Category Archives: Finances

Senior Care Help for Aging Veterans

Paying for senior care stretches everyone's budget.  Mary's mom was running out of money.  Her Alzheimer's disease meant that a caregiver stayed with her all day while her son was at work.  This was using up her money at a rate of $4000 per month, not to mention normal living expenses.  Mary heard about a…
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Make a Smooth Senior Care Transition to Medicaid

Your careful planning can make for a smooth transition from your parents paying their care costs to using Medicaid.  Medicaid begins paying long term care costs when your parent has "spent down" his own money to the Medicaid asset caps. It can be hard to face that money is running out.  Caregiving is so time…
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Addressing Elder Law Issues with Your Parent

Thanks goodness, my mom and dad had the foresight to consider legal issues such as a will, living trust and financial and healthcare powers of attorney, earlier in life.   When my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and could no longer manage her financial affairs, my dad served as her agent. (more…)
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What Kinds of Job Opportunities Are There For Senior Citizens?

Because of improved health and the desire to stay active more and more senior citizens are looking for job opportunities. Certainly because of this the job market for those that are now over 50 is improving. Certainly projections are showing that by 2010 senior citizens will make up 1/3 of the entire workforce in the…
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You May Be Left Out of Legal Planning

Throughout the caregiving transition, you will no doubt require the services of an elder care attorney. You may be surprised, or even angered if you, the primary caregiver, are not included in the discussions. Even if you set the appointment, if your charge is mentally impaired or if you are now the primary decision maker,…
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Five Senior Finance Scams

Recently, I was at my father-in-law's house when he answered the phone. I listened in the background as he listened, and then gave his address. Then he started to give his social security number... I clicked the receiver before he could finish. How could this financially savvy senior so easily be persuaded to give such…
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Cutting the Costs of Eldercare

We've all seen it over the past months. Whether it was our parents' investments tanking or a huge loss in your family's budget due to job losses, we're all feeling the pinch of the economic times. Yet home health care costs continue to rise. Don't dismay - there are a few tricks up our sleeves…
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Eldercare Money Management Woes: Warning Signs You Can’t Ignore

The transition of responsibility for money management is rarely a smooth transition. During the process you will likely discover your parent has a very different way of managing finances and records than you do. When possible, work together through the transition. Review his or her checkbook, bank statements and financial documents together. Many of us…
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Caring for elderly – An Overview

Caring for elderly loved ones-who are these older folks? As one caring for elderly loved ones, have you noticed that the elderly population is growing?   The projections for those who will be caring for the elderly are somewhat astounding. The Administration on Aging: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' A Profile of Older Americans:2007…
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Tax Deductible Medical and Dental Expenses

An itemized deduction falls under one of the following categories: Medical and dental expenses, taxes paid, interest, gifts and charity, casualty and theft losses, expenses and miscellaneous deductions. Taxpayers who wish to claim medical and dental expenses must use the itemize deduction option and present documented evidence to substantiate the amount being claim. The itemized…
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