Benefits to Keeping Your Bank Account Private
Although it can be useful to have another party available to keep track of bills when you’re sick or away, adding a child’s name to a bank account may be more of a hassle than it’s worth. Doing so may…
Congress Updates Spousal Impoverishment Protections
Federal spousal impoverishment protections were set to lapse in March 2019. Two bills were proposed to deal with that issue. H.R. 1343 is still sitting in the House, but H.R. 3253 was enacted on August 6, 2019. H.R. 1343, or…
Consider These Topics When Caring for an Aging Parent
It is essential to bring up a parent’s aging expectations and set goals together even though initial discussions may be uncomfortable. Often, an exploration into a parent’s future thoughts about health, finances, and residential plans can make the difference between…
Millennials Misunderstand Social Security
When the US federal government established its social insurance program on August 14, 1935, its purpose was to provide retirement, disability, and survivors’ benefits. Since that time, in part due to the disappearance of extended family networks, an increase in…
Today’s Seniors Are More Likely to Be in Debt
America experienced its worst financial crisis since the great depression between 2007 and 2010. Known as the subprime mortgage crisis, it happened because home prices fell in 2006, triggering loan defaults. Then the risk spread into pension funds, mutual funds,…
Dementia May Show with Poor Financial Decisions
Diminishing brain function due to the onset of dementia can lead to the destruction of your financial well-being. If you are age 50 or older, easy access to your financial assets like stocks and bonds, checking and savings accounts, money…
Newly Discovered Diseases and Veterans’ Benefits
During the Vietnam War (1962-1975), the United States military, as well as the Republic of Vietnam, used defoliants for tactical purposes to reduce cover for enemy forces, improve perimeter visibility of military installations, and even to kill enemy food crops.…
Inter-Generational Living May Be the Key to Long Life
Master plans for inter-generational community living models are changing the shape of the aging experience from the ages of 8 up to 80 years of age and beyond. Dubbed “new urbanism” it is the belief that a living environment with…
How Healthy Aging and Family Connections Are Related
One cannot overstate the importance of family presence in a senior’s life. Family creates a consistent social network and connection that directly impacts the senior’s overall quality of life. Prioritizing family relationships provides continuity as a senior experiences change in…
Government Accountability Office Reviews Nursing Home Ratings
Ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veteran’s Affairs, Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana), along with Senators Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren (both Democrats from Massachusetts) are requesting a formal review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of the rating…