure it was safe for his planned rides with the “Old Spokes Club.” And he had just bought a new car. My father was the most frugal person I’ve ever known, and he would never have purchased a new car if he thought he might soon depart this world. He even left a plate of cooked spaghetti on the kitchen counter that he planned to eat for dinner–after attending to his last chore of taking out the trash. So none of us, including Dad, expected his sudden passing.
Becoming a grandparent is one of life’s most amazing experiences, and one many people look forward to with great anticipation.
Unlike parenting your own child, which tends to come with a healthy serving of self doubt, a mountain of responsibility, and the grind of the daily routine, grandparenting is usually a time of indulgence (for both the grandchild and the grandparent), harmless rule breaking, and general fun.
But what happens when your journey into grandparenthood includes an unexpected element in the form of an autism diagnosis?
We are pleased to welcome Attorney Jeanne Bundrick Di Minno of Danbury to our Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri team! Jeanne joins the firm with more than 20 years of experience helping people throughout Western Connecticut with their legal needs.
Jeanne will be working alongside Attorney Lynda Lee Arnold out of our New Milford office location to serve your needs in the areas of estate planning, elder law, and estate administration.
A graduate of both Western Connecticut State University (BA) and Pace University School of Law (JD), Jeanne has an extensive legal background that includes real estate, family law, alternative dispute resolution, and working in the criminal justice system.
Connecticut Estate Planning Attorneys Blog