What is one of the biggest mistakes retirees routinely make? Robert was recently featured in MarketWatch, where he discussed how to overcome the hurdles of Average Retirement and embrace a full life filled with more meaning, fulfillment and adventure. See an excerpt from the article below, then read the full article on MarketWatch. With longer life expectancies, retirement can last as long as 40 years. That was unheard of decades ago. While the extra time may be a gift, popular culture still views older adults negatively and that permeates people’s thoughts and actions, he said. “We have to r ..read more

Four Steps if You Become a Victim of Identity Theft   1) Report it Report the fraud to all three credit reporting agencies – call each of the agencies below and ask that a “fraud alert” be placed on your report. When you place a call to one bureau concerning fraud, that bureau is supposed to notify the other two bureaus, but I suggest notifying them yourself to be safe. Instruct them that no new lines of credit should be issued in your name without first asking you. All conversations should be followed with a letter sent certified mail, returned receipt requested. Equifax Experian TransU ..read more

The FBI lists identity theft as one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. Over 10 million Americans will be victims this year alone and criminals are getting more sophisticated in their attempts to strip you of vital personal information. Their success can mean hundreds of lost hours, thousands of wasted dollars, and a scarred credit report for you.   Review Account Statements – Unauthorized activity can often be detected by looking at your bank, brokerage, credit card, and other account statements. It will require more than a quick glance—take a few minutes to review each ..read more

Are you at Risk of ID Theft? Certain practices make you more vulnerable to identity theft. If you answer “Yes” on two or more of the following questions you are in a high risk category, and you should to take immediate action to protect yourself. Do you often receive “pre-approved” credit card offers in the mail? Do you receive “convenience checks” from your credit card companies in the mail? Do you throw away statements, convenience checks, or pre-approved offers without first cross-shredding them? Do you carry your social security card in your wallet or purse? Is your mailbox unsecured or u ..read more

Are you worried about identity theft?  Most Americans are. Identity theft is the number one concern among consumers who contact the Federal Trade Commission. Forty-two percent of all complaints to the FTC are regarding identity theft. The fear is justifiably real. The FBI says identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. Over 27,000 individuals become victims every single day. That is over ten million victims per year! We’ve examined a number of strategies you can implement to safeguard property, both from lawsuits and from physical threats, but one more asset ..read more

The threat of a home burglary or fire is real. Home safes and safe-deposit boxes should be a part of your financial makeover. It’s not enough to dream big, save, invest, and have insurance. You need to protect your valuables too. Not all safes provide the same quality of protection. This section demystifies home safes and provides concrete advice on which documents you should keep at home and which documents you should keep in a bank’s safe-deposit box. I have personally experienced loss from both fire and burglary. Both occurred when I was young, but I remember it like it was yesterday. The t ..read more

The frequency of lawsuits is shocking, but despite the numbers, no one believes it will happen to them. Too many people use our legal system as their personal lottery. Frivolous lawsuits are not just a problem for big corporations or the rich. They affect people from all walks of life. With a baseless claim and a contingency attorney, anyone can sue you. The purpose of protecting your assets from frivolous lawsuits is to safeguard what you’ve worked your life to achieve. It is not meant to defraud creditors or shield your money from illegal activities. Just as it is someone’s legal right to su ..read more

The decisions you choose to make and those you ignore or overlook for your estate plan will have long-lasting and permanent ramifications. Don’t let the significance of estate planning prevent you from getting started. Would you fail to jump to action if you saw a friend choking because of the long-lasting ramifications of helping him? Of course not! You’d immediately do whatever you could to help. When it comes to your estate plan, just jump in and get started. The details will work themselves out with time and with the help of an experienced estate attorney. There are many sources—software p ..read more

Optional estate planning documents are generally not legally binding documents.   Their purpose has little or nothing to do with the transfer of assets and do not effect estate tax. Optional estate documents focus on values, lessons, and legacy issues. Not everyone wants to think about these issues since they can be much more emotional. 1) Organ donor. You are probably familiar with the organ donor program in which you place a “donor” sticker on your driver’s license. These are well-intentioned programs but there are inconsistencies among various jurisdictions and potential problems ..read more

Power of Attorney: What is it? This sounds much more complicated than it is. A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that allows one person to act on behalf of another. The person setting up the POA is called the principal and the person given the power to act is called the attorney-in-fact. The scope of the attorney-in-fact can be limited to a single act or can be broad. For example, I can create a POA that allows my neighbor to pay my cable TV bill (limited scope) or that gives my neighbor all my legal power (broad scope).  There are four types of POA and each has its own purpose ..read more