Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Beware Of Inheritance Scams
When you receive a letter in the mail that proclaims that “you win” before you even open the envelope, or when an email from a stranger arrives in your inbox with the word “congratulations” in the subject line, you are wise to be skeptical. Telling consumers that they are entitled to an influx of… Read More »
Should You Sell Your Empty Nest Or Rent It Out?
Congratulations on making the decision not to age in place. Indecision is one of the worst estate planning decisions you can make. There is no one size fits all answer about whether you should continue living in the house where you raised your children, but the first step to making actionable plans for retirement… Read More »
Successful Aging In Place Happens At The Community Level
When you decide to age in place and start looking for advice about how to prepare, most of the articles you find are about home renovations to accommodate the mobility needs of seniors. You can read all about benches for your shower, chairlifts on the stairs, and converting a room on the lower floor… Read More »
Helping Your Kids Afford Home Ownership: Dos And Don’ts
If you are a parent, then your children figure into your retirement plans in some way or another. Perhaps your attitude is, “We are finished raising our children; our retirement savings are for us, and if there is anything left when we die, our kids can have it,” but even if this is the… Read More »
Your Estate Plan Should Include Care And Support For Family Caregivers, Too
Aging in place and living close to your children or siblings during retirement is the obvious choice for many members of close-knit families, especially if they are already living with other adult family members besides their spouse while they are still in the workforce. On the surface, relying on your family for care seems… Read More »
What Does Medicaid’s Five-Year Look Back Rule Have To Do With Your Estate Plan?
Relying on Medicaid for nursing home care is no one’s idea of a dream come true. Once you enter a nursing home as a Medicaid recipient, the state does everything within its power to reimburse itself for its so-called generosity to you. Your Social Security check goes straight to Medicaid, and you get a… Read More »
The Most Fun Part Of Estate Planning: Taking Inventory Of Your Memorabilia Collection
What is it with old guys collecting old stuff and talking endlessly about it to anyone who will listen? Your grandpa had his coin collection, your dad had his baseball cards, and the neighbor who lived down the street had a garage full of model trains. Some guys love vinyl records, some love old… Read More »
Do Risky Investments Have Any Place In Your Retirement Plan?
Money is only one of the things you need to think about when you plan for retirement. Estate planning lawyers may break the ice by asking you what you would like to spend money on in your old age and what your idea of a comfortable retirement looks like. Beyond those first few conversations,… Read More »
Difficult Decisions When Balancing Your Responsibilities As A Parent With Your Estate Plan
Before commercial flights take off, flight attendants instruct passengers that, if the oxygen masks descend due to a decrease in cabin pressure, they should put on their own oxygen masks before trying to assist their children with their masks. A similar principle applies when it comes to securing your own financial future while helping… Read More »
Asset Protection Strategies To Keep Medicaid From Helping Itself To Your Estate
Like the mother-in-law who promises to provide free childcare and then breaks all your rules about food and discipline while complaining constantly about how noisy your kids are and how much they eat, Medicaid is there for you. Most of the things in life that promise to be freebies are not, including Medicaid nursing… Read More »