As parents age, it’s natural for adult children to consider their well-being and how best to support them. For some families, guardianship emerges as a potential solution. However, it is crucial to weigh the benefits and implications of this decision carefully before pursuing this legal arrangement. Guardianship entails the legal appointment of a responsible individual to make decisions on behalf of an incapacitated person, known as the ward. These decisions may include healthcare, finances and living arrangements. Before considering guardianship, you’ll assess your aging p ..read more

Watching your parents slide into their golden years can be a cherished journey filled with precious memories and happy moments. It can also be challenging if and when the signs of age-related cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s start to appear. While the initial shock of realizing that your loved one is experiencing cognitive decline can be overwhelming, understanding Alzheimer’s stages can help you provide better care as their needs change. Early-stage Alzheimer’s In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, you may notice subtle changes in your loved one’s cognitive function. They might struggle ..read more

Unlike its better-known counterpart, Alzheimer’s, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has only recently started to make the news. That’s largely in part due to the openness of Hollywood icon Bruce Willis and his family following his diagnosis with the disease. Frontotemporal dementia is the number one most common form of dementia in people under 60 years of age, but it’s still very unfamiliar to most people. What should you know about the disorder? Many victims of FTD are strikingly young. Symptoms typically start when the victim is somewhere between 40 and 65 years of age, but it can afflict people ..read more

Increasingly, Americans are moving farther away from where they grew up. College, and then jobs or relationships, can put them hundreds or even thousands of miles away from their parents. That means when an aging parent – particularly one who’s single – increasingly needs assistance, their adult children often have to find ways to help from a distance. That’s particularly true if a parent wants to remain in their home. Fortunately, there are plenty of caregiver services available for seniors. The challenge is finding the best one – or at least the best affordable one. If your parent has long-t ..read more

The Social Security program was established to provide financial benefits, in part to those who have retired. The idea is that current workers pay into the system and retired workers are able to draw Social Security payments. When the current workers retire, they should be supported by the next generation of workers. However, there have been some reports lately that Social Security is declining. In fact, a key component of it – the Old Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund may run out in less than 10 years. Does this mean that people should be concerned when considering how to preserve their ..read more

In the journey of life, particularly as you approach your golden years, prioritizing your health and well-being becomes increasingly crucial. Yet, unforeseen circumstances can arise, leaving you unable to make critical healthcare decisions for yourself. This is where a healthcare proxy can come in to serve as a vital tool to safeguard your interests and wishes regarding medical care. Learning the ways a healthcare proxy can make your golden years easier may help you make meaningful decisions about your end-of-life care. Empowering decision-making even in incapacitation A healthcare power of at ..read more

Some New Jersey residents recognize when planning for retirement that they may require Medicaid. A family history of Alzheimer’s disease or serious age-related decline might inspire someone to plan for nursing home care. They may have already experienced medical struggles that make them worry about their health later in life. Many New Jersey residents require Medicaid to cover the costs of treatment in a nursing home. Others may aspire to age in place instead of moving to a professional care facility. Aging in place usually involves someone trying to live in their home indefinitely as they gro ..read more

A power of attorney gives you a chance to choose an agent. For instance, a medical power of attorney will be focused on healthcare decisions. If you’re incapacitated and you can’t make these decisions, your agent is allowed to do so. It’s important to choose the right person for this role. They may be the only one who has the legal authorization to make these decisions on your behalf. You need to know that they’re going to put your best interests first and make the decisions that you would like. So what should you look for when deciding who to choose? Intellectual capacity First and foremost ..read more

If you’re concerned about asset protection as you age, it’s important to look beyond the traditional estate planning scope of tangible assets and financial accounts. For older adults, protecting digital assets has become an essential component of comprehensive estate planning.  Digital estate planning generally involves safeguarding a wide range of digital properties, such as online accounts, digital files and even intellectual property. The following are just a few of the several compelling reasons why older adults should prioritize the protection of their digital assets as they either c ..read more

There are many different ways to pass wealth to the next generation. Financial assets could be listed in a will and given to someone directly. They could be put in a trust so that the beneficiary gets payments at certain times or at the discretion of the trustee. Assets could be passed on using a payable-on-death account to quickly transfer a bank account into someone else’s name. For many people, though, one of the largest assets they own is a life insurance policy. If this is part of your estate as you’re setting up your plan, you should know that you can pass it to a beneficiary without usi ..read more