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What Is An Elder Law and Special Needs Law Attorney and when should one be contacted?

What Is An Elder Law and Special Needs Law Attorney And When Should One Be Contacted?

By Karen H. Weber, JD, Elder Law and Special Needs Law Attorney

Elder law and special needs law attorneys are competent and compassionate professionals who focus on the holistic goals of the client. They typically represent the client’s interests in legal, medical, financial, social and family matters, with a primary emphasis on promoting the highest quality of life for the individual. […]

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Adding Adult Child to Account Proves Costly

Adding Adult Child to Account Proves Costly
By Craig Watson, Texoma LIVING WELL Magazine
When Gail reached age 75, she took her children’s advice and put their names on her checking account so they could pay her bills in case anything ever happened to her. Her children were happily married to sweet spouses that Gail trusted. The teller at the bank was very helpful and Gail followed the teller’s suggestion regarding how to put her children’s names on her account. Gail had about $3,000 in her checking account, which represented all of her life savings. […]

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Getting your stock portfolio back on track

Getting Back on Track
Courtesy ANB Bank, Colorado Springs LIVING WELL Magazine
After experiencing a year in which the S&P 500 had its smallest change in value in history, stock investors were determined to start off 2012 in a positive manner, and boy did they succeed. The S&P 500 had its best first quarter since 1998, returning 12.58%. The S&P 500 closed the quarter at 1,408.47, which is within 10% of its all time high of 1,576 achieved in October of 2007. […]

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The Ward Law Firm on the Importance of Planning for the Golden Years

Set Your Plan in Motion

By: Ronald Ward, Jr., Northshore LIVING WELL Magazine

Planning can be an enjoyable activity. When planning a trip, we often read books, magazines, and internet articles about our destination. Where will we stay? What will we eat? How will we get there? How long will we stay? Admittedly, retirement planning is less enjoyable for most people than planning a trip to Europe. Even so, this planning should bring you peace of mind. By eliminating the unknown and embracing a plan, our human nature finds comfort in moving toward our goal if we have an estate plan. […]

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Family Matters talks "Don't Forget the Details of Planning Ahead" – LIVING WELL Magazine

Don’t Forget the Details of Planning Ahead
Courtesy of Family Matters, East Denver LIVING WELL Magazine
Most people rely on industry experts to plan their estates, preparing wills, trusts, health care directives, powers of attorney and financial plans […]

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Articles

Key Things to Know About Probate When a Loved One Dies

Key Things to Know About Probate When a Loved One Dies
By Lori A. Leu & Erin W. Peirce, Texas LIVING WELL Magazines
Have you ever heard someone ask whether a Will or an estate has been “probated,” and wondered, “What is probate?” The term “probate” refers to the judicial procedure wherein a Will is proven to be valid. Over time, the term “probate” has evolved to refer to the legal process in which the estate (everything owned at the time of death) of a deceased person, called the “decedent” is administered, whether or not the person had a Will. […]

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Naming your estate representatives – considerations and pitfalls

NAMING YOUR ESTATE REPRESENTATIVES –CONSIDERATIONS AND PITFALLS

Courtesy Bradley & Riley PC, Linn County LIVING WELL Magazine

The estate planning process involves creating documents for management of your financial assets (both during your lifetime and following your death) and creating documents authorizing healthcare decisions while you are alive, but incapacitated. […]

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MEDICAL POWER OF ATTORNEY – AN ADVANCE MEDICAL DIRECTIVE

MEDICAL POWER OF ATTORNEY – AN ADVANCE MEDICAL DIRECTIVE

By Ronald Ward, Jr., Ward Law Firm, LIVING WELL Magazine

One day, a loved one may ask you to make medical decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so. Although you may have heard of a medical power of attorney, you may not know what it is really about. Unlike a durable power of attorney that would grant you authority to make financial decisions on their behalf, a medical power of attorney would grant you broad authority to make medical decisions on their behalf. […]