How to Have Difficult Conversations With Your Aging Parents

(This article is an excerpt from Estate Planning for the Sandwich Generation: How to Help Your Parents and Protect Your Kids by Catherine Hodder.) An important part of caring for your aging parents is understanding their situation and knowing what they… Continue reading

Sara Zeff Geber: Offering Retirement Advice for Solo Agers

With her recent book, Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers: A retirement and aging roadmap for single and childless adults, Sara Zeff Geber brought the term “solo agers” into the national vocabulary. By Geber’s definition, a solo ager (sometime… Continue reading

Saying ‘No’ to Power of Attorney Duty

Does the thought of being power of attorney (POA) for a parent or another loved one fill you with dread? Maybe Mom thinks you’d be the best choice to make business, financial or medical decisions for her if she becomes unable to do so on her own becaus… Continue reading

What Nora Ephron Can Teach Us About Planning a Funeral

In June 2012, Meryl Streep gave one of her finest performances to a limited crowd. She hadn’t had much time to prepare, but it was a role that had been planned for her months, if not years, earlier. It’s just that the planner hadn’t thought to tell her… Continue reading

Avoid the Estate Planning Mistakes of Aretha Franklin and Prince

Aretha Franklin and Prince were undoubtedly brilliant performers, but they made giant estate planning mistakes that you’ll want to avoid. Franklin, who was divorced, reportedly died without a will or a trust despite having four grown children, one of w… Continue reading

How Your Adult Children Can Help You Plan for Retirement

A couple of years ago, my then 39-year-old brother, our divorced mom, and I went on a tropical vacation in Hawaii. The trip coincided with my mother, in her late ‘60s, entering semi-retirement. After working two full-time jobs as a nurse for over 25 ye… Continue reading