Recent Articles

The Importance of Having Your Own Attorney When Refinancing Your Home

December 31, 2008 16:05

Today's post is written by my friend and colleague Stephen Silveri. __________________________________________________________________________With mortgage rates currently at historic lows, you or someone you know may be refinancing. If this is the case, I want to be sure that you are aware of the...

Questions to Ask Your Aging Parents

December 29, 2008 17:33

As you get together with aging relatives this holiday season, or even as you see yourself and your siblings getting older, you probably know that there are questions you need to ask and things you need to know. If you have ever wondered where to start, here are an on-line and an off-line resource...

More Questions to Ask Your Parents

December 29, 2008 17:32

I posted earlier about questions to ask your parents, and I'm noticing that more and more people are asking me that. You can review the categories on the right hand side of this site to get an idea of the things people should have in place, and below are some more questions that can get you...

Starting the Conversation About End of Life Care

December 16, 2008 07:00

Families are often hesitant to talk about end of life wishes. Maybe they are uncomfortable bringing it up, maybe they are afraid of the reaction of others, or maybe they think everyone would know what to do so there's no need to discuss it. But if it feels uncomfortable now - when there is no...

Local Tax Credit For Seniors

December 15, 2008 16:20

The Boston Globe has a recent article about the "circuit breaker" tax credit for seniors. The article points out that many people over 65 are not taking advantage of tax credit, which can be up to $930. Homeowners qualify for 2008 if their home was assessed at up to $793,000 - nearly double the...

New Caregiving Website with Videos

December 12, 2008 17:21

Videocaregiving.org is a new visual education center for family caregivers. The videos are designed to be short, simple and direct, and are able to be accessed easily by the user at any hour of the day or night. Many of the videos follow a documentary format that uses real people and follows real...

Financially Preparing for Kids With Special Needs

December 08, 2008 18:12

The following US News & World Report Article was brought to my attention by fellow attorney Steve Worrell, who posted it on his Georgia Wills Law Blog. Regardless of what state you live in, it is important to work with an attorney who can help you put a plan in place for your family which will...

More Men Taking Over the Caregiving Role

December 04, 2008 17:10

The image of a caregiver for an aging parent or relative is usually a woman in her 40's or 50's who is raising her own children, probably working outside the home, and then trying to care for her aging loved one at the same time. But according to a recent article in the New York Times, more men are...

Information About Medical Scams

December 02, 2008 14:59

The Federal Trade Commission has a new website which provides information about medical scams which often target the elderly. Some of the things they advise are: protecting your health insurance information to avoid theft of your ID and improper use of your benefits. Always review your statements...

Will You Be Responsible to Pay for Your Parent's Care?

November 29, 2008 15:42

If a parent needs long term care - either at home or in a nursing facility, children may watch as their parent's savings dwindle to pay for the care, which can cost upwards of $5,000 - 10,000.00 per month. If the parent ends up meeting the eligibility criteria for Medicaid (called MassHealth in...