For some time now, you’ve been able to draft an online will on a home computer via firms like Rocket Lawyer, Legal Zoom or FreeWill. But it still had to be signed with wet ink in front of a notary and witnesses to be valid. That’s on the cusp of changi… Continue reading
Estate planning is a critical part of financial planning, but something many Americans procrastinate about. Yet drafting a will and a health care proxy or power of attorney, maybe creating a trust, and maximizing your loved ones’ inheritances by minimi… Continue reading
For couples over 50, living together has a lot of appeal and is on the rise. In fact, the number of unmarried couples who are 50+ shot up 75% between 2007 and 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. One likely reason: many have experienced at least … Continue reading
Your will may be the most important document you’ll ever write. Problem is, after many of us draft one, we put it somewhere for safekeeping and don’t look at it again. That can be a big mistake. Lives change. Our finances change. Loved ones leave us an… Continue reading
Some boomer and Gen X parents want to assist their grown children financially from time to time, either to enhance their kids’ lives or because their sons or daughters are struggling financially. But when is it okay to help one child more than another?… Continue reading
Some boomer and Gen X parents want to assist their grown children financially from time to time, either to enhance their kids’ lives or because their sons or daughters are struggling financially. But when is it okay to help one child more than another?… Continue reading
Losing a loved one is hard in itself. But when that person was a hoarder — like roughly 19 million Americans — managing grief while sorting through mountains of stuff is even more challenging. I know; my widowed grandmother was a hoarder, and I dealt w… Continue reading
My family is all dead, and I never married or had children. The new term for people like me is “solo ager” or “elder orphan.” Aging alone highlights the dilemma of what to do when you need help managing your health, finances and the disposition of your… Continue reading
Many Next Avenue readers are, or will be, stressed, worried and anxious figuring out what to do with their parents’ stuff. We know this because our 2017 story, “Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff” is our most-read, most-shared piece. And it led to… Continue reading
The last time Patricia Femia saw her mother, Ada Vocino, was February 14, 2013 — Valentine’s Day. But this was anything but a heartfelt meeting. The two women were in the Morris County Courthouse in Morristown, N.J. and were there for war. Patricia, t… Continue reading