HOUSING AND AGING: CONSIDERATIONS FOR HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD
The home and neighborhood are central to quality of life for people of all ages, but there are specific ways they can affect the well-being of older adults.
ARE YOU PREPARED?
Here at Caldwell Law, we want your estate plan to work. Peace of mind is the most commonly reported
benefit of having an estate plan. But, is the peace of mind you felt when you first created your plan still
justified? Is the picture of a plan that works for you still clear? Life has surely changed. Your circumstances,
the circumstances of your beneficiaries, the circumstances of your helpers, the law, all change. Will your plan still work the way you want it to?
One of our biggest challenges is helping our clients keep their estate plans up to date. How will the planning we did earlier work years later if we lose the ability to make our own decisions or at the time of our death? Our dentist calls us in twice a year, we see our doctor every year (or more), we file income tax returns each year. What do we do to keep our estate plans current? We hope this Guide will help people review their plans and make sure they will work as intended.
We use the following questions to help our clients determine if their plan still reflects their wishes or whether, as is often the case, adjustments need to be made. We encourage you to test your plan by asking yourself our Four Essential Questions. Our goal is for all of our clients to answer “yes” to these questions.
Do I understand my estate plan?
- Read your plan and see, what does my plan do for me before and after my death?
- What does my plan do for my beneficiaries before and after my death?
Will my plan work for me and my beneficiaries?
- If I lose capacity, are the instructions for my care and the use of my assets up to date?
- Does my plan allow for changes in circumstances for both me and my beneficiaries?
- Are the gifts I plan to make to my beneficiaries structured in a manner that will be best for them?
- Does my plan take into consideration the circumstances (and potential risks) my beneficiaries may
encounter?
Are all my assets titled properly?
- Is my list of assets up to date?
- Do my beneficiaries know about all insurance policies and financial accounts?
- Do my helpers know where all documentation is located?
Do my helpers (agents, trustees, executors) know what to do?
- Have I communicated with them my full range of wishes and instructions?
- Do my helpers understand my wishes with respect to health care and treatment?
- Do I have alternates who can step in when needed?
- Do my helpers know who my doctors and other advisors are?
- Do they know where all documentation is kept?
Advice from the experts
FITNESS AND AGING
When we think about fitness, the first thing that often pops into our heads is the idea of an elite athlete—a weightlifter, a marathon runner, an olympic gymnast. Although those people are incredibly fit, they are also at the veryfurthest end of the fitness spectrum.
EXERCISE AND AGING
We want to help people to stay fit
and active — at all ages across the
spectrum. We know there can be
many challenges to staying active as
we age, but the benefits are well
worth the effort.
YOUR BODY WANTS TO HEAL
It started with a burning sensation
in the back, and then a numbness in a foot. Random physical sensations that could have been explained away if they hadn’t come back worse over the next several days.
MANAGING YOUR DIGITAL ASSETS
Have you ever wondered how your
digital assets are managed when
you are unable to manage them
yourself? What happens to all your
online accounts when you die?
HOW TO RECOGNIZE & PREVENT ELDER ABUSE
Elder abuse is a problem that’s intensifying across the nation. Older adults often become vulnerable due to isolation, physical or mental disabilities, and dependence on others for assistance