Barbara Kate Repa
Caring.com senior contributing editor
- About
Barbara Kate Repa, a lawyer and journalist, has devoted her career to editing and writing about legal issues for consumers. She’s the author of WillMaker (Nolo), best-selling software that enables consumers to write their own wills, healthcare directives, powers of attorney, and final arrangements. She’s also an instructor for AIDS caregivers, teaching about legal end-of-life issues and funeral planning, and she recently wrote the content for a website for those searching for long-term care in California.
Early in life, Barbara Kate forged a deep relationship with her grandmother, who taught her the enduring and addictive skill of knitting. New to California twenty years ago, she sought out friendships with older people -- and found hundreds of them when she became president of the Bay Area Funeral Society, a feisty consumer group aiming to stamp out abuses in the funeral industry. She is the resource to whom friends turn first for advice on dealing with legal and personal care issues for aging parents and disabled spouses and partners.
Recently Published on Caring.com
Tuesday July 01, 2008
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Answer - Why does my oldest sister get automatic power of attorney?
She doesn't. The person who makes a power of attorney...
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Answer - How can I obtain the forms required for a free living will or advance directive?
Your best bet may be to head for the nearest hospital...
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Answer - Can you provide me with a list of "end of life" questions to address with my family?
How wise you are to plan ahead for these life and death...
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Answer - Who is responsible for my brother, who has severe dementia, if the nursing home asks him to leave?
There is no law that specifies that a particular person...
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Answer - How do we include adopted relatives in an obituary?
You are pinned in rather a delicate spot...
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Question - How do we include adopted relatives in an obituary?
When writing an obituary, keep the wishes of the deceased paramount.
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Question - Who is responsible for my brother, who has severe dementia, if the nursing home asks him to leave?
A court-appointed guardian or conservator may be the best option when there is no one else willing and able to take on caretaking duties.
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Question - Can you provide me with a list of "end of life" questions to address with my family?
A comprehensive list for end of life questions will be appearing soon; in the meantime, this site can help provide some structure for your discussions.
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Question - How can I obtain the forms required for a free living will or advance directive?
Advance directive forms are fairly easy to come by; it's completing them that can be the tricky part.
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Question - Why does my oldest sister get automatic power of attorney?
When it comes to powers of attorney, there is no automatic entitlement to be appointed.
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Thursday June 26, 2008
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Question - Is there a time limit on distributing trust money?
Laws controlling trusts generally require a trustee to act "reasonably" -- and those who don't may be accountable in court.
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Wednesday June 25, 2008
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Answer - Can my sister put my mother away in a nursing home without asking the rest of the children?
It almost doesn't matter what is legal in your situation...
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Answer - Do I still have power of attorney over my mother's bank accounts even though she's passed away?
Your power in the power of attorney ended when your...
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Answer - Is there any software available to help track and organize yearly costs for a guardian taking care of a parent?
I know of no tested and true software to track guardianship...
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Question - Do I still have power of attorney over my mother's bank accounts even though she's passed away?
Once a parent dies, you may need to freeze a bank account to keep out those who might misuse the money left.
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Question - Is there any software available to help track and organize yearly costs for a guardian taking care of a parent?
The biggest challenge in tracking guardianship expenses may be to focus on the categories to include.
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Question - Can my sister put my mother away in a nursing home without asking the rest of the children?
One sibling may have the right to help arrange nursing home care for a parent, but it feels wrong not to consult other family members about the decision.
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Tuesday June 24, 2008
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Answer - Is there a time limit on distributing trust money?
A true family trust takes the meaning of "trust" ...
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Monday June 23, 2008
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Answer - How can a durable power of attorney be ended?
Couldn't quite tell from your question whether you...
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Question - Am I entitled to property from my brother's estate if both of my parents are alive?
Whether a sibling is entitled to another sibling's property at death may depend on whether or not there was a will in the picture.
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Question - How can a durable power of attorney be ended?
Someone appointed to act in a power of attorney document usually has the job as long as he or she is willing and able to do it.
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Question - Does a trust need to be registered in Illinois?
Some state laws require that living trusts must be registered -- but none of those laws have teeth.
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Wednesday June 18, 2008
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Answer - Is a conservatorship formed in Arizona valid in Utah?
Many people complain that getting a conservatorship...
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Answer - How do you move a body to be buried in another state?
You were right to connect up the dots between transporting...
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Question - How do you move a body to be buried in another state?
With some exceptions, most state laws require that a body being transported to another state must be embalmed first.
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Question - Is a conservatorship formed in Arizona valid in Utah?
Some states provide excellent free help and advice on guardianships and conservatorships -- perhaps taking pity on those who invest time, money, and angst in the process of securing them.
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Tuesday June 17, 2008
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Answer - Can a durable power of attorney be made irrevocable?
Irrevocable powers of attorney -- those giving a person...
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Article - Probate: What It Is -- and How to Avoid It
You can't help your parent avoid death or taxes at death. But you can save time and money by helping her plan to have her property avoid probate.
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Question - If I have a living trust, do I also need a will?
While it requires a little extra thought and paperwork, a simple back-up will may help prevent estate planning slip-ups.
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Question - How can I help an elder die?
Make sure the older person's desire to die is real. Then read up about it.
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Question - In Ontario, what happens if a spouse dies and does not have a will?
When a person dies without a will, who will get his or her property depends on how the survivors are related -- and sometimes, how many there are.
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Question - How can we find out if my mother-in-law had a will?
If a search in the obvious places doesn't turn up a will, try a few less obvious ones.
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Monday June 16, 2008
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Answer - What does the term "new trust since PPA" refer to?
The bit of legal hieroglyphics, PPA 2006, stands for...
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Answer - How can I help an elder die?
First, make sure your mother-in-law is thoroughly evaluated...
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Answer - What is the specific wording I should use to exclude two children from my will?
You are legally free to disinherit children if you...
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Answer - What will happen to my brother's share of inheritance if he cannot be found?
Most probate courts operate under the rule that the...
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Question - What can I do if I think the trustees are acting illegally?
When a trustee is acting illegally, you may have no choice but to hire legal help to right the wrong.
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Question - What will happen to my brother's share of inheritance if he cannot be found?
If a beneficiary cannot be located when a will is probated, the property will go to back-up takers in a particular order.
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Friday June 13, 2008
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Answer - How do I gain power of attorney over my mother against her will?
A power of attorney won't likely help you out of your...
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Answer - Does a beneficiary have to pay finances charges on property?
In two words: quite possibly.A finance charge, while...
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Answer - As my father's guardian, am I responsible for his financial needs if he is unable to meet them?
Your father's debts will remain his debts...
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Answer - How do we know when the end is near?
Because dying is as unique as living for every individual...
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Answer - When can I expect payment from my father's estate?
The law does not impose a specific deadline on executors...
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Question - How do we know when the end is near?
While no one can truly pinpoint when a death will occur, there are sources to consult for coaching and expectations.
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Question - As my father's guardian, am I responsible for his financial needs if he is unable to meet them?
There are a few situations in which a guardian or conservator may be personally liable for debts, but they are rather rare and obvious.
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Question - How do I gain power of attorney over my mother against her will?
It may not be possible to secure a power of attorney if a parent refuses to authorize one; such situations may call for more drastic measures.
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Question - Does a beneficiary have to pay finances charges on property?
Finance charges on inherited property -- especially on vehicles -- are likely negotiable. Just get the facts on your side first.
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Question - When can I expect payment from my father's estate?
While there are no hard and fast time limits for when an executor must wind up an estate, there are some general guidelines.
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Thursday June 12, 2008
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Answer - Is it better to leave my property by will or living trust?
The first step for you to take is to look closely at...
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Answer - Is it true that an irrevocable trust does not take effect for five years?
Get some peace of mind for your friend during her final...
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Answer - Can my stepson petition for guardianship of my husband?
Unless your stepson's name is on your husband's credit...
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Question - What is the difference between a will and a trust?
Both wills and trusts do the deed of passing on title to property at death, but they go about it slightly differently.
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Question - Do we need to inform the first attorney that we wrote a new will with another attorney?
When hiring different attorneys to prepare your estate plan, it can buy you some peace of mind to make doubly sure that your documents don't conflict.
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Question - How much money is allotted for burial services?
How and how much a public conservator will pay for burial services depends on where you live.
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Question - Is it better to leave my property by will or living trust?
First evaluate the property you own that may pass to others automatically at your death; then look at the pros and cons of wills and living trusts.
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Question - Is it true that an irrevocable trust does not take effect for five years?
Get the original document and check out the terms of an irrevocable trust rather than be swayed by rumors as to how it operates.
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Question - Can my stepson petition for guardianship of my husband?
While anyone can file a request to be named a legal guardian or conservator, a court will decide whether that's in the elderly person's best interests.
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Wednesday June 11, 2008
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Answer - What happens to an elderly person's credit card at death?
What usually happens to a person's debt at death is...
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Answer - What is the best way for my five brothers and me to contribute toward paying for my mother's care?
First, I must commend you on the spirit of cooperation...
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Answer - If I have durable power of attorney for my mother, how do I get access to her medical records?
If you and your brother have been named as agents in...
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Answer - How can I get a guardian removed from the position?
Before you take any specific legal action, zero in...
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Answer - What are the requirements for an open coffin viewing for someone who wants to be cremated?
There are no specific laws or regulations that control this...
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Question - What is the best way for my five brothers and me to contribute toward paying for my mother's care?
Family planning for health care costs that may have tax consequences can get complicated in a hurry. It's one of those situations in which it may be best to call in expert help.
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Question - If I have durable power of attorney for my mother, how do I get access to her medical records?
If you have been legally appointed an agent in your mother's durable power of attorney for health care, securing her medical records should be an unquestioned cinch.
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Question - How can I get a guardian removed from the position?
You will need to mount a fullscale legal attack to get a guardian or conservator removed from the position.
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Question - What are the requirements for an open coffin viewing for someone who wants to be cremated?
When arranging for an open casket viewing, the wishes of the deceased and survivors generally control. But you may need to do some comparison-shopping to get the prices and services you require.
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Tuesday June 10, 2008
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Answer - Am I responsible for my father's nursing home bill?
The IRS has been known at times to work in strange...
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Question - What is my mother's legal obligation to pay donation pledges she has given over the phone?
There are some ways to cut back on hectoring calls from charitable organizations--and guidelines about whether a person must make good on pledges.
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Question - How do I set up a real estate trust?
You may be able to set up a simple living trust own your own; other types of trusts may require some guidance from a legal expert.
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Question - Can all children see their parents' living trust?
People who make living trusts are free to keep their contents secret. But there may be ways you can air out hurt feelings over that.
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Monday June 09, 2008
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Question - Can a Wisconsin resident disinherit a spouse?
If a will does not mention a surviving spouse, the law will likely look at the document carefully -- and make some assumptions giving the survivor a share.
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Thursday June 05, 2008
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Answer - Are there any programs that can help pay burial costs?
All states -- and many counties and municipalities...
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Answer - Can my husband and I be reappointed as caregivers?
In most areas, the resource you mentioned -- Community...
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Answer - Is there a way to get power of attorney back after it has been revoked?
The best resolution for this problem may also require...
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Answer - How can I can my mother to talk about end of life planning?
Sometimes hidebound family dynamics can get in the...
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Question - How can I can my mother to talk about end of life planning?
There are ways to help ease the way to discussions about estate planning and end of life issues with parents. But it's also wise to recognize that they may listen to other voices more readily.
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Question - Can my husband and I be reappointed as caregivers?
Go back to the original source first to resolve a problem with caregiving for a disabled person; then move on to other local resources.
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Question - Is there a way to get power of attorney back after it has been revoked?
If possible, get to the bottom of why your mother's power of attorney was revoked. You may need to fight this legal action with legal action of your own.
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Question - Are there any programs that can help pay burial costs?
There are local funds earmarked to help pay funeral, burial, and cremation expenses for those who can't afford to pay for them.
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Tuesday June 03, 2008
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Answer - What if we suspect a trustee is mismanaging a trust?
You are living proof of a difficult truth: Money and...
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Answer - How do I make my two daughters guardians of their sister if I can't serve?
The laws in all states provide a legal fallback position...
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Answer - Is guardianship recognized across state lines?
Check the documents you have in hand authorizing you...
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Answer - How do I find out if my father qualifies for a veteran's funeral?
As a starting point, contact the United States Department...
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Answer - Does my girlfriend need her dad's permission to receive property left to her in her grandfather's will?
Your girlfriend's grandfather might have been trying...
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Answer - How do I set up a business as a guardian for the elderly?
As you might imagine, courts are very careful in appointing...
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Checklist - 10 Things to Consider Including in a Will
10 top issues for your parents to consider before writing their wills, including how to divide their property and who will receive it.
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Checklist - 7 Important Instructions to Include in a Health Care Directive
Know the 7 crucial medical-care instructions your parents should put in their advance health care directives.
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Question - How do I become my adult child's legal guardian?
Once a child becomes a legal adult, a parent needs to secure a guardianship or conservatorship to be authorized to continue making decisions about care and finances.
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Question - How do I make my two daughters guardians of their sister if I can't serve?
A specific legal arrangement allows you to designate others to act as back-up guardians in emergenicies.
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Question - How do I find out if my father qualifies for a veteran's funeral?
The government imposes strict strictures on the type and amount of burial benefits to which veterans are entitled.
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Question - Does my girlfriend need her dad's permission to receive property left to her in her grandfather's will?
The law does not favor wills that require beneficiaries to meet specific conditions; but sometimes, the best option may be to comply.
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Question - How do I set up a business as a guardian for the elderly?
Courts do use professional guardians and conservators, but it's not easy to break into the business.
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Monday June 02, 2008
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Answer - How do we convince our mother to allow in-home help to care for our dying father?
In truth, you may be attempting the impossible...
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Answer - How do I become my adult child's legal guardian?
A guardianship, sometimes called a conservatorship...
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Answer - How can I get affordable legal help with a guardianship?
By getting the doctor's report that will be required...
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Question - How do we convince our mother to allow in-home help to care for our dying father?
Honest conversation may convince your mother that in-home care would help improve life for both your parents. It may also convince you that you're wrong.
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Question - Are we entitled to my great-grandmother's property?
Whether you have a legal claim to a distant relative's property depends on whether they did any estate planning -- and who survived whom.
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Question - How can I get affordable legal help with a guardianship?
Local courts and special interest groups may help point the way to affordable legal help with conservatorships or guardianships.
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Friday May 30, 2008
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Answer - How do I monitor a caretaker's effectiveness?
Before you call in any investigators, zero in on the...
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Answer - How do I go about finding a funeral director?
You are wise to do some planning for the expense that...
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Answer - What are the legal requirements for handling a burial on my own?
The law in West Virginia, like the law in most states...
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Question - How do I go about finding a funeral director?
It's a wise consumer move to shop in advance for funeral goods and services and for a funeral director who fits your needs. But be wary about paying in advance.
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Question - What are the legal requirements for handling a burial on my own?
The law generally allows people to handle the burial of loved ones on their own. But it's impoetant to be aware of the legal controls on how and where it can be done.
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Thursday May 29, 2008
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Answer - Am I entitled to property from my brother's estate if both of my parents are alive?
Whether you are entitled to any of your brother's property...
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Answer - Is there anything I can do if I've been excluded from a trust?
In a true family trust, the person named as trustee...
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Answer - My father has had a stroke and has no will. How do I ensure his things are taken care of?
It sounds as if you're most concerned about how your...
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Answer - My father just died. What do I do first?
Sorry for your loss. For better and worse, the first...
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Answer - Can I amend a life estate?
To backtrack just a bit, while you may have a good...
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Answer - What are the benefits of putting a home in a revocable trust?
For most people, the single biggest advantage to placing...
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Answer - How can I get a check cashed that was written to my deceased mother's estate?
You are learning the hard way why so many people advocate...
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Question - What are the benefits of putting a home in a revocable trust?
There are several possible benefits to putting a home in trust; protecting it from Medicaid rules is not one of them.
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Question - How can I get a check cashed that was written to my deceased mother's estate?
It will take some fancy footwork -- and possibly a court proceeding -- to cash a check made out to your mother after her death.
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Tuesday May 27, 2008
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Answer - How do I determine "reasonable" trustee fees?
Most trusts explicitly provide that a trustee can receive...
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Question - What are the amounts of trustee's fees that must be paid
The law sets out a rather fuzzy standard for how much compensation a trustee is entitled to be paid.
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Saturday May 24, 2008
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Answer - How can we find out if my mother-in-law had a will?
Assuming that you or your relatives were not able to...
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Friday May 23, 2008
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Answer - How much money is allotted for burial services?
California's Public Guardian-Conservator Programs are...
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Answer - How do I notify creditors of an estate?
Assuming you are the executor of a will that is being...
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Answer - How much should a lawyer be paid to settle an estate?
Lawyers generally charge for probate work, including...
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Answer - Do we need to inform the first attorney that we wrote a new will with another attorney?
You might assume that the second attorney made sure...
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Answer - What can I do if I think the trustees are acting illegally?
These are serious charges. Trustees have a number of...
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Question - How much should a lawyer be paid to settle an estate?
Probate lawyers charge fees according to different methods. A word to the wise consumer is to avoid surprises by getting all fee agreements in writing.
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Question - How do I notify creditors of an estate?
Laws in all states set out a simple procedure for notifying creditors and potential creditors of a death.
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Wednesday May 21, 2008
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Answer - How can I take over care-making decisions when my brother has power of attorney?
If your brother holds a valid power of attorney, then...
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Answer - How can we protect our elderly mother from being taken advantage of?
There is, of course, a chance that true love has bloomed...
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Answer - Can all children see their parents' living trust?
First, just a brief note on some confusing legal terms...
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Answer - What is my mother's legal obligation to pay donation pledges she has given over the phone?
An annoying legal loophole--that one about charities...
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Answer - What is my first step in administering my mother's will?
As executor, the bulk of your job will be to round...
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Answer - How can I persuade my mother to sign a living will?
Your mother's resistance is common--and often based...
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Question - How can I persuade my mother to sign a living will?
Many people fear that signing an advance healthcare directive means giving up on living. It may take an objective source to convince them of the truth.
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Question - What is my first step in administering my mother's will?
The first step is usually the hardest: Finding and organizing the property your mothe owned at her death.
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Question - How can we protect our elderly mother from being taken advantage of?
If you're sure that it's money and not love that is prompting an alleged suitor to call on your mother, act quickly to avoid financial scamming.
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Monday May 19, 2008
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Answer - Do executors have to give out copies of wills?
Since wills become public records after a person dies, you can see them--but how and where depends on the executor's willingness to show you the document.
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Answer - Can I safeguard my mother even if I'm not designated her guardian?
First, be sure your brother has true legal authority...
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Answer - What is the legal cost if a court appoints a non-relative to serve as conservator?
The conservator of an estate can be responsible...
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Answer - What can I do if my co-executor will not meet with me?
Most probates, even if there is considerable property...
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Question - Can I safeguard my mother even if I'm not designated her guardian?
The first step is to see what actual legal authority your brother has to act. The second is to take action to do or undo the situation.
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Question - What can I do if my co-executor will not meet with me?
Co-executors are both legally responsible for winding up an estate within a reasonable time. If you can't get the other person to cooperate, act quickly to right the wrong.
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Tuesday May 06, 2008
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Community Post - I'm spending mother's day with my mom for the first time in years. We plan to open a trunk that's been unopened since WWII. How about you?
My mom's a feisty 86 1/2 -- and lives half the country...
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Friday May 02, 2008
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Answer - Are guardians required by law for mentally incompetent elders?
Here's some unexpected legal advice: If it ain't broke...
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Answer - Are living trusts and living wills the same?
Although they have similar names, these are two very...
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Answer - Are online estate planning documents legal?
First, be aware that your question concerned several...
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Thursday May 01, 2008
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Answer - How can I direct my mother's medical care if others are named in her power of attorney?
You are probably feeling a bit slighted because you...
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Question - How can I direct my mother's medical care if others are named in her power of attorney?
If people named to act in a power of attorney are not doing their job well, there may be steps you can take to right the wrongs.
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Question - Are online estate planning documents legal?
When looking for an online product to help product your estate planning documents, shop carefully.
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Wednesday April 30, 2008
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Answer - How do I set up a real estate trust?
First, let's be clear as possible about semantics,...
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Answer - What is the meaning of dying?
This is the hardest of questions -- made especially...
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Answer - If I have a living trust, do I also need a will?
Living trusts and wills function almost the same during life...
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Question - What is the meaning of dying?
The raw time after a parent's death can be a rich time to ponder the bigger questions of life.
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Friday April 25, 2008
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Answer - When is the right time to call in hospice?
Hospice care is generally reserved for those who are diagnosed to be near death. But other options for help with care may be available.
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Answer - What do I say to my dying father, from whom I'm estranged?
You have a long and strained history to overcome when...
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Answer - How do I handle finances when I share POA with my sister and both parents have dementia?
Someone appointed to act in a power of attorney document usually has the job as long as he or she is willing and able to do it.
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Answer - Can my half-brother keep me from seeing my mother, who is in a nursing home?
Make sure you've tried to get to the bottom of a family member's attempts to block you from seeing your ailing mother. Then, you may need to take matters in your own hands.
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Answer - How do I get a power of attorney without my parent's signature?
The answer depends on why you can't get the signature...
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Answer - How do I help my mother cope with my father's death?
As you know too well, you are pinned in a difficult spot...
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Answer - How do I get my mother to update her trust and power of attorney?
Sounds as if your mom has met your gently nagging approach...
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Question - When is the right time to call in hospice?
Hospice care is generally reserved for those who are diagnosed to be near death. But other options for help with care may be available.
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Question - How do I get my mother to update her trust and power of attorney?
To help overcome your mom's resistance about updating her estate planning documents, you may need to heed why she feels a roadblock.
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Question - What do I say to my dying father, from whom I'm estranged?
Calling your estranged father on his deathbed will be time and a dime well spent.
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Thursday April 24, 2008
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Question - Can my half-brother keep me from seeing my mother, who is in a nursing home?
Make sure you've tried to get to the bottom of a family member's attempts to block you from seeing your ailing mother. Then, you may need to take matters in your own hands.
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Tuesday April 22, 2008
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Answer - When making a minor change in a will, do I need to have it done by a lawyer?
The lawyerly answer is: It depends.
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Answer - How old must a child be to get money at a parent's death?
The answer depends on where the money came from, how...
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Answer - Can a Wisconsin resident disinherit a spouse?
Merely making a will that's mum on leaving property...
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Monday April 21, 2008
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Answer - Are family trusts public documents?
People often set up trusts for the very reason that...
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Friday April 18, 2008
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Answer - What is the difference between a will and a trust?
Both documents transfer property when a person dies...
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Thursday April 17, 2008
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Answer - Are powers of attorney different from state to state?
In a word: yes.
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Answer - Will healthcare directives from one state be honored in another?
Florida is in many ways a friendly state -- and its...
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Answer - How do I enroll a terminal cancer patient in hospice?
Most hospice services require a doctor's certification...
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Answer - How do I find out if I will inherit property?
Time will provide the answer for you -- although you...
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Wednesday April 16, 2008
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Answer - What do I do when my mother seems to have lost the will to live?
It must be very difficult for you to watch your mother...
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Answer - In Ontario, what happens if a spouse dies and does not have a will?
What happens to the property the spouse owned at death...
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Answer - Does a trust need to be registered in Illinois?
Charitable trusts, which are generally established...
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Answer - How does property not covered by a trust get divided?
The situation you describe is a common one, since many...
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Answer - Does self-help software produce legal documents?
First, in the interest of full disclosure, I must divulge...
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Answer - What is a sibling's role in a conservatorship?
It sounds as if you already know that a conservatorship...
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Answer - Why do you need a living will?
You need a living will -- also called a healthcare...
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Wednesday April 09, 2008
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Blog Post - Use of Restraints in Nursing Homes: Down But Not Out
The law limits how and when nursing homes can use restraints. What to do if your parent is confined by belts or bed rails.
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Wednesday April 02, 2008
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Answer - When does a power of attorney take effect?
If the patient is being treated for short-term memory...
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Blog Post - Dr. Death Wants Your Vote
By throwing his hat into the political ring, Jack Kevorkian has stirred renewed debate about doctor-assisted suicide.
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Monday March 31, 2008
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Question - How does property not covered by a trust get divided?
When there is property not covered by a living trust, the law looks to other documents first to determine who is entitled to take it.
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Sunday March 30, 2008
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Question - How old must a child be to get money at a parent's death?
Money left to a minor will usually be managed by an adult until that child legally becomes an adult, too.
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Friday March 28, 2008
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Question - How do I find out if I will inherit property?
It may take a little time and forbearance -- or a brash inquiry -- to find out whether you're slated to get property by trust or will.
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Wednesday March 26, 2008
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Blog Post - Tune in to PBS for Help and Hope on Caregiving
A new PBS documentary, "Caring for Your Parents," is Reality TV of the purest form -- recognizing that family members now provide 80% of the eldercare in the United States.
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Question - What is a sibling's role in a conservatorship?
Many siblings can offer one another a special type of companionship and support, but a conservatorship deals with other duties.
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Thursday March 20, 2008
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Article - Estate Planning Basics
Estate planning manages money and property during life and passes it to survivors after death. Know what the basic estate planning documents can do.
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Checklist - 6 Estate Planning Questions Your Parents Should Answer
Your parents need to consider six essential questions about their property and end-of-life wishes. Estate planning addresses these issues.
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Thursday March 06, 2008
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Answer - Would my mom's power of attorney and living will have to be changed if she moves to a different state?
Unlike may laws, the laws controlling advance directives can actually make life easier. Your parent may not need to write up new documents if he or she moves to a new state.
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Answer - Does a joint will have to go through probate?
Simple as this question sounds, it actually raises...
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Question - Answer To Joint Will And Probate Question
First, get straight on what's joint property and what's a joint will. Then understand that while most wills must be probated, some can go through a simplified procedure.
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Question - Answer To When To Call Hospice Question
Hospice care is generally reserved for those who are diagnosed to be near death. But other help with care may be available if your parent doesn't qualify for hospice.
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Wednesday March 05, 2008
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Blog Post - Parents Are From Venus, We're From Mars
A simple online test promises to assess your "conversational relationship" with your parents. The bottom line: If you're not talking about the big stuff now, you'd better start.
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Thursday February 28, 2008
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Question - Why do you need a living will?
Whether you need a living will may depend on your trust and experience with the medical establishment.
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Tuesday February 05, 2008
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Question - When making a minor change in a will, do I need to have it done by a lawyer?
If a will revision is truly minor, you may be able to accomplish it on your own.
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Sunday February 03, 2008
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Question - Would my mom's power of attorney and living will have to be changed if she moves to a different state?
Unlike may laws, the laws controlling advance directives can actually make your life easier. Your parent may not need to write up new documents if he or she moves to a new state.
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Monday January 28, 2008
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Answer - How can I help my father, who is bedridden and has numerous health problems, face the end of his life?
Facing death is one of the biggest challenges we all...
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Thursday January 17, 2008
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Article - Hospice Care Basics
Hospice care can make your parent's final days as comfortable as possible. What to expect from hospice care, how to pay for it, and where to find it.
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Friday January 04, 2008
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Checklist - Hospice Care: A Resource List
A list of agencies and organizations that can help you search for and find high quality cancer care.
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Wednesday December 12, 2007
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Question - How do I determine "reasonable" trustee fees?
You may need to do some careful bookkeeping and verifying to determine a "reasonable" trustee fee.
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Thursday December 06, 2007
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Question - Are family trusts public documents?
Unlike most other legal documents that proclaim the maker's intent to the world, trusts keep the lid on things.
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Sunday December 02, 2007
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Question - What is the specific wording I should use to exclude two children from my will?
A few unembellished words will make your intention to disinherit your children bulletproof to later legal challenges.
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Sunday November 18, 2007
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Article - Planning Ahead for Final Arrangements
How you and your parents can plan ahead to ensure the kind of funeral or memorial they want -- and keep your family from paying exorbitant costs.
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Checklist - End-of-Life Arrangements: A Resource List
A list of national funeral, cemetery, and cremation associations to help you plan in advance and find ethical assistance for end-of-life arrangements.
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Thursday September 27, 2007
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Question - What do I do when my mother seems to have lost the will to live?
Redirectlng your mother's time and attention to other people and activities may help give her a new zest for life.
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Wednesday September 19, 2007
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Question - Are powers of attorney different from state to state?
Life -- and dealing with powers of attorney -- might not be as confusing if all state laws were identical. But they're not.
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