Reverse Mortgages Satisfy Broad Range of Needs for Senior Homeowners William and Betty Ellis of Vancouver, WA, needed home modifications to make life more comfortable for Mrs. Ellis after she suffered a debilitating stroke. John and Helen Foy wanted to cruise the Pacific Coast Highway on their Harley-Davidson. What do these two seemingly unrelated stories have… Continue reading Reverse Mortgages Giving Seniors Extra Living Cash

Financial Advice for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren For many people who have already raised their children, becoming a grandparent is a welcomed new era.  However, many grandparents who are approaching or are already in retirement are suddenly finding themselves reliving parenting and the associated financial challenges.  This time, however, they are responsible for raising their grandchildren. … Continue reading Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Are you dreaming about retiring and having more time with your children and grandchildren, playing more golf, gardening or traveling? When can you afford to retire and what will that new stage of your life look like? According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, a growing number of baby boomers say they’ll retire after age… Continue reading Delaying Retirement

HELENA – The latest scam against seniors is selling fake Medicare prescription cards to seniors under the new Federal Medicare Prescription Plan. Confusion surrounding the new and complex Medicare prescription drug benefit makes the elderly susceptible to scams popping up elsewhere, Montana state health officials warned Monday. Scam artists have been selling fake Medicare discount cards to seniors in Idaho… Continue reading Medicare Prescription Card Fraud Takes a New Twist

Age discrimination is against the law and employers have often tried to get around age discrimination claims by holding severance pay as a hostage to signing an age discrimination waiver. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has issued regulations regarding severance agreements that are signed by people who could file an age discrimination claim.  The employee now has an easier… Continue reading Filing an Age Discrimination Claim 

Contract Elements – Contract Formationby: Fran Przyblewski   An introduction to contracts  The term “contract” can sound a bit ominous to many people.  Because of this, salespeople often use the term “agreement“, instead of the word “contract” because it is less intimidating.  However, whether you are signing an agreement or a contract, it still boils down to the same thing. … Continue reading Elements of a Written Contract

Personal Injury  “Personal Injury” is physical damage to your body. If you are like most Americans, you will probably be involved in an auto accident at some time in your life. Fortunately, few of us are routinely involved in such accidents, but that means that most people are not sure what to do or how to handle… Continue reading Senior Personal Injury – After the Accident

WHEN IS A PERSON COVERED FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CLAIMS? By: Pitt Dickey – Attorney Social Security Disability Eligibility – This column will examine how the Social Security Administration determines the time period during which a person is eligible for Disability Insurance Benefits.  Previous columns have looked at the medical criteria used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to determine disability resulting from illness and… Continue reading Social Security Disability Eligibility

Financial advisors introduction Financial Advisors – Before we discuss seeking outside help, there is a crucial point you need to understand. One of the most important steps you can take to secure your financial future is to save regularly and continually (sooner rather than later). That’s one of the first pieces of advice any financial advisor will give… Continue reading Finding a Qualified Financial Advisor

Senior guardians over minor children Grandparent guardians – Thirty years ago, there was probably little concern over whether seniors should have to name guardianship for minor children in their will.  Today, many grandparents are raising grandkids and even have full and legal custody.   Often the child’s parents are incapable of raising the child(ren) for one reason… Continue reading Naming a Guardian for Minors

The Death Tax Not Gone  The death tax? Sounds funny, but it’s anything but.  There are still a great number of questions about estate taxes.  Unfortunately, many people believe the sound bites that have pronounced the death of the death tax.  These have been greatly exaggerated, to say the least.  Many people have the mistaken impression that the federal… Continue reading Is The Death Tax Gone?

Settling Legal Wills The last will and testament will not settle over night.  Beneficiaries often find themselves at odds over the disbursement of property after the death of a decedent.  Sometimes it’s over the property or the value of the property itself.  Sometimes it’s just that fact that it cannot happen immediately.  Most beneficiaries think that once the… Continue reading Last Will & Testament 101

Terminating your rights under a will for the better statutory provisions Why would you renounce a will?  If there is a Will, the surviving spouse can renounce it and the inheritance it contains (if any), and instead elect to take a share of the estate specifically provided by state law.  This is a legal device originally intended for… Continue reading Renouncing a Will

When a person has a “life estate” in a piece of property (most commonly, a house and the contents within it), he/she enjoys almost the same rights in that property as would an “absolute” owner – but only for his/her life.  The idea of a life estate is best illustrated with a typical example, the “subsequent marriage”… Continue reading The Basics of a Life Estate

Last will and testament and legal considerations  How does a will and the law treat an estate when both people die at the same time?  The answer, of course, depends on whether any planning has been done. The most important planning, however, is practical, not legal. First, have you found a capable and willing guardian… Continue reading How Does a Last Will and Testament Treat Simultaneous Death