Gifts

Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Know Thy Father: A Guide to Dad's Day

  Knowing your dad well is a good guide to celebrating Father's Day.

• Blog Post - Mom Far Away? Cool Gift Ideas, and Yes, There's Still Time!

  Mother's Day ideas for a mom who lives far away.

• Blog Post - 5 Surprising Ways to Use Memories to Help People With Memory Loss

  Reminiscence therapy improves mood and communication in people with Alzheimer's and dementia by prodding deeply-held memories.

• Blog Post - Easy Money

  If your parents earned $3,000 last year, they're entitled to this year's tax rebate. Even if your parents haven't filed taxes in years because they're retired, they should file this year to ensure they receive their rebate.

• Blog Post - Questions I Wish I'd Asked Mom

  Reflections on a first motherless Mother's Day.

• Blog Post - Don't Wait for a Doctor's Visit to Test for High Blood Pressure

  For those with high blood pressure, home monitoring is recommended by the American Heart Association and other major organizations.

• Blog Post - The Mother's Day Gift That Keeps on Giving

  Spending time with your mother on Mother's Day is the best gift of all.

• Blog Post - Are You a "Designated Daughter"?

  A new book coins a new term for grown daughters who look after their parents: designated daughter.

• Blog Post - My dad wants to double-date with me!

  What to do when your elderly dad starts dating -- and he wants to double-date with you and your spouse.

• Blog Post - Unforgettable Mother's Day Gifts for a Mom Who Forgets

  Great Mother's Day gift ideas for someone with dementia

• Blog Post - A Healthy Gift for National Women's Health Week

  National Women's Health from May 11 to 17 is full of useful health prevention activities on-line and off.

• Blog Post - Easy Money: It's Not Too Late!

  Although the April 15th tax deadline has come and gone, your parents may still be eligible for this year's rebate check -- even if they didn't file a return.

Questions & Answers

• Question - What's the best gift I can give my dying mother?

  When someone is terminally ill, you may not know what gift to give for a birthday or other event. Material goods may not be what a dying person needs.

• Question - What would be a reasonable bonus to pay a home health care worker who has taken care of an ill parent after that parent has passed away?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Who is responsible for paying the capital gains on an inkind gift of stock?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - In the state of MO, how many years before a parent has to go into a nursing home is it legal to turn all real estate property and money over to the adult son or daughter?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Are family corporations good or bad?

  My parents set up a family corporation to pass along their assets. Is a family corporation a good way to do this and to avoid taxes?

• Question - My grandmother will need to file for Medicaid soon due to...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - How should my father balance estate planning, tax planning, and Medicaid planning?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Will we be held responsible for the cost of the nursing home if our mother gave us monetary gifts first?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Can my mother give tax free gifts to her grandchildren?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should my mom put my sister's name on the deed to her home?

  Should my parent put my sister's name on her house deed? Putting a child's name on the house deed before death has some serious disadvantages.

• Question - Can a gift trust to your children protect you from qualifying for Medicaid consideration?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What can I do to encourage my dad to wear his emergency response device?

  This question has been answered by two Caring.com Experts

• Question - How can my mother give me $130,000 without getting hit with a gift tax?

  My mother wants to give me $130000 but doesn't know how...

• Question - Can I amend a life estate?

  Before amending a life estate, consider the possible drawbacks of the arrangement.

• Question - What's the best way to respond when my parent with memory problems keeps repeating himself?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can my parent give durable power of attorney for healthcare to one child, and durable power of attorney for finance to another?

  Can my parents give one child durable power of attorney for healthcare and one durable power of attorney for finances? Power of attorney can be split.

• 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.

• Question - How should the children sell and divide the family home?

  Before you can sell off the family home, you have to prove that you own it.

• 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.

• Question - What are some budget-friendly ways to keep my mom safe during bathing?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - If I'm the partner on a friend's checking account, is it legal for me to distribute the funds after death?

  My friend and I had a joint checking account before he died -- he added me to his account. Can I distribute the funds from our joint account now?

• Question - Can my mother help pay for her grandchildren's education and still qualify for Medicaid?

  Will a parent risk Medicaid benefits by helping with grandchildren's education? It's essential to consider whether Medicaid will be lost this way.

• Question - How can I convince my dying mother to write a "goodbye" letter to her grandchildren?

  Should your parent write a goodbye letter to loved ones? Expert advice about whether to nudge her to write a goodbye letter as part of her legacy.

• Question - How can I protect the annuities that are now in my name when seeking Medicaid coverage?

  Transferring assets in the hope of qualifying for Medicaid eligibility can be risky business.

Tips & Reflections

• Tip - Tax-Free Annual Gifts to Children

  Tax free gifts to children can help your parent reduce their tax liability. Parents may give a maximum of $12,000 per year to each child without incurring a gift tax.