Source: dalje.com Q. My aunt Bettina (Betty) has over 6,000 Barbie dolls, worth more than $150,000, that she mentioned she may leave to me when she does her estate planning. Although they are valuable, I am secretly hoping she doesn’t, because she wants them displayed in their own room, and asks that they never be sold. The challenge for […]
Are they Senior Moments or is it Dementia?
Can you remember the great meal you had last weekend, but can’t remember the name of the restaurant? Have you ever frantically called your cell phone in an effort to find it, only to realize it was in your pocket the whole time, or looked for your glasses when they were sitting atop your head? […]
Secrets of Centenarians
Q. The other day, I was reading about Susannah Mushatt Jones, who turned 116 last month in New York. She was born in 1899 and retired in 1965. She never smoked or drank, and says lots of sleep is the secret to her longevity. I am in my 80’s and still have lots of energy […]
New IRA Rules Close the Loopholes
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I heard that there are some new rules that were proposed by President Obama that IRA owners should know before planning their estate or transferring money between IRAs. Do you know about them and, if so, can you explain? Thanks for your help! Ira Nurooles —- Dear Ira, Under President Obama’s […]
When is it Time to Hang Up the Keys?
With years of experience behind the wheel, senior drivers are among the safest on the road. However, skills and abilities required for safe driving — such as vision, memory, physical strength, reaction time, and flexibility — may decline with advanced age, which could make continuing to drive risky. Understandably, driving is not a privilege that […]
I Am Single With No Children. Why Should I Bother Planning?
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I am a free-spirited single person who has never been married or had any children. I don’t even have brothers or sisters. Yesterday, my neighbor told me about her estate planning during our morning walk. She suggested I call Evan’s office and make an appointment. I disagree. Dying is the last […]
A Different Type of Funeral
Q.I am the kind of person who likes to plan ahead for everything. I started planning my wedding before I was even engaged, and named my children long before I was pregnant. Now that I am getting older, I am beginning to think about my funeral. I was baptized and raised Catholic, and I married […]
Help! My Bank Won’t Recognize Co-Trustees
Q. My mother named me and my brother as co-trustees of her Revocable Living Trust. She passed away earlier this year in her home town of Abingdon, VA (near the Tennessee border), where my brother still resides. Since then, when it comes to managing the trust, we have had nothing but trouble with the bank. […]
What Happens When Caregivers Are Too Sick To Perform Their Duties?
Q. I am a caregiver for my husband, Ed, who has had Parkinson’s disease for fifteen years. While fully coherent, his physical capabilities have been greatly reduced. Confined mainly to a wheelchair, he requires my help to dress, shower, toilet, walk, and exercise, and has trouble communicating and swallowing food. Normal routine has set in, […]
Same-Sex Marriage: Planning for the Future
(picture from Huffington Post) Q. My mother has been in a same-sex relationship with a wonderful woman for ten years. She is thrilled about last week’s decision that she could get married to her partner, if they choose to do so. What does the U.S. Supreme Court decision mean for same-sex couples who plan to […]
Tom Brokaw Doesn’t Know Where His Living Will Is. Do You Know Where Yours Is?
Tom Brokaw and his daughter Jennifer appeared at the TEDx Stanford conference, speaking on the subject of end-of-life health care options. Brokaw began the dialogue, framed as a conversation between father and daughter, by asking the audience to ponder the reason to have such conversations. He shocked the audience by admitting that “unfortunately, I don’t […]
What are a Trustee’s Responsibilities?
Dear Angel, My mother, Alice, asked me to be the successor trustee for her Revocable Living Trust. Before I accept the responsibility, I want to know more about what it entails. Do you know about the duties of a trustee and can you briefly describe them? Thanks! Watson Volved —- Dear Watson, Having been asked […]
PBS Releases “Caring for Mom and Dad” Documentary
Graphic from pbs.org. Chris Olson was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and her husband, Brent, has prostate cancer. They lived alone, 300 miles away from their nearest daughter, and needed assistance. Their daughter, Breanna, who was beginning a promising political career, and her sister Shanna, a working mother of two, decided to put their careers on […]
Ask the Expert: I Am Young and in Good Health. Why Plan Now When I Can Probably Wait?
Q. I am in my 40’s and run marathons. I am in better health now than I have been in my entire life. My family eats only organic foods, and we are hardly ever sick. My grandparents are still alive, and they are in their 90’s, and my husband has a grandmother who is 102! […]
Landmark Supreme Court Marriage Case May Affect Planning Choices
Image from USNews.com Gay marriage is currently legal in 36 states, mostly because of the decision in the 2013 case of Windsor v. United States, in which the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Two years later, the issue is back in the Supreme Court. And, by the end of this […]
Do I need to file taxes for a deceased relative?
Dear Commander Bun Bun, My mother passed away in 2014, and I am the executor for her estate. I typically wait until the last minute to file my taxes. Even though she is no longer with us, do I need to file taxes for her, as well? Thanks for your help! Filene Taxus ——— Dear […]
What Happens to Your Online Data After You Are Gone?
Q. Our next door neighbor, Joseph, was shoveling snow when he collapsed and died of sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 53. Grief-stricken and shocked, his wife, Jane, not only had to plan a funeral; she also faced the daunting task of figuring out the couple’s online financial life. Unfortunately, she only knew half of […]
Can Stipulations in a Will be Changed 100 Years Later? Maybe — Read About The Sweet Briar College Nightmare
Q. I visited my niece, Natalie, last year at the picturesque Sweetbriar College, a liberal-arts women’s institution in rural Virginia. I am a history buff and I remember during a tour of the campus they mentioned how more than 100 years ago, the land was left by the plantation owner’s daughter to honor the memory of her own daughter. She stipulated in the Last Will and Testament that the land cannot […]
Estate Planning for Childless Couples
When many people think of estate planning, they assume that a person’s heirs are his or her children. But what happens when a couple has no children? Do they need to plan too? The answer is yes. At the very least, they should answer two questions: who will inherit their property, and who should handle […]
Can You Claim a Pet as a Dependent?
Dear Baxter, My dog, Rover, is like a child to me. He is cute, loveable, and playful, and like a human child, relies on me for support. Vet bills, food, cleanup, and repairs caused by damage, have cost a lot of money this past year. Am I allowed to claim him as a dependent on […]