Tag Archive for: attorney

Democracy Dies In Typos… So We Just Ignore ‘Em

But It Avoids Probate! It’ll Be Fine! Nothing Bad Ever Happens!

Are we entitled to stocks from Uncle who removed Father as POD from Grandmothers account by mail when Grandma had dementia?

Grandma had severe dementia. Our Dad passed away and both him and my Uncle were POD beneficiary on her stock account.

Our Uncle requested a new account be opened removing our Dad as POD by mail. Grandma was not in her right mind and did not know what she signed. Uncle controlled all her finances. Paying her bill etc. He had undue influence over her. He wrote checks to his son in large amounts before she passed. He told us he would transfer our Fathers portion of stocks to us but then changed his mind and told broker not to do it. He now claims they are all his and we don’t get our Fathers portion. Grandma had a will that my Uncle now claims is missing so she died intestate. Bank statements tell the story of money he has taken before and after her passing. Grandma always told us and said it in her will everything was to be split between everyone. A neutral administrator is going to be appointed but the stock account has not been included in probate. How do we get our fathers portion of stocks. There is only my sister, Uncle and myself remaining.

There are two things going on here. First, Truth and Consequences of Grandma taking the easy way out by naming beneficiaries on stuff. Second, nefarious Uncle embezzling and undue influencing Grandma.

Truth And Consequences Of Taking The Easy Way Out

Avoid probate is great! Ask anybody. Beneficiary designations are great! Ask anybody. But are “Pay On Death” or “Transfer On Death” orders really the best? What if things go sideways? What if the world does not unfold the way you think it should?

Financial Advisors, Attorneys, Your Uncle Charlie and common sense all say that your kids will outlive you, so why not name them on your Individual Retirement Account, Life Insurance, Bank Accounts, Stock Accounts, and (God forbid!) your real estate (through the “lady bird deed”). This idea of “naming people” is easy, cheap, seductive, and actually works some of the time. But what if the Magic 8 Ball says: “Don’t Count On It” or “Outlook Not So Good”? Then what? Our letter writer is discovering what happens when Grandma assumes too much.

Uncle gets “Dad’s share” of Grandma’s stock account. But there’s nothing wrong with that! Grandma named her sons as “transfer on death” (TOD) beneficiaries. But Dad had to survive Grandma to be a TOD beneficiary. Uncle started out to be generous and kind and sharing. But he had a change of heart (not unusual when money is concerned) and decided to keep it all. As was his legal right. Could Grandma have taken other action (Hint: like a trust) to make sure that the surviving children of her deceased son (that’s our letter writer) did not miss out on the stocks? Yes. But she did not.

Bottom Line #1: When Dad died before Grandma, his entitlement (and his kids) to Grandma’s stock account lapsed. Kaput. Done. Over. Gone With The Wind.

Bottom Line #2: What if I misunderstood the letter and Dad died AFTER Grandma? If he survived by 72 hours, his estate would be entitled to the TOD share. And then Dad’s descendants would take through Dad’s estate. And the Broker could not simply give the money to Uncle, but would have to pay half to Dad’s estate.

Uncle Judas Betrays Niece And Nephew

There is a special place (an especially terrible place) in Hell reserved for those who betray their family members. It’s right next door to the Great Satan and populated with creative imps and demons whose sole delight is torture.

There are special laws, on this side of the Great Divide, to deal with those who financially exploit their family members. Especially terrible consequences for those who take advantage of vulnerable parents and older folks. Did Uncle exercise undue influence? Were the withdrawals legitimately authorized by Grandma or greedily embezzled by Uncle?

Bottom Line: Grandma depended on Uncle. Uncle controlled all finances. Uncle gave Grandma’s money to his own immediate family members. Uncle is accused of wrongdoing, undue influence, financial abuse of the elderly, embezzlement.

On the criminal side, Uncle is entitled to the presumption of innocence. It must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Uncle is guilty.

But on the civil side, it is different. When it comes to undue influence, fiduciary Uncle is presumed guilty (liable). Uncle must prove that there was no undue influence. Good luck with that!

Take Away Lesson: Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Half-planning measures like TOD beneficiary designations and failure to comprehensively plan open the door to exploitation. Not everyone resists temptation. If Uncle is guilty, he deserves the consequences, no excuses. But prudent planning would both limit evil Uncle’s ability to commit dastardly deeds and prevent weak Uncle from giving in to his all-too-common greedy impulses.

It Is Not That Hard To Figure Out That The American Middle Class Is Getting Shafted

Read the Print Version

Just The Facts Ma’am. All Good Stuff Without Bad Fluff

Is The World Changing? What Can You Do To Succeed?

You yourself are getting older. You expect to live longer. And healthier. Than any generation ever. In the history of the world. And you are correct. Has there ever been a generation quite like this one? Higher expectations. Greater achievement. Self-confidence. Ambition. Generosity.

Thanks to you, America is getting older. We grew up in an era of large families. Today a large family is three. Many of your kids have no kids. Maybe one or two. How often do you see a family of five? Youngsters are a shrinking slice of the population pie.

As folks get older, they have greater needs. No surprise. Physical and mental capabilities decline. It happens. But not at age 60 or 70, anymore. However, when we get to our mid-80’s, about half of us are going to need a hand. Who will be there to lend the hand?

Nurses are sick. And tired. Sick and tired of nursing. Hundreds of thousands have left the profession. Despite high pay. And bonuses. Other caregivers are under stress too. Good help is hard to find. My father had 8 kids (and a long-suffering son-in-law). Willing and able to spend 2-to-4 week turns with our active, ornery, mentally alert, Dad. For the last two years of his 96 years on this planet. How many of us have that many kids? How many are able? How many are willing? Who will fill the gap? How will those caregivers be paid?

Prices are going up. Way up. Way way up. No one should be fooled by the three-card monte scam being run out of Washington, D.C. Inflation is not just gasoline. Inflation is not just “transitory.” Or the Russians’ fault. Or the “supply chain.” Inflation destroys savings. Your savings. You thought you had enough to pay the caregivers. Maybe you should think again?

Is this tiresome and boring? After all, everybody knows these things. You know this is the truth. Go to the gas station or grocery store. Talk to your friends and neighbors, at church or the club. Why deny the evidence of your own eyes? And wallet?

Pathetic politicians and profiteering professionals pretend nothing has changed. Same old, same old. Their ideas failed when everything was easier. That’s all they’ve got. No new thinking. No response to the changing world.

Retreads. Like Russia hauling 60-year-old tanks out of cold storage to keep invading a country that is armed with modern weapons Anything to keep playing the old game. Blind stupidity: failed with our new stuff, so let’s fail again with our old stuff. Keep up the charade long enough to fleece another few suckers. Why does anyone fall for it?

Can’t we be brutally honest? Can’t we look around with clear eyes, good hearts, and a fierce determination to keep our independence, our right to choose our lives, and to make a better world for our families? Who says we must accept decline? Who says we must put up with this nonsense? Who says we must follow the well-trod path? Can’t we choose the “road less-taken”? You have forged your own way through this life with grace, compassion, and generosity, why stop now?

Just a few pebbles start a landslide. A little snowball launches an avalanche. Small changes in thinking about your future, acting and planning for your life to come, can change everything over time. Are you opposed to making the next 10, 20, 30 years the best they can be? Are you against securing your own future and that of your family? Do you believe that “Ignorance is Bliss”? Do you reject that “Knowledge is Power”?

No one would blame you for thinking this is all a lot of blather. But everything above is backed up by the facts. Laid out below. You don’t need clever talk. Just the facts. And here they are:

covid death spikes

You Are Going To Be Around A Lot Longer Than You Think

Doesn’t everybody know Americans are living longer? Murder rates are up, but that’s mostly 20 to 30-year-olds killing other 20 to 30-year-olds. COVID, the Elder Plague, did kill more older folks. From 2020 to 2021, an extra million Americans died. Blip.

However, the overall trend to longer life continues. And that means you. You are living longer. Good for you. Right? Why shouldn’t you plan to live until 80? 85? 90? Or more? Get used to it, you are living longer. And so are your friends and neighbors.

life expectancy graph

If people are living longer, will they need more resources? If you are living longer, will you need to make your own savings last longer? Or will you happily accept poverty? Or a government handout?

There Will Be A Lot More Older Folks In America And Fewer Young Ones

Everybody knows, as life expectancies increase, there are more and more older Americans. Despite the Elder Plague of COVID, which overwhelmingly killed older folks. And given the lower birth rate, not only will there be more seniors, but seniors will be a greater proportion of the population.

It is unusual, but sometimes government information confirms common sense.

older adult population

Isn’t it simple math: if older retired folks make up a larger and larger percentage, then younger, working people must be a smaller and smaller slice of the population pie?

You Are Not Getting Older, You Are Getting Better!
Up To A Point About Age 80, Then You Fall Off The Cliff…

Modern medical miracles are miraculous. But we all know that as we age, various things start to become troublesome. As lifetimes increase, there are more and more older Americans. Is it crazy to think that as there are more and more older Americans, there might be more and more disabled Americans? That’s what the numbers say.

disabilities by age and type chart

Where Have All The Nurses Gone?

Is anyone surprised that as more Americans need more nursing assistance, we will look to America’s nurses? But where have all the nurses gone? Even now, historically high wages, signing bonuses, premium pay, special benefits, and a smorgasbord of other goodies cannot keep nurses nursing.

Hundreds of thousands have dropped out of the profession in the last few years. Only 41% of practicing nurses are committed to remaining in service. 27% saying it was “very unlikely” they would quit. 14% flatly stated that they were “not leaving.” The rest range from “definitely leaving” to “somewhat unlikely” to depart.

When you need a nurse, who will be there? When you need a caregiver, who will answer the call? And how much will you have to pay? Can you?

nursing survey
Source: McKinsey November 2021 Frontline Workforce Survey

Inflation – Bad And Getting Worse. Much Worse

Gone to the gas station or grocery store recently? Then you already have the bad news on inflation. Prices going up, up, up. It is not an illusion. Hard at work spending your tax dollars, the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the following melancholy reminder that your consumer dollars are melting away like snowflakes on a hot griddle.

And that is bad. What is worse, is the next chart. Take a look!

consumer price index chart

What is worse than prices at the pump skyrocketing? Future prices streaking to the stratosphere, that’s what! Thanks to the geniuses in Washington, you are already paying lots more than last year for your stuff. About 8.5% more. What about next year?

The “Producer Price Index” shows what raw materials cost. How do you manufacture finished goods? You start with raw materials. Raw materials now cost 16.3% more than a year ago. Do you believe that inflation is going away? Do you believe that the geniuses have it all under control? Do you believe in the Easter Bunny, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Lost City of Atlantis?

producer price index

If everything is more expensive, will the costs of long-term care be more expensive? Is it ridiculous to think that ignoring the devastation of inflation will ruin your retirement?

Secure Your Future, Avoid Nursing Home Poverty

Too much brutal honesty? Don’t want to see with clear eyes, good hearts, and a fierce determination to keep your independence? Choose your own life? Make this a better world for your family?

Must you accept decline? Must you put up with this nonsense? Why should you follow mindless path? Why not choose the “road less- taken”? Having forged your own way through this life with grace, compassion, and generosity, why would you stop now?

Why are you opposed to making the next 10, 20, 30 years the best they can be? Why are you against securing your own future and that of your family? Why do you believe that “Ignorance is Bliss”? Why reject that “Knowledge is Power”?

Why not come to a LifePlan™ Workshop? What do you have to lose? Besides everything?

 

 

Letters, We Get Letters!

Lady Byng Trophy* Withdrawn Marquess Of Queensbury Rules** Repealed And Anonymous Emails Too!

What, Me Throw Stones? Challenge Accepted!

We like to think we are genteel, well-mannered, calm, “with the milk of human kindness by the quart in every vein.” Shattering this self-delusion, a dear anonymous email correspondent recently suggested that your Reporter must live in a stainless-steel abode. After all, was not The Reporter throwing too many stones for his own good? Probably meant as a gentle warning. Food for thought!

On the other hand, as John Bunyan observed in 1650: “He that is down needs fear no fall, He that is low no pride…” With a lively appreciation of The Reporter’s own faults, foibles, and failings (multitudinous!) therefore, we soldier on. Without fear or favor!

*Annually, the Lady Byng Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player best exhibiting “sportsmanship and gentlemanly behavior.”

**In 1867, the M of Q Rules for boxing were intended to reduce death and maiming of English pugilists. Mike Tyson unavailable for comment.

Avoid Probate, Save Taxes, Get To Kids?
Traditional Planning Is Death Planning
And When You Die Broke, Drained By Long-Term Care, Probate Is Irrelevant

Traditional estate planning is supposed to avoid probate, save taxes, and dump your leftover stuff on your beneficiaries. After you die. Nobody cares what happens to you while you are alive. How does that help anyone? Stupid.

Traditional estate planning fails because the overwhelming majority of us will need long-term skilled care. 70% of us. For an average of 3 years. And we will go broke paying for it.

Is it surprising that thousands of recreation properties: cottages, cabins, hunting land, are lost to pay for long-term care? Why is your estate planner hurting you and your family? It is evil intent? Or stupidity?

LifePlanning™ defeats Nursing Home Poverty. Keep your stuff. Get the care you have already paid for. Good for you. Good for your family. Good example for society.

When my mother suffered from the dementia which led to her death, over 10 years ago, their estate plan preserved their lifesavings. Mom’s months in the nursing home did not mean Dad’s impoverishment. Dad spent the last years with security and peace of mind.

Is Now A Bad Time For A Real Solution?

Perhaps you think you already have an answer to this problem. Maybe you do not see this as a problem at all. It is possible that you do not believe in the passage of time or its effects on you.

Peace of mind and financial security are waiting for everyone who practices LifePlanning™. You know that peace only begins with financial security. Are legal documents the most important? Is avoiding probate the best you can do for yourself or your loved ones? Is family about inheritance? Or are these things only significant to support the foundation of your family?

Do you think finding the best care is easy? Do you want to get lost in the overwhelming flood of claims and promises? Or would you like straight answers?

Well, here you are. Now you know. No excuses. Get the information, insight, inspiration. It is your turn. Ignore the message? Invite poverty? Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions. For you. For your loved ones.

The LifePlan™ Workshop has been the first step on the path to security and peace for thousands of families. Why not your family?

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE.
It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.

Get Information Now. (800) 317-2812

When You Absolutely Positively Have To Put It Off Until Some Other Time

Download the Print Version

We Also Scream To Avoid Planning

Don’t worry, be happy
Ain’t got no cash, ain’t got no style
Ain’t got no gal to make you smile
Don’t worry, be happy
‘Cause when you worry your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don’t worry, be happy
“Don’t Worry, Be Happy”

—Bobby McFerrin

Did Your Parents Raise A Sluggish Sloth Or A Competent Character?

When you get home at night, do you leave the lights off? Does the thrill of bumping into things, falling down the stairs, and stepping on awkward items appeal to your adventurous spirit? Do you favor a life of anxiety? Do you look forward to high blood pressure, poor digestion, experiencing that creepy feeling of dread? Are you opposed to happiness and contentment? Do you embrace chaos and upset? Or do you seek Peace of Mind®?

Would you be surprised to learn that there are two paths to Peace of Mind™? The first path involves effort, work, dedication, stick-to-it-iveness, dauntless spirit, reasonable focus on accomplishment. Path #1 is where you find volunteer firemen, blood donors, the folks you can count on.

More popular is Path #2. The second path requires ignoring your own obvious needs and the needs of those around you. Ignorance is Bliss! Stick your head in the sand. If you cannot see it, it cannot hurt you. Gee, I wonder if the crowds at those new marijuana dispensaries are on Path #1 or Path #2…

Unfortunately, you were brought up by folks who chose the first path. Work, love, dedication, achievement. All those uncomfortable things that get in the way of TV binge watching. Consuming YouTube cat videos. Absorbing bargains galore on the home shopping networks. Golly, your folks made it very difficult for you to live the sweet couch potato life.

How can you get beyond your inbred desire to deliver? Vanquish your drive to survive? Squash your sense of responsibility? Unraveling habits of a lifetime can be difficult, but, as they say, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but whether you can have your cake and eat it too!

Olympic athletes train for years to hone their skills to a razor edge of perfection. You have worked for years to reach your goals, raise your family, do a great job at work, and be a valued member of your church, community, team, euchre tournament. You are an Olympian of the American Dream. A Medal of middle-class Gold hangs from your neck. Your world celebrates!

But now the looming spectre of estate planning looms like a hideous hobgoblin. You feel an inner urge to get this done…see it through. Will power is not enough. Fanatical focus will fail. How can you run away from the dreadful demons of trusts, wills, and powers of attorney? Is resistance futile? Is an Estate Plan inevitable? How can you escape?

Super easy! Barely an inconvenience. With the following professional excuses, you can put off facing the facts almost indefinitely. You are welcome!

Warm Up To Provide Peak Performance

“Everyone Has The Will To Win But Very Few Have The Will To Prepare To Win.”

—Vince Lombardi

Olympians and professional football players getting ready for the “big game” share a secret. All elite athletes know that mental and physical preparation is key. Can you escape your future-planning responsibilities without focused training? Of course not!

Follow the protocol. Stand in front of a full-length mirror. Hands on hips. Throw your head back. Suck your gut in. Stick your chest out. Draw and deep breath, then…

Loudly And Firmly Proclaim These Statements Three (3) Times:

  • Only Nerds Want To Retire Comfortably
  • Financial Security Is Bad. And Impossible
  • I Want To Die Broke, Splurging My Last Nickels
  • On Long-Term Care
  • I Look Forward To Nursing Home Poverty
  • My Spouse Can Look Out For Herself. Or Himself.
  • My Kids Don’t Need Money And Would Waste Any Inheritance Anyway

Excellent! And now for a cleansing breath… Your body tingles. Your mind expands. You have looked forward all week to this installment. The moment of truth has arrived. Excellent

Excuses. Decisive Defenses. And now, Effective Evasions to frustrate and deflect any attempt at making you look ahead.

LifePlanning™ Is Unnecessary And A Total Waste Of Time & Money Because:

Firetrucks have sirens because loud noises are great! Whoever is yelling must be winning…
So let’s get loud. As follows:
Number One: Raise your voice and strongly state: “LifePlanning™ is Stupid, Superfluous, and a…”
Number Two: Quickly follow with one of these Negative Nuggets:

#10 … Waste Of Time Because It Is Overkill!

All I want is a simple will! All these fancy schmancy papers would be great for Thurston Howell the 3rd or maybe multimillionaire Bruce Wayne. You have to understand, we are working folks who managed to save a little. Paid off the house. Contributed to the 401(k). And here you are dumping all this confusing paperwork on us. Sure, I like to go deer hunting, never miss it. But you’re trying to get me on an African safari shooting elephants! Fishing for bluegill, perch, bass, and the occasional muskie is the best. But you want me to chase down the great white whale Moby Dick. Sorry! It is all just too much. Simple is best. Mom and Dad had a will. Gramma and Grampa had a will. And that’s fine by me!

Totally agree! Simple is best. That’s why you simply put blocks of ice in the icebox to keep your perishables from perishing. Newfangled refrigerators, who needs ‘em? Simple is best. That’s why you have always refused to have flush toilets in your house… ever hear of an outhouse that backed up? Ever need a plunger in a privy? Of course not. Who needs all that confusion? Besides, it is good for the kids to pump the handle when they want water… and we even brought the handpump into the kitchen… in my day it was out in the yard.

Yes, simple is best. Mr. Ford made the Model T in every color anyone could desire: black. Who needs windows on the sides, anyway? Some poor deluded folks actually have windows that go up and down. And cars that blow warm air around in the winter. And cool air in the summertime. Gosh that is just too much! Simple is best. Next thing you know, you’ll want special belts or something to protect passengers in a crash. Or balloons that pop out of nowhere so you don’t go through the windshield. That stuff is not for you! Simple is best.

Folks next door got this talking picture box. Like the movies, but at home. Almost as big as the movies. Just awful how confusing it is. Simple is best. Our 1935 Zenith Stratosphere 1000Z radio receiving set burnt out its tubes a few years ago. But it still looks good and besides, I couldn’t find Little Orphan Annie on the dial anymore. Simple is best.

And do not get started on modern medicine! With their highfalutin’ cardiac bypasses, pacemakers, cataract eye operations and penicillin. Humph. Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound was good enough for Granny and it’s good enough for me. Simple is best.

So let your friends buy cars with wind-up windows, air conditioning, air bags, crumple zones and upholstery that survives little kids. You don’t need a garbage disposal. Or indoor plumbing. Or an electrical refrigerator that makes ice cubes. Cell phones, cable boxes, streaming TV services, big screen TVs, flat screen TVs, gas stoves, microwave ovens, running water. So complex! You are very simple.

Are you against airbags in your car if it means your spouse doesn’t fly through the windshield? Are you against LifePlanning™ if it means your spouse is not left in nursing home poverty? Does it matter if you are the one going through the windshield? Left in poverty?

Are you opposed to indoor plumbing and central heat? Are you opposed to doing what must be done to get benefits that you value?

Albert Einstein was a very smart fellow. And he did not like things that were too confusing or complicated. And this is what he said:

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.

Simple is good. But is it still good if you lose your savings, house, cottage, independence?

#11 … Waste Of Time Because I Will Spend It All Anyway!

Do you know anyone who goes to the payday lender? Anyone who heads to the casino as soon as their Social Security money shows up? How many people do you know that, as soon as they pay off one installment contract, run right out and get into another one? Can you imagine buying groceries on a credit card? Can you imagine buying groceries on a credit card when you don’t pay off the balance each month? Can you imagine paying 26.5% interest on last night’s dinner?

Did you hate paying off the mortgage? Do you wonder how some people don’t seem to care how much money they owe? Some of your co-workers used to complain about how they always had more “month than money”. Did you ever think, “Hey knucklehead, maybe if you weren’t always buying the latest and greatest doo-dad, gee-gaw, or watchamacallit, you’d have more money than month.”? Did you ever think anything like that?

Since everyone always has saved enough money to pay for long-term care, there is no need for any government long-term care program. So Medicaid is bad and wrong. It is just like Social Security. Everyone always has saved enough money to pay for their retirement. There’s is no need for any government retirement income program.

But wait! Social Security is different! You paid in. With every paycheck, the government skimmed off 15+% FICA (employer and employee) to pay for Social Security. So getting some return on your Social Security taxes is OK!

Help me out here… Is Medicaid different? Did you ever get a paycheck where you didn’t pay federal and state income taxes on every nickel you earned? Does the government run Medicaid for free? Did you somehow skip out on paying for Medicaid? With every paycheck. And Social Security check too?

Why are you opposed to getting something back for all the dollars you paid in? It is OK to get Social Security because you paid taxes for it. But it is bad to get long-term care Medicaid because you paid taxes for it?

There are lots and lots of Medicaid programs – dozens of them. Most Medicaid programs provide for our fellow Americans who have very little. But there is a slice of Medicaid, middle-class Medicaid, that pays for long-term care. For all Americans. Even you.

For most Medicaid programs, you have to be broke. Middleclass Medicaid lets you keep your house, up to $700,000. And your stuff, no limit on value. And your “motorized vehicle”, also no limit.

So, Medicaid is bad and you hate it. You hate it so much that you will spend all your money. Then, sell the house and all your stuff, spend all that too. And then wind up on Medicaid anyway. Sounds like a plan to me! Good luck with that.

#12 … Waste Of Time Because Medicaid Won’t Work When I Need It!

Medicaid nursing homes, long-term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and anyone else who provides Medicaid care are just the worst! If a facility accepts Medicaid, the place smells bad, the staff is rude, the management is poor, and the care is awful. God forbid that you or a loved one is ever condemned to a Medicaid facility or is forced to receive Medicaid services. Great excuse!

Gee, I wonder what percentage of skilled nursing facilities accept Medicaid? 10%? 30% 50%?

Actually every skilled nursing facility accepts Medicaid. All of them. 100%. Do you have enough money to pay $10,000 – $15,000 per month for skilled care? For an average of 3 years. With a good chance of 5 years? Is it ridiculous to think that nursing homes would like to get paid when you go broke? Are you opposed to caregivers getting paid? Do nursing homes get everything for free?

Not so fast! Everybody knows that there are very few “Medicaid beds”. You know, the ones that they seal with plastic. So the bedbugs cannot escape. Just a few Medicaid beds.

Funny thing, though. About 70-80% of long-term, skilled nursing facility residents are paid for by Medicaid. How did that happen? Maybe because all beds are Medicare-certified. And all Medicare beds can be paid with Medicaid dollars.

#13 … Waste Of Time Because Every Other Attorney Must Be Doing This!

Medicaid is for poor people (meaning people without any money or stuff). And you have money and stuff, so Medicaid is not for you! Logical! Makes sense!

Question: How long will you have any money or stuff if you are paying $10-15,000 per month for long-term care?

Are you opposed to not going broke? Is it ridiculous to think that you (or your loved one) might get better care if your lifesavings had not melted away like a snowflake on a hot griddle? Are you against paying for the extra services you want?

You get a shower a week in a long-term care facility. How often do you shower now? Are you against paying some of your hard-earned savings to get a shower more frequently?

If your long-term care “insurance” (also known as Medicaid) paid for the $10-15,000 cost of basic services, and, if your lifesavings were intact, would you choose to spend some of those savings to make your days more pleasant? Do you want to be poor? Is poverty more noble? Is it honorable to spend down a lifetime of work in a matter of months? Does it make sense to believe that the government knows best? Is it foolish to plan for your future?

#14 … Waste Of Time Because If This Worked, Every Other Attorney Would Be Doing This!

Yesterday I was looking in the mirror. I felt depressed. I said to my bride of 15 years, “Honey, when I look in the mirror I see an old, fat, bald guy, and it depresses me. Honey,” I said, “I need your help.”

“Oh?” said the love of my life, “How may I be of service?” “Honey,” I replied, “I need a compliment. Looking at this fat, old, bald guy in the mirror here is bringing me down. I really feel the need for some compassion, a compliment would sure make me feel better!”

“Well,” said my soulmate, “Your eyesight is damn near perfect!”

Since I have been wearing glasses since the 8th grade, my wife’s compliment was exactly what the doctor ordered. I felt better immediately. So, when I ask you, “Is it ridiculous to think that you are not getting older, you are getting better?” Remember this little love tale of mine. And draw your own conclusions.

And the hits just keep on coming! More great excuses are on their way!

Here’s a sneak preview of the next fabulous five excuses to avoid planning:
#10 … Waste Of Time Because It Is Overkill!
#11 … Waste Of Time Because I Will Spend It All Anyway.!
#12 … Waste Of Time Because Medicaid Won’t Work When I Need It!
#13 … Waste Of Time Because Every Other Attorney Must Be Doing This!
#14 … Waste Of Time Because If This Worked, Every Other Attorney Would Be Doing This!

Is Now A Bad Time For A Real Solution?

Perhaps you already have all the answers. Maybe this is no problem at all. Possibly you do not believe in the passage of time.

Your habits and values have earned you peace of mind and financial security. LifePlanning™ is the easy part. You worked for the peace that only comes with financial security. What is most important, legal documents? Avoiding probate, is that the best you can do? Is family about inheritance? Or are the deeper things most significant?

Is any of this easy? Do you want to get lost in the overwhelming flood of claims and promises? Or would you like straight answers?

Well, here you are. Now you know. No excuses. Get the information, insight, inspiration. It is your turn. Ignore the message? Invite poverty? Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions. For you. For your loved ones.

The LifePlan™ Workshop has been the first step on the path to security and peace for thousands of families. Why not your family?

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE.
It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.

Get Information Now.
(800) 317-2812

Estate Planning Is Dumb, A Waste Of Time

Download the Print Version

You Scream, I Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream!
We Also Scream To Avoid Planning

“We have forty million reasons for failure, but not a single excuse.”
—Rudyard Kipling

“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.”
—George Washington

Are You A Failure At Making Excuses?

Poor Rudyard Kipling. He is like you. Forty million reasons, but not a single excuse? Perhaps he lacked skill. Or talent. Not even a single excuse in a gigantic 40 million straw haystack of reasons? And you are in the same boat. Have you ever come up with an excuse that satisfied your spouse? Me neither.

George Washington, Founding Father, spoke with the voice of experience: “Better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” How could it be that George Washington, “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” failed so miserably at making excuses? And fail at excuses he did… How else could he learn that bad excuses are the worst? And when George failed to excuse failure, what did he do? Founder the United States. Revolutionary. Beat the British. Farmer. Inventor. Statesman. Stuff like that.

You have 40 million reasons to avoid LifePlanning™. But when your dearly beloved suggests planning ahead, your 40 million reasons to do something else strangely evaporate. Like mist in the morning sun. Dense fog one minute, clear day the next. What is this phenomenon? The answer is obvious!

It is not reasons that you lack, but excuses. And we are here to help. As a public service. No charge. Expert excuses, here for the reading. High quality, too. When it comes to shirking important responsibilities, ordinary, everyday dodges will not suffice. You need professional help.

Tip-Top Training And Practical Preparation In The Art Of Avoidance

Otter: No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.
Bluto: And we’re just the guys to do it.
—Animal House, 1978

Four years at the University of Notre Dame, majoring in Philosophy and English. Juris Doctor from the Boston University School of Law.

Master of Laws, Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. Judicial clerk. Five years in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, mostly on the Army General Staff, at the Pentagon. Topped off by a couple years with BigLaw. Then 32 years of growth: from one guy answering the telephone all alone to a firm of 50 persnickity professionals. Need know-how? Get know-how. Now.

We don’t just solve problems, we observe how folks run away from problems, too! Flee from foul facts. Dismiss, diminish, deride loved ones’ concerns. Deny, discount, deflect their own painful predicaments. Years of daily experience with responsible, middle-class, hard-working men and women who would prefer to chew their arm off than submit to the terrible torture that is estate planning.

Who else has seen it all? Who else can help you escape? You are in good hands. You came to the right shop. It is not an easy job. And we’re just the guys to do it.

Loudly And Firmly Proclaim These Affirmations Three (3) Times:

  • Only Nerds Want To Retire Comfortably Financial Security Is Bad. And Impossible
  • I Want To Die Broke, Splurging My Last Nickels On Long-Term Care
  • I Look Forward To Nursing Home Poverty My Spouse Can Look Out For Herself. Or Himself.
  • My Kids Don’t Need Money And Would Waste Any Inheritance Anyway

Take a deep breath. Excellent! You have achieved the correct state of mind. Remember, last week we covered the first four Excellent Excuses. Let us get down to this week’s Decisive Defenses to avoid any attempt at making you look ahead.

LifePlanning™ Is Unnecessary And A Total Waste Of Time & Money Because

Don’t loudmouths always impress you? So always lead off with an audacious affirmation!

Number One: Raise your voice and daringly declare: “LifePlanning™ is Stupid, Superfluous, and a…”

Number Two: Quickly follow with one of these Negative Nuggets:

#5 … Waste Of Time Because I Only Have A House And An IRA!

Are you opposed to draining your Individual Retirement Account (or 401(k) or 403(b) or Thrift Savings Plan or other retirement account) for long-term care? Of course not! Money in a retirement plan account is just a number, it does not reflect years of working and saving, right? Besides, what would you do with that money anyway? Might as well shoot it out the door at $10,000 to $15,000 per month. And you might get lucky. Maybe you only need assisted living services that cost $5,000 to $10,000 per month. Happy Days! And home care services are only $25 per hour and up. Foolish to worry about preserving that retirement money for your spouse when the government knows so much better than you do about how to spend it.

And everybody says that the homestead is “PROTECTED” so nothing to worry about there! Of course, even without planning, the house will go through probate to your family. And when everybody was explaining how the house was “PROTECTED”, everybody also told you that if you need help (Medicaid) with long-term care, the state wants its money back. And when you go through probate, because you are too smart to waste money on planning, the state will collect its payback. From your house. Which maybe isn’t so “protected”, after all…

Of course your kids would never sell your house while you need care, right? That’s why you do not even have to think about having cash instead of a house anymore. Cash that must be “spent down.” That is not a problem because you can keep $2,000 of it. More Happy Days!

So don’t worry! There is no way you would be one of the 70% of folks who the federal government says will need skilled nursing long- term care services for an average of 3 years or one of the 20% who will need services for 5 years or more. And neither would your spouse. So you should not be concerned about $360,000 to $900,000 of skilled care costs. Never happen.

#6 … Waste Of Time Because I Hate Medicaid

Since everyone always has saved enough money to pay for long-term care, there is no need for any government long-term care program. So Medicaid is bad and wrong. It is just like Social Security.

Everyone always has saved enough money to pay for their retirement. There’s is no need for any government retirement income program.

But wait! Social Security is different! You paid in. With every paycheck, the government skimmed off 15.3% FICA (employer and employee) to pay for Social Security. So getting some return on your payroll taxes is OK!

Help me out here… Is Medicaid different? Did you ever get a paycheck where you didn’t pay federal and state income taxes on every nickel you earned? Does the government run Medicaid for free? Did you somehow skip out on paying for Medicaid? With every paycheck. And Social Security check too?

Why are you opposed to getting something back for all the dollars you paid in? It is OK to get Social Security because you paid taxes for it. But it is bad to get long-term care Medicaid because you paid taxes for it?

There are lots and lots of Medicaid programs – dozens of them. Most Medicaid programs provide for our fellow Americans who have very little.

But there is a slice of Medicaid, middle-class Medicaid, that pays for long-term care. For all Americans. Even you.

For most Medicaid programs, you have to be broke. Middle-class Medicaid lets you keep your house, up to $700,000. And your stuff, no limit on value. And your “motorized vehicle”, also no limit.

So, Medicaid is bad and you hate it. You hate it so much that you will spend all your money. Then, sell the house and all your stuff, spend all that too. And then wind up on Medicaid anyway. Sounds like a plan to me! Good luck with that.

#7 … Waste Of Time Because Medicaid Nursing Homes Are Lousy Nursing Homes!

Medicaid nursing homes, long term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and anyone else who provides Medicaid care are just the worst! If a facility accepts Medicaid, the place smells bad, the staff is rude, the management is poor, and the care is awful. God forbid that you or a loved one is ever condemned to a Medicaid facility or is forced to receive Medicaid services. Great excuse!

Gee, I wonder what percentage of skilled nursing facilities accept Medicaid? 10%? 30%? 50%?

Actually every skilled nursing facility accepts Medicaid. All of them. 100%. Do you have enough money to pay $10,000 – $15,000 per month for skilled care? For an average of 3 years. With a good chance of 5 years? Is it ridiculous to think that nursing homes would like to get paid when you go broke? Are you opposed to caregivers getting paid? Do nursing homes get everything for free?

Not so fast! Everybody knows that there are very few “Medicaid beds”. You know, the ones that they seal with plastic. So the bedbugs cannot escape. Just a few Medicaid beds.

Funny thing, though. About 70-80% of long-term, skilled nursing facility residents are paid for by Medicaid. How did that happen? Maybe because all beds are Medicare-certified. And all Medicare beds can be paid with Medicaid dollars.

#8 … Waste Of Time Because Medicaid Is For Poor People!

Medicaid is for poor people (meaning people without any money or stuff). And you have money and stuff, so Medicaid is not for you! Logical!

Makes sense!

Question: How long will you have any money or stuff if you are paying $10-15,000 per month for long-term care?

Are you opposed to not going broke? Is it ridiculous to think that you (or your loved one) might get better care if your life savings had not melted away like a snowflake on a hot griddle? Are you against paying for the extra services you want?

You get a shower a week in a long-term care facility. How often do you shower now? Are you against paying some of your hard-earned savings to get a shower more frequently?

If your long-term care “insurance” (also known as Medicaid) paid for the $10-15,000 cost of basic services, and, if your lifesavings were intact, would you choose to spend some of those savings to make your days more pleasant? Do you want to be poor? Is poverty more noble? Is it honorable to spend down a lifetime of work in a matter of months? Does it make sense to believe that the government knows best? Is it foolish to plan for your future?

#9 … Waste Of Time Because I Am Not Getting Older, I Am Getting Better!

Yesterday I was looking in the mirror. I felt depressed. I said to my bride of 15 years, “Honey, when I look in the mirror I see an old, fat, bald guy, and it depresses me. “Honey,” I said, “I need your help.”

“Oh?” said the love of my life, “How may I be of service?”

“Honey,” I replied, “I need a compliment. Looking at this fat, old, bald guy in the mirror here is bringing me down. I really feel the need for some compassion, a compliment would sure make me feel better!”

“Well,” said my soulmate, “Your eyesight is damn near perfect!”

Since I have been wearing glasses since the 8th grade, my wife’s compliment was exactly what the doctor ordered. I felt better immediately. So, when I ask you, “Is it ridiculous to think that you are not getting older, you are getting better?” Remember this little love tale of mine. And draw your own conclusions.

And the hits just keep on coming! More great excuses are on their way!

Here’s A Sneak Preview Of The Next Fabulous Five Excuses To Avoid Planning:

#10 … Waste Of Time Because It Is Overkill!
#11 … Waste Of Time Because I Will Spend It All Anyway!
#12 … Waste Of Time Because Medicaid Won’t Work When I Need It!
#13 … Waste Of Time Because Every Other Attorney Must Be Doing This!
#14 … Waste Of Time Because If This Worked, Every Other Attorney Would Be Doing This!

Is Now A Bad Time For A Real Solution?

Perhaps you already have all the answers. Maybe this is no problem at all. Possibly you do not believe in the passage of time.

Your habits and values have earned you peace of mind and financial security. LifePlanning™ is the easy part. You worked for the peace that only comes with financial security. What is most important, legal documents? Avoiding probate, is that the best you can do? Is family about inheritance? Or are the deeper things most significant?

Is any of this easy? Do you want to get lost in the overwhelming flood of claims and promises? Or would you like straight answers?

Well, here you are. Now you know. No excuses. Get the information, insight, inspiration. It is your turn. Ignore the message? Invite poverty? Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions. For you. For your loved ones.

The LifePlan™ Workshop has been the first step on the path to security and peace for thousands of families. Why not your family?

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE.
It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.

Get Information Now.
(800) 317-2812

Why Your Shiny Brand-New Estate Plan Is A Dangerous Clunker!

Simple Questions… That Nobody Asks Until It Is Too Late.

Things Everybody Takes For Granted… But Shouldn’t

Would You Happily Put Your Kids In The Back Seat Of A Pinto?

Eyewitness: “the car exploded “like a large napalm bomb” when it was hit”

Why does anyone plan their estate? Why did you spend all that time and money for a will or trust? If you are like most people, you plan ahead for peace of mind. Sure, the future is uncertain, but we are not helpless. Estate planning and elder law can ensure that our life’s work will serve us. And our families or loved ones. Too bad most planning does not work that way.

What does everybody know about the Ford Pinto? It was a good-looking car. Economical! Popular in the 70’s. Millions sold. But it had an unfortunate tendency to explode on impact, engulfing its passengers in a gasoline fireball. With disastrous consequences for all concerned. Yikes!

I love my 1956 Chevrolet BelAir. Less than 26000 miles on the odometer. All original, from the canvas “carpet” to the radio with tubes rather than transistors. But the dashboard is painted steel, no padding. Seatbelts? Not in 1956. The steering column is solid metal. That ends in a point. Disturbing tendency to turn the driver into a shish kebab in a head-on collision. Airbags not invented yet. Whoops!

I do like to drive my BelAir… it is not a museum piece. But I drive it carefully. Cautiously. Defensively. With my kid in the backseat.

Today’s cars are loaded with airbags, mirrors, collision avoidance systems, backup cameras, beepers, buzzers, bells and whistles. New cars have airbags all over the place. Some slam on the brakes automatically. The Caddy even tightens your seatbelt before a crash. Nothing to worry about. Whew!

Your Estate Plan Is An Edsel

Most estate planning is like the Edsel. Obsolete from the get-go. Answering the wrong questions. And doing it poorly.

The Wrong Goals: Avoid Probate. Save Taxes. Get It to the Kids. These things all happen after you die. But you are not dead yet. Shouldn’t we be a little concerned with what happens before you die? Maybe taking care of you is the best way to take care of them.

How do you feel, loading your kids into the backseat of a 1975 Pinto? Taking them to school. Driving around town. Going to see grandma. Safe? Secure? Or are your eyes locked on that tiny rearview mirror. Fearfully scanning for danger?

Why Is LifePlanning™ Never Obsolete?

LifePlanning™ is not a Pinto. Or a 50’s Edsel. LifePlanning™ is focused on you. On the real concerns that affect you and your family. Incapacity. Dementia.

These dangers are real. Ignore them if you like. At your peril. That is what the Pinto folks did. With explosive results. You can take an outdated, obsolete approach. With an estate plan that has not evolved since the 1950’s. Resulting in Nursing Home Poverty. No choice for you. No legacy for the kids.

LifePlanning™ maximizes the things that are most important to you. We all have to go sometime, but why rush it? Why not remain alert? Independent? Engaged? Aware? In charge? Why shouldn’t your choices matter? Refuse to let others decide “what to do” with you! Reject dependence.

LifePlanning™ gets you the benefits you have earned, while preserving life savings. Not for the kids, but to supplement those earned benefits. Eight thousand dollars a month ($8,000/ month) for assisted living. Fifteen thousand ($15,000/month) for skilled care. Who can afford it? Medicaid is the way America pays for long-term care. Medicaid wants you broke. Medicaid is the government solution.

LifePlanning™ says OK! You earned the government solution. But since when was the government solution adequate? Why did you work? Take overtime? Save and invest? You do not have to settle. You can make your lifesavings work for you while receiving the benefits you earned.

Is A “Pinto” Plan “Good Enough” For Your Spouse And Family? For You? Why Don’t You Deserve “Cadillac” Planning? Is The “Cadillac” Plan Too Good For Your Spouse? Your Family? Why?

Thousands of middle-class families have used LifePlanning™ to get the peace of mind that comes from loading your family into the safest, most comfortable vehicle possible. Without thorough planning you will spend yourself into Nursing Home Poverty. You get what they feel like giving.

Not what you have earned. Not what you want. Not what you deserve. With a whimper, not a bang. Quieter than a flaming fireball of dramatic death, but just as devastating. To you. To your family. Are you really opposed to getting a small return on all the tax dollars you paid in?

Without LifePlanning™ , you are driving a Pinto. Do not have good answers to the questions. No one has your back. Maybe things will work out. Maybe you will get home today. Maybe. Why not be sure? Do you think security is a bad thing?

LifePlanning™ preserves your lifesavings. You never go broke. Your earnings serve you throughout your lifetime. And that means…
You stay home. Longer. You get the help you need, that your spouse needs. Clear-eyed. Relevant. Participating in your own care.

The Choice Is Yours. Does Quality Of Life Matter To You?

We Wasted 2021. See It Through in ‘22!

Last year, the number of regular folks planning their futures dropped. Significantly. Fewer people focused on planning ahead, LifePlanning™. I fear 2021 was a year of wasted opportunity for regular families. Devastating.

Get the information you want. In- person workshops and one-on-one meetings. Recorded and live-streaming webinars. Like you, we have never stopped serving. As you seek out new ways to accomplish your life’s work, we are on the same journey. By your side. Making the rules work for the people who play by the rules.

Sixty minutes to personal control. Now and as long as you wish. Because you earned it. Avoid Nursing Home Poverty. Thousands of middle-class families have learned and use these techniques. Why not yours?

Got Questions? Get Answers!
Get Answers Now… The Call That Changes Your Life…
(800) 317-2812

Come To An In-Person Workshop…
Livestream On-Line And Get Answers
To Your Particular Questions Whatever It Takes To Serve!

Back To Basics: See It Through In ‘22

Read the Print Version

Are You Against Peace of Mind?
What Is A Will? Probate – Who Cares?
What Is A Trust? Why Do Trusts Routinely Fail?
Why Don’t They Ever Talk About The Real Problem?
Why Are They Misleading You?
Is Now A Bad Time?

American Middle-Class Values Are Universal
The Future Is Middle Class

Sometimes do you feel surrounded by gloomy complainers who think you should be as anxious and angry as they are? At Christmastime, they complain about everything: gift-giving is bad, Christmas dinner is sinfully extravagant, family time is traumatic. Sad. Proof positive that misery loves company.

Gloomy Gus and Miserable Mary take especial twisted delight in accusing you of all manner of wretched, greedy, evil behavior. Your joy in simple pleasures both infuriates and depresses them. They have “issues.” Every glass is half-empty. All emotions are tainted. Lurking beneath each good deed is a selfish and unworthy motive. The pinnacle of their dismal happiness is to accuse America of unique and awful sin. COVID responses have only deepened their malaise.

What rubbish! Just as your (vaccinated!) immune system rapidly isolates and destroys deadly viruses and bacteria, we need to inoculate ourselves against this deeply stupid and self-destructive whining. Childish and immature? Yes. Infantile and unserious? Definitely. That does not mean we can ignore this injurious infection. Sunshine is the best disinfectant!

Is everything bad and getting worse? Are you an awful person? It is easy to observe that throughout human history, humans have wanted the same things. Why do they ridicule the notion that we are all the same underneath?

You spent a lifetime working and saving. You paid your bills. You raised your kids. You showed up. Nose to the grindstone. Happy warrior. Fighting the good fight.

Lucky for you, you are an American. Being an American means that your efforts count. You can get stuff. And keep it. And enjoy it. Some people like snowmobiles. Other people like Precious Moments™ figurines. Bowling balls and pool cues. Snap-on Tools™. Surf boards. Quilts. Pottery. We like our stuff. It is good to get stuff. The more stuff, the better.

Abundance. Prosperity. Wealth.

How do I know that it is good to get stuff? Look around. Everybody, in every country, around the world, is trying to get stuff. Stuff like yours. Stuff we take for granted.

It starts with sanitation. Toilets. Clean water. Pretty soon folks want electricity. And a bank account. For their savings. Then cell phones. Then McDonald’s™ hamburgers. Then a place to call their own. Then a house. And a car. Health care too. People like to live. They like to live with their stuff. It’s not just you.
Everybody’s doing it.

How do I know? Glad you asked…

Extreme Poverty Almost Gone

The world is becoming middle-class. America just got there first. Not getting blown up in WWII probably helped. Working really hard and believing the America Dream also helped. And now, according to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in the 2020 Goalkeepers Report, the world is catching up.

Worried about Extreme Poverty? It is practically a thing of the past. Look at the graph. Go to the website. All good news!

Got Personal Hygiene?
Get Running Water and Toilets…

What about safe water? Again, check out the chart. More people than ever are living healthier lives. Who knew that things were so good? The truth is that other folks want the same things you do. And, like you, they are willing to work to get those good things. Is it ridiculous to think that other people want flush toilets, clean water, and a place to wash their hands? Did you think anyone was choosing to wash in sewage?

financial services for the poor chart

Who Needs Banks and Banking Services The Most? Poor Folks

And what about money? Once again, trust your own eyes. Even in the poorest countries. Even the poorest people in those countries. 30% of the poorest people in the world have bank accounts. A safe place to store the fruits of their labors. Giving them a way out of poverty. Promising them a brighter future.

The job is not done. Not by a long stretch. Be of good cheer. Progress is tough to derail. Not even the COVID pandemic or some of the hysterical reactions to it have significantly slowed the train. So. Let the nattering nabobs of negativism tell you how bad everything is… Then give them a reality check. Pow! Right in the kisser. Metaphorically. Rhetorically. Confidently.

The future is middle class.

Middle class folks want to make things better for the family members they leave behind. It is a new kind of problem for most people. Including most Americans.

You Got Stuff, You Die Who Gets Your Stuff?
The Last Will and Testament

Funny thing about stuff. It lasts longer than you do. What happens then? The answer to that question is the beginning of estate planning. For a very long time, only the pashas, potentates and princes had anything worth having. But that began to change. Slowly at first, but eventually lots of folks had stuff that was still around after they were gone and still useful.

Who gets it? That was a big problem. The answer was a new kind of court, the probate court. A special place where all this could be settled out.

Along with getting stuff for themselves, folks wanted to give the next generation a leg up. They wanted to say who would get the left-overs. And that’s where wills come in.

Your Last Will and Testament is simply instructions to the probate court. That is it. Your Will only works if it goes through probate. Lots of people will tell you, “I don’t have to worry about probate, I have a Will!” And now you know better.

How much does it cost to probate your leftover stuff? A frequently cited number, attributed to AARP, is 4-10% of the value of the estate. That seems about right to me.

Why so expensive? Because you left a big mess. While you are alive, your name is on your stuff. You are large and in charge. It is as if you were carrying items around in a store. In your arms. As long as you are steady on your feet… no problem. But if you slip and fall… Whoops! There goes all the stuff you were carrying. And now you have made a big mess. You were in complete control of your stuff. Now nobody is in control. Stuff goes flying. Good luck sorting it out. Nice easy job, cleaning up the mess.

But cleaning up the mess is exactly what the probate court does. The probate court is a janitor. Your will is simply a note found in the mess. Let’s hope the janitor finds the note. And reads it. And follows it. And is not distracted by everything else going on…

Probate is not a curse inflicted on innocent people by a vengeful deity. Probate is the necessary and unavoidable consequence of the rise of the middle class. Together with a failure to plan ahead.

You Got Stuff, You Die Who Gets Your Stuff? The Trust

Is it ridiculous to think that most people would rather not lose 4-10% of their leftover life savings? Are you opposed to keeping what you have earned? Maybe then avoiding probate would be a good idea. Are you against finding better ways to get the job done? I didn’t think so…

That’s where the trust comes in. Trusts hold your stuff, like a shopping cart at the store. You are in control.

Put things in. Take things out. Re-arrange. It is all up to you. The key is that when you “slip and fall”, your possessions are in the cart. Sure, you went flying. Call the EMTs! But your stuff remains in the shopping cart/ trust. No fuss. No muss. Nothing for the janitor to do. Your successor trustee steps up and divvies up the stuff to your deserving and grateful family members. What could be easier? Are you surprised that trusts are so popular?

The Huge Dirty Secret of Trust-Based Planning

Is it ridiculous to think that a highly profitable industry based on cleaning up messes might want to go on cleaning up those messes? Can continue collecting those fees? If you were collecting 4-10% of folks’ leftover lifesavings, would you be in a rush to cut off that gravy train? Is it bad to wonder why 90+% of trusts fail? Is it cynical and ill-natured to wonder whether the astonishing failure rate of trusts has anything to do with probate industry profits?

Why do trusts fail harder than the Wizard of Oz? The simple reason, which is well-known to your banker, insurance agent, financial advisor, attorney, and anyone else with the slightest familiarity, is that hardly anything gets into the shopping cart.

You paid for a bright and shiny new trust/shopping cart. And that is what you received. It is beautiful! Leather binder. Lots of pages. Wow! And it is empty. And you are still carrying all those items around in your arms. So when you slip and fall… oopsie! All your stuff STILL goes flying, STILL makes a huge mess, STILL requires probate.

How Do They Get Away With Such Piracy?!

How does the probate industry get away with it? Simple. In that fancy binder of yours, there is a memorandum/ letter/instruction booklet/ brochure. In that document, the responsibility of getting your stuff into your trust is placed squarely on your shoulders.

Did you know that? Would it be a waste of your time to, right now, dig into that fancy binder and find that memo? It is in there, I promise.

The memo is how the probate industry turns your kids’ righteous indignation at having to pay for probate into sheepish surrender. It was Mom and Dad’s fault! They did not follow the instructions! Aww gee! Heh heh… betcha ya didn’t see that coming!

What if there was a law firm that did the hard work of tracking down your assets with you and getting them into the trust. Would you be surprised if the process took longer? Would it be a shock that it cost more? Would you be against getting what you paid for?

Would you be surprised to learn that there is no free lunch?

American Middle-Class Values
Are The Wave Of The Future

Do you reject the idea that a rising tide lifts all boats? Is it too farfetched to think that today’s “rising tide” are the peaceful virtues of the middle-class lifestyle? Rapidly spreading across the globe. Raising hundreds of millions, billions of our sisters and brothers out of poverty. On to the path for a better life.

Our better future has its enemies. Craven, miserable, alive only with jealousy and envy. You extend the helping hand of friendship; they see only the claw of exploitation. You offer to help build, construct, improve, they seek only to tear down, demolish, devastate.

You are winning. Ever more desperate, they are losing.

Peace of mind and security are waiting for everyone who embraces productive work. While you are here. And after you are gone. Waiting for you. You have a choice. Despite what “everybody else” says.

Well, here you are. Now you know. No excuses. Get the information, insight, inspiration. It is your turn. Ignore the message? Invite poverty? Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions. For you. For your loved ones.

No Poverty. No Charity. No Waste. It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.

Get Information Now. 800-317-2812

Just In Time For Christmas Gift-Giving…

Job 19:23-24
An Answer To Job’s Prayer?

NOTE: A professional journalist, a mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper (who wisely insisted on anonymity) made the mistake of sitting down to interview David about his new book, “How To Keep The Gold In The Golden Years.” Several hours later, Clark said he had enough material to write his own book. Would you like to know what they discussed? Read on…

PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK: The following is a blatant attempt to get you to buy David’s new book. You have been warned. You will also be delighted if you actually buy the book.

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK!

Why Do America’s Middle-class Seniors Go Broke?

New book reveals how they wring out your lifesavings and hang you out to dry. Your Family’s Personal Attorney offers middle-class savers surprising insights so you can ‘keep the gold in the golden years’

No one has to tell you that Middle-class America is under siege. Prices are skyrocketing. Government enforces strict obedience from some (you), none from others (not you). That’s fair! Right? Everybody blaming everybody else. Toxic politics. That’s fair! Right? Trillions for the politicians! And who pays? Look in the mirror. That’s fair! Right?

David grew up when families were big, every kid had a paper route, and you stayed out until the streetlights came on. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Kiwanis, YWCA. You worked because that is what good people did. And you saved. For the future. Education. You went to church, and you believed. “Do unto others…” “Let your ‘yes’ be yes, and your ‘no’ be no.” David might be a lot like you.

From paper route to restaurant jobs to autobody repair. Army scholarship to Notre Dame. Boston University Law School. Captain, Army JAG Corps. Jumping out of airplanes, working at the Pentagon. Georgetown University Law. Big law firm time. Solo practice. 40 years practicing law. Radio show host. Newspaper opinion writer. Never forgetting where he started, who he is.

Guided by respect and love for America’s overlooked Middle-Class families. Seeing and solving regular folks’ problems. Maybe other lawyers and professionals just don’t get it. Can’t see? or Don’t care? Does it make a difference? Forty years working for you. Fighting Nursing Home Poverty. You earned the American Dream. You do not have to surrender.

They told him, “You cannot combine authentic humor and serious scholarship.” David said, “Hold my beer!” Read the book. Find out for yourself. Thousands already know. David’s “Elder Law Reporter” appears in almost all weekly newspapers. For some, it is the only reason to keep their subscription. Others clip their favorites. Some have a complete collection! For almost 20 years, his two-hour call-in radio show has been a beacon of wit and wisdom. Humor and insight, a powerful combination.

Growing his law practice throughout Michigan, David is an attorney who has focused on securing the future for middle-class families. By preserving their hard-earned money, they can choose how to live. And they can give advice! Having heard “You ought to write a book!” thousands of times, David is now sharing the mindset that illustrates and explains how to win by bucking the herd mentality to retirement planning.

David L. Carrier and his team of 50 attorneys, paralegals, accountants, and specialists, deliver elder law and estate planning results from offices in Grand Rapids, Holland, Norton Shores and Portage. Combing the archives, compiling true stories and real solutions from years of newsletters, blogs, and newspaper columns. David lays bare the truth that the system works against average individuals who work hard and follow the rules.

“How to Keep the Gold in the Golden Years: Protect Your Family Against Nursing Home Poverty,” is a fast-paced, entertaining read that will change the way you think about retirement and long-term care forever. Through real-life scenarios and accurate accounts demonstrating the widening gap between the experience of people who should be aging with grace and comfort and hard reality of nursing home poverty on bare government assistance. You have already done the hard work, but is it hard to believe that bad advice leads to poor results? See how those who plan properly have ensured that their lifesavings and estates serve themselves and their families. Not big-spending, self-important politicians and government bureaucrats.

“Middle-class families spend all of their lives working hard, saving more than they spend, paying down the house, hanging on to the family heirlooms,” said Carrier during a recent phone interview. “And then they go broke from long-term care bills. The inheritance is gone from that, or because their estates weren’t handled the right way, the taxman gets it all. It’s not right. It’s a shame, but that’s the way the middle-class has been getting screwed for a long time.”

Is there anyone who doesn’t like a free sample? One chapter, which is available to read for free, details how two women, close friends from high school, with similar lives made different choices. Drastically, tragically, different results. Carrier lays out the scenario, writing:

“Both couples were doing fine. Their homes were paid off and worth about $175,000. With $200,000 in savings and $75,000 of life insurance, they felt secure. Not to mention having prepaid their funerals. Each couple had three kids and three grandchildren. They even like the in-laws!

“You have friends like these women. Middle-class people who enrich the world. Generous spirits. Authentic kindness. Get it done attitude. Nice homes, colorful gardens. Debt free. Comfortable cash cushion (not that the kids would know). Coupon clipping and natural thrift. No extravagant or expensive habits. Except spoiling their grandchildren. But what is going on with Fred and Barney? Why does Fred put the car keys in the refrigerator? Barney gets so confused with the simplest things. And it is getting worse.”

One woman, Wilma, accepts reality and assistance. The program of all-inclusive care for the elderly, which she has paid for through her taxes, eases the strain. In contrast, her closest friend, Betty, rejects the very idea of help as nonsensical promises. But when then their men are stricken with Alzheimer’s, reality comes knocking on the door. Wilma’s husband, Fred, receives care from outside aides and the family keeps what is theirs. Betty, meanwhile, bears the burden of care for Barney, wearing herself out. Building a rickety financial house of cards that eventually collapses. Dooming herself and her unfortunate husband.

“Betty ran the race. Betty fought the good fight. At the ultimate cost to herself, she did what she believed was necessary. Rapidly pouring out the savings and accomplishments of a lifetime. All gone in the blink of an eye. Is there anything more tragic than needless suffering? When a good person refuses the helping hand, it is more than sadness. When refusal leads to catastrophe, it is more than regret.

“Wilma too ran the race, fought the good fight. Wilma had been there for Fred to the ultimate end. Hospice at the house. Familiar PACE folks who supplied the hospital bed, Hoyer lift and other necessary equipment and services. Given fair warning, the kids made it in from out of town. It was sad, heartbreaking. But not tragic. Surrounded by family and friends. Secure. At peace. What did the lord have in store for her now? Wilma did not know. But she looked forward to finding out.

“Most people, reading this article, will choose Betty’s path. Most people, faced with long-term care costs, close their eyes. Reject reality. Hope for the best. As lifesavings evaporate like a snowflake on a hot griddle.”

After 40 years practicing law, is it ridiculous to think that Carrier might have discovered the path that preserves what you own and protects what you value? That is the difference between Wilma and Betty. Forty years of experience have gone into the LifePlan™ system. Constant development that incorporates many strategies and delivers on three key goals: Keeping savings intact, paying for the continuing care, and getting beneficiaries what they deserve. Impossible? Maybe. Maybe not.

Carrier’s single-minded focus has resulted in:
• 50,000+ families attending Carrier LifePlan™ workshops.
• 15,000+ families trusting their security and their future to the LifePlan™ approach.
• $800,000,000+ dollars protected from lawsuits and long-term care.
• 2,000+ loved ones receiving the skilled nursing benefits they earned without going broke or accepting mediocre levels of care.

Carrier says that following the herd seems like the safe bet, but that when the herd has been stampeding off the cliff, for decades… well, maybe it would not be such a bad idea to consider an alternative path.

If most folks are losing, does that make losing a good idea? “I’ve got the plan for your family, and it’s been battle-tested to defend your ability to live as you want, not as you’re told. Haven’t you earned that right? I think so!”

FREE WORKSHOPS: Learn more about David Carrier’s LifePlan™ strategy!

The LifePlan™ secures families’ futures and gives middle-class Michigan the winning game plan. Carrier offers free sixty-minute workshops that start to answer the most frequently asked questions, including:
• Should I believe that it is impossible to protect my health, home lifesavings, family and legacy?
• Why is an outdated will worse than no plan at all?
• Do I want strangers making financial and medical decisions for me? Do I want to shut out my family and friends?
• How can I control the care I get (and do not get) in a medical emergency?
• Should I sacrifice my kids’ inheritance to accident, illness, divorce, bankruptcy, or their own poor choices?
• Are you against (legitimately) avoiding heavy taxes under the new IRA “reform” and “stimulus rescue” boondoggles?

Planning is critical for peace of mind not only for yourself, but also your family, Carrier said. Once you are in control and secure. A clearly structured LifePlan™ saves families and relationships from exploding during emotional times.

Carrier says too many people spend their lives focused on dying. Is it a good idea to be preoccupied with what happens to your wealth when you’re dead and gone? David stresses that you should live for you and your spouse first. Is your vision, your fondest wish, to enjoy exciting life experiences, volunteer work, helping with the grandkids’ tuition, or just relaxing at your cozy country cottage or cabin? Have you given up on the idea that you can achieve your personal goals working with your family’s personal attorney and the LifePlan™ Team?

“You can get in complete control of your future instead of having no control at all,” he said.

Get Information Now. (800) 317-2812
How badly would it hurt you to buy the book?

https://booklaunch.davidcarrierlaw.com/

The Secret Hiding In Plain Sight

Your Estate Plan Is Doomed | Why Your Trust Will Fail | What Everybody Knows And No One Will Tell You

Why People Do Estate Planning

Nobody likes estate planning. Estate planning is like castor oil when you were a kid. You had to take it. It was supposed to be good for you. Not sure how or why. But it was unpleasant.

Like insurance, but worse. With insurance, you must have coverage. Just in case. Same with estate planning. You do not want to, you are not sure why you have to, but you must.

If you are like most folks, you do the estate planning because:

1. You have stuff now. House, money, investments.
2. You know you will die. At some point.
3. You think you will have some leftover stuff when you die.
4. You like some people. Spouse. Kids. Friends. Charities.
5. You do not want the government to get your stuff.
6. You want the people you like to get your stuff. Because why not?

Has anyone told you that you are likely to die without stuff? Without leftovers. Has anyone told you that long-term care will drain you dry? If there are no leftovers, why bother? Now you know. Consider yourself told.

Death Is Not The Problem

Some folks believe we will all pass over the Great Divide to the Other Side. Glorious! Other folks hold that sooner or later the organic metabolism that makes up your consciousness will cease and that will be that. Food for worms and nothing more. There are many variations on this basic theme.

Death is not your main problem. Those who survive you will figure out what to do with your remains. And whatever is left of your stuff. This can be done well or poorly. Mostly poorly.

Great families make great plans. Truth to tell, it is not that hard to do it right. But you are not going to see it anyway. Not really your primary problem.

Life Is The Problem

In the Army, I often heard (and often repeated) that, “There are no problems, just opportunities to excel!” Your life is your opportunity. And middle-class folks like you tend to make the most of the gift. That is great. You are independent. You did the work. You get to make choices. Until you cannot.

If you are like most people, you think that tomorrow will be like today. Pretty much. You handled things today. You will handle things tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. But that is not accurate. For most of us, at some point, we will not be able to carry on as we have. That is the castor-oil reality. And most estate planning has nothing, zero, zip, zilch to help you deal with this new, inevitable situation.

LifePlanning™ Is The Solution

LifePlanning™ is focused on you here and now. How do you maintain your independence? How can you stay in control and in charge for as long as humanly possible? Your freedom is what planning should be all about.

The Secret Truth: LifePlanning™ Is Like Hearing Aids

Why do folks buy hearing aids? Did you know that the #1 reason has nothing to do with chirping birds or adjusting the TV volume? The real reason is something no one will admit. It is kind of embarrassing. That is how you know it is true. Folks buy hearing aids because if you cannot hear, your kids will believe that you cannot think. And that is the first step to the kids “helping” you to give up your freedom. The first step to “we can’t trust mom and dad with the kids.”

The real reason for LifePlanning™ is to keep your edge. You do not need lectures. You do not need to hear how nice it is to live at Shady Acres. You do not need another Shady Acres brochure. You want to keep your home. And live there. And you might need some help with that. LifePlanning™ is how to get the help to keep your independence.

Your Trust Will Fail

You went the extra mile. Spent the extra dollars. Got the big binder. Got a trust. Everything is all good now, right? Not so fast.

Everybody knows that trusts fail. Almost all the time. Your financial advisor, insurance agent, banker, accountant. They all know that you will not re-title your assets to the trust. Sure, you will get some stuff in there. Maybe. Most folks have very little in the trust. One survey says 96% of trusts do not avoid probate.

The Institute for Continuing Legal Education gives out certificates to attorneys who want to practice estate planning. Including trust planning. Lawyers who want to be certified must take a whole raft of courses to get that piece of paper. When asked recently about the problem of trusts that do not avoid probate, the instructor was clear. “That is what the pour over will is for. No problem.”

Think about this. The instructor is a highly qualified and experienced estate planning attorney. Partner in a huge, prestigious multi-state law firm. This person is teaching would-be estate planning attorneys that going through probate is no big deal. Did you think that the whole point of the trust was to avoid probate? Whoops. Besides, probate is not that bad… they say…

Your LifePlan™ Will Not Fail

LifePlanning™ means your funding coach works with you to get the job done. To help make sure that your assets are safely in the appropriate trust. It is not easy. It takes time. Two months on average. But there are no shortcuts. No easy way out. And everyone knows it.

LifePlanning™ Is The Solution

LifePlanning™ is the way you keep your stuff. And at the same time, qualify for the government benefits you have earned. Focused on you here and now. By acting early, rather than waiting until the last minute, you will qualify for benefits that may mean you never need residential long-term care. Let’s face it, who can afford the $9000-$12,000 to $15,000 per month costs of skilled nursing? Even a little at home care is ruinously expensive at $30 – $50 per hour.

LifePlanning™ gets you what you have earned. Assistance to stay at home. Health care that keeps you healthy, active, engaged with your grandkids. Free to be your best self.

LifePlanning™ Prevents Tragedy

Nothing is more tragic than one spouse dying while caring for the other. The other spouse now faces institutional care. Which their spouse sacrificed everything to avoid. And that is what happens 40-50% of the time. LifePlanning™ supports the caregiver as well as the disabled spouse. Getting necessary benefits. Staying home. Maximizing potential. Living life to the full.

I Don’t Want Government Help!

Middle-class folks are independent do-it-yourself types. Government hand-out? Perish the thought! Understandable. But.

Government demands taxes. You pay taxes. You never thought you would see any of that money again, right? No return on that investment. This is a return on that investment. Unusual times.

That is the LifePlan™ approach to estate planning and elder law. You paid in, why shouldn’t you be paid back? If you need it. When you need it? Learn more. You can do this.

Secure Your Independence Today… Get Started

COVID flaring up again. Isolation for holidays. Merry Christmas? What are we waiting for? Isn’t today is the best time to plan? Begin by calling the LifePlan™ Hotline: 800-317-2812.

Get Information You Need: Your Life, You Choose!

COVID has not gone away. New challenges arise daily. The risks to your freedom to choose, to your ability to keep what you have earned and built have not gone away. And neither have we. It is your stuff… protect it. And yourself. With complete control. LifePlanning™ means your choices matter, whatever life brings.

How can LifePlanning™ protect your middle-class life savings? How to get this information?

Are you like thousands of Michigan families who played by the rules and earned homes, cottages, farms, lifesavings? Would you like the rules to work for you, for a change? Why wait until it is too late?

GET ANSWERS NOW… CALL THE LIFEPLAN™ HOTLINE
(800) 317-2812

LifePlan™ Workshops are Available Now!

Live, Streaming and Recorded “What could it hurt?”

How I Failed My Father… And How I am Fixing It

PLAIN AS THE NOSE ON YOUR FACE

NONE SO BLIND AS THEY WHO WILL NOT SEE

YOU PROBABLY KNOW MY DAD

Everyone knows somebody like my father. I bet you are a lot like him in many ways. My Dad is the sort who always goes the extra mile. Always giving everything he had. Looking out for others. Going out of his way. Generous. Hard-working.

Dad enlisted in the Navy during WWII, as soon as he could. Following his older brother, an officer and PT boat commander. Dad served stateside, as a Photographer’s Mate, at the Philadelphia Naval Air Station. Mostly taking pictures of crashed airplanes. And the remains of the trainees who crashed them.

After the war, he went to college on the GI Bill. Surrounded by other sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines. A generation of men and women who did not feel sorry for themselves. They had seen evil and death. The world was balanced on the edge of a knife. And they did their duty. They saved the world. Look it up.

Then they came back and went to college. And got married. And raised families. And were grateful for the ordinariness of life. Thirty years ago, when I first started my law practice, I was privileged to meet many of these men and women. So many heroes. The real kind.

They are almost all gone now. But they made a lasting impression. Among them, my dad is not unusual. But how many of us have the same quality?

When Dad met Mom, he settled down. Became a teacher, like so many of his Navy buddies. Teachers in the 1950’s were not paid very much. All worked through the summers. Most had a second job. Mom wanted a large family. Dad came from a large family. He knew what was required. So.

My father got up early… had to be at school by 8 a.m. A tough school in a bad neighborhood. When the bell rang at 3 in the afternoon, Dad came home and took a nap. By 6 in the evening, he was punching the clock at the local brewery. Bottled beer all night. Dad clocked out at 2 in the morning. Came home. Took a nap. At 7 a.m., he started all over again. For 16 years.

Did I mention he was also taking college courses for his master’s degree? Yeah, he did that too. Eventually he took on enough extra jobs at school to quit the brewery. He ran the breakfast program, lunch program, after-school program. He was pretty happy that he did not have to work until 2 a.m. anymore.

Like you, he was active at church. Joined the Lions Club. Volunteered for stuff. Helped out in ways no one ever saw… no one ever knew.

Dad and Mom raised 8 children. Five boys, three girls. I’m the second. I have an older sister. Their example was powerful. And we are all doing quite well. Thank you.

Mom died ten years ago. Dad still lives on his own. Pretty much. At 96 years old, he cannot do what he used to. But he keeps trying. A few weeks ago, he was painting the handrail on the brick stairs leading the front door. Lost his balance. Fell to the brick stairs. Fell on his face. Not the first time. Still OK. He insists.

So, the kids take turns staying with Dad. Just to be there. Just in case. My two weeks is coming up soon. We talk together to set the calendar, to make sure someone is always with Dad. And we talk about options. Including assisted living.

This is where my failure became obvious.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT DAD (OR MOM): THE KIDS’ CONVERSATION

Your children are talking about you. Deny it if you wish, but it is the truth. What to do about Mom? What to do about Dad? How long can they stay at home? What sort of behaviors do you see? What does it mean? What do we do now? Well-meaning questions. By good-natured people. Who truly love you. But are concerned. With your best interests in mind. What they think are your “best interests” anyway.

Recently, as we were setting the Visiting Kids Calendar, one of my brothers asked, “Why isn’t Dad on this PACE program you keep talking about?”

I had no answer. Honestly. You have heard the old saying, “The shoemaker’s kids go barefoot!” It is not that bad. When Mom needed skilled nursing home care for the months before she died, we were ready. LifePlan™ to the rescue.

Dad was not impoverished. There was no Medicaid Mortgage. Mom got the care she needed, at a top long-term care facility. Dad’s years of taxpaying and planning were rewarded.

Ten years later. Dad’s needs are increasing. With 8 kids, he will never be alone. But we are not medical people. What about those needs?

My brother saw what I did not. PACE – the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly was designed for my Dad. He stays at home. With his woodwork shop. Puttering around, fixing this, painting that. Independent. Proud. And getting just the right amount of help to keep him that way.

Was I embarrassed to have overlooked the contribution PACE could make to my own father’s ability to live life on his own terms? You bet. I wish I had proposed the solution. But a good idea is a good idea, whomever comes up with it.

SEE THE LIGHT, OVERCOME BLINDNESS

Most folks who seek answers are relieved and pleased they learn that effective solutions do exist. Thousands of families have honored my team and me with their confidence and trust. And those families have received the benefits they have earned and deserve.

But I have often been puzzled when some families reject the same answers that other families have embraced. It is not unusual for some folks to come back to us, often after months and sometimes years of “spending down,” exhausting their lifesavings. Selling the farm.

If you are like me, you learn from your mistakes. And you try not to repeat the same- old, same-old. I failed my Dad by not seeing how the PACE program could greatly improve his quality of life. But I see it now, and I am taking action. To preserve his independence. His choices. My Dad, and yours, and you, deserve to enjoy life. On your own terms. Not crammed, shoved, or stuffed into someone else’s idea of what you need.

Most people have never heard of PACE. But now you will know. You will be the expert.

COVID NURSING HOME DEATH TRAP

Everyone knows COVID-19 decimates older folks. National reporting confirms the worst place for COVID victims is a long-term care facility. The undeniable tragic history: if you were in a nursing home, your risk of death from COVID-19 was 70 times greater. Did autocratic Executive Orders in New York, New Jersey and Michigan cause thousands of extra deaths? Of course they did. We know that now. But what can we do?

Over the last couple of years, we reported good news about at-home care. Michigan changed the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly – PACE. Eligibility expanded for thousands of new families. Families can now keep their life savings, cottage, farm, rental properties, business. Poverty is no longer required… provided you follow the complex rules. Care services are free. Keep your income. No co-pay, doughnut hole or other contribution.

Many Michigan families have acted on this new information. They have secured at-home care for their loved ones. PACE has kept them safe from the deadly COVID-19 virus stalking long-term care facilities. Healthier at home!

HEALTHY SKEPTICISM OR DEADLY DOUBT?

Many more families cannot believe it is possible. But they could benefit from PACE. Healthy skepticism hardens into stubborn rejection. Everyone suffers. Clinging to the idea that it is “too good to be true” or “fake news”?

Pitiful. Naturally, some folks are uncertain and suspicious. Rightfully so! But accurate information and proof beat unfounded fears every day. Fact: You do not have to accept nursing home poverty for yourself or your loved one.

DO YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONE QUALIFY?

ANSWER YES TO 3 QUESTIONS:

1. Need help with activities of daily life? Memory problems? Oxygen therapy? Blindness? Dialysis? These are just a few of the many ways to qualify.
2. Are you safe at home?
3. Gross social security less than $2382? (Special rules for pension income.)

Let’s do the homework together. Most folks get the benefits they need for independence and security. Information costs nothing. You can find out. Today.

Get Answers Now: 800-317-2812

COVID-19 RULE CHANGES WILL NOT LAST

COVID-19 emergency rules are temporary.

The benefits are permanent. When the emergency is over, these favorable rules will be gone. Of course, this may not be for you. Why not find out? Is it so bad to get back a little from the tax dollars you have paid?

WHAT BENEFITS DOES PACE PROVIDE?

Folks always want to know: What can PACE do for me? You have a team on your side. Your PACE team is doctors, therapists, dieticians, nurses, physician assistants, administrators. All work together to provide the best solution. Want more detail? You can receive:

ADULT DAY HEALTH CENTER
• On-Site Physician/Medical Supervision
• Nursing Care
• Physical Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Recreational Therapy
• Activities and Exercise
• Breakfast, Lunch, Snack
• Nutritional Counseling
• Social Services
• Dental Care
• Audiology
• Optometry
• Podiatry MEDICAL SPECIALISTS
• Women’s Services
• Dentistry and Dentures
• Optometry and Eyeglasses
• Audiology and Hearing Aids
• Podiatry, Diabetic Shoes and Orthotics
• Cardiology
• Rheumatology OUTPATIENT SERVICES
• Lab Tests
• Radiology
• X-Rays
• Outpatient Surgery

PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN
• On call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

HOME HEALTH AND HOME CARE SERVICES
• Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living
• Physical and Occupational Therapy
• Personal Care
• Chore Services
• Meal Preparation

INPATIENT SERVICES
• Emergency Room Visits
• Hospitalizations
• Inpatient Specialist
• Skilled Inpatient Rehabilitation

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PRESCRIPTIONS And OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS

FAMILY/CAREGIVER SUPPORT SERVICES
• Respite Care and Caregiver Education

REHAB And DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
• Wheelchairs
• Walkers
• Oxygen
• Hospital Beds
• Diabetic Testing Supplies
• Adult Day Care

Get the straight story. Your loved one is counting on you. Don’t let them down. It’s simple and free.

Call 800-317-2812.
Your Discovery meeting and Analysis meeting are waiting for you. Get it done.

Middle Class Families Go Broke Because “Experts” Broke Estate Planning

Elephants In The Room

Ever go to the zoo? Remember the Elephant House? Couple of big ole elephants in there… Elephants doing what comes naturally. Smelled strong, right? Tough to deny there is an elephant (or two) nearby. You can hear them breathing… moving around.

Now, if an elephant is sharing a room with you, wouldn’t that be significant? I tend to think it would be an important fact, don’t you? It is possible, perhaps, you would want to deal with your companion somehow. Well, I suppose you could pretend that there is no elephant. But wouldn’t that be foolish? Dangerous, even. Not good. You might step in something. Something might step on you. Either way… Squish!

Let us say you figured this one out. Using your five senses, plus common sense. Do you really need Sherlock Holmes, Columbo, or MacGyver for this one? And yet, various people, who claim to be experts, are trying to tell you there are no elephants. These people covered up the elephants with bedsheets. They talk about everything else. Minor stuff. Distractions. Everything except what is most important. But you cannot hide an elephant with a bedsheet! Yet they try. Why? What is going on here?

Long Term Care – The Biggest Elephant In The Room

What is the problem? Middle-class families go broke. All the time. Routinely. It is accepted and acceptable to the so-called experts. I think it is horrible. To work for a lifetime, saving, scrimping, economizing. And watch it all vanish in a matter of months. A nightmare.

“Do not worry!” say the experts, as they try to cover up that elephant. Trying to convince you that probate or interest rates or inflation or taxes are the “real” problem. Long-term care, they say, is something that happens to someone else.

I am no great fan of government information. But even a blind squirrel gets lucky sometimes. Here are a few chestnuts from the federal Department of Health and Human Services. At www.LongTermCare.gov, quoting:

  • Someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports in their remaining years
  • Women need care longer (3.7 years) than men (2.2 years)
  • One-third of today’s 65-year-olds may never need long-term care support, but 20 percent will need it for longer than 5 years

You worked. You saved. You planned for your retirement. Time to relax. Travel. Spoil the grandkids. Not so fast. Not if you are like 70% of folks. You will probably need long-term care services for years. And leave your spouse destitute. And your legacy is…?

By ignoring the biggest, noisiest, smelliest elephant in the room, the burden of your care falls (like a ton of bricks) on your loved ones. If the caregiver is your spouse, they are as likely to die first as you are. Stressed out. Exhausted.

And the experts ignore all this. They want you to think that the real problem is how your kids get your stuff. As if there will be any stuff to get.

Yank the bedsheet off the elephant. Face the facts. Do not let fast-talkers distract you from the reality. Long-term care is the future for most of us. How are you going to deal with it?

Does It Matter To You? The Rich, The Poor, The Middle Class

Not everyone needs to worry about long-term care. Of the three large groups of Americans, only one really must be concerned. The Big Three are: The Rich, The Poor, The Middle Class.

Devastating Gut Punch. The Middle Class

Husband with some dementia. You can manage. Not much sleep. Stressful. But you can manage. Unfortunate fall. Broken hip. Hospitalization. Rehabilitation. Thank goodness for Medicare! And that Medicare Supplement insurance. Minimal out of pocket expense. Three weeks in rehab. Coming home? No.

You could barely handle him before. Now it is out of the question. He needs skilled care. At least for now… maybe he will get better… But Medicare is done. Insurance will not pay anymore. Now it is on you.

Letter in the mailbox. Looks like a bill. Return address: Nursing Home. First six weeks. $18,327. plus, tax. Your head hurts. You almost vomit. You have never seen a bill for this much. You have not spent $18,000 since you bought the house… What are you supposed to do? Better sit down. Quick.

It Don’t Matter To Me… The Rich, The Poor

The Rich. Your spouse transferred from rehabilitation to long-term care at the nursing home. The first bill came in today’s mail. Eighteen thousand dollars. Well. You did not think it would be cheap… actually pretty reasonable when you think about it. So, which account should you pay it from? The money market? Regular checking? Should probably ask the financial advisor… looks like this long-term care will be almost as expensive as maintaining the summer cottage and the ski condo, combined! Not counting the sailboat, jet skis or the golf cart, of course, let alone the horse boarding…

The Poor. Could not pay for the groceries without the Section 8 subsidized housing. Husband now in skilled nursing. How will you ever get transportation to visit? Hope there’s a bus line around there somewhere. Looks like a nursing home bill in the mail. Wow. That place is expensive! Eighteen thousand… and that’s just for the first six weeks. Sigh. Just put it on the stack with the other bills you cannot afford to pay. Have to prioritize… heat and groceries first. Good to know that with skilled nursing, his care is guaranteed. Even without Medicare or Medicaid or Medi-whatever, he will get the care he needs.

Long-Term Care Reality. Rich Man, Poor Man

It can be uncomfortable to look under the bedsheet and take a good hard look at the elephant everyone else is trying to hide. I do not apologize for that. Sometimes truth is not pretty. Facts can be inconvenient.

It is simply true that if you are wealthy, long-term care costs are manageable. You do not need me. Plenty of folks downtown in glass towers with expensive suits and ties are just dying to meet you. Original, incomprehensible art on the wall. Park in the ramp, bring your ticket for validation. Plan for long-term care or do not plan for long-term care, you are not going broke. Let those guys worry about your excess profit’s taxes, capital gains and all that…

It is also true that many families simply cannot begin to pay the costs of long-term care. A bill for $1200 is as much out of their reach as a bill for $12,000. And at that point, what does it matter? You cannot pay anyway. Social security cannot be taken from you. You will not be denied your housing assistance. Bills piling up are awful. Stressful. But at the end of the day, care will be given. Your personal property will not be taken. I cannot help you to preserve assets you do not have.

NOTE: The Medicaid system is extremely complex, with many variables, hurdles and hoops. It is not unusual for Medicaid to be denied to people who should qualify for benefits, often for technical reasons. Over the years, we have helped many such families resolve these issues and get the benefits. From time to time, we work with skilled nursing facilities to get the compensation they have earned by helping these families meet the legal requirements.

LifePlan™ Salvation For The Middle-Class

The rich do not need me. The poor I cannot directly help. That leave the middle-class. It is the middle-class savers, workers, builders that I can help. You get that bill: your guts turn to water, you are about to puke, and you are desperately searching for a place to sit down. Relax! Your LifePlan™ will take care of it. You saw the signs: 70% need long-term care services. One in Five need long-term care services for more than five years. You rejected nursing home poverty. You choose the path of reasonable optimism, while guarding against the potential downsides. Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst.

The LifePlan™ approach is the least expensive, most effective solution to the harsh reality of long-term care. You opened your eyes when faced with long-term care costs. Accepted reality. Refused to allow your lifesavings evaporate like a snowflake on a hot griddle. Recognized the reality of the caregiver spouse dying first, almost half the time and fixed it. Rejected nursing home poverty.

Never Too Late

Sitting there with the nursing home bill in your hand, you say, “Coulda, shoulda, woulda… And now it is too late! Maybe that LifePlan™ Workshop or Webinar would have been a good idea.”

It is never too late. There is nothing inevitable about losing your home, cottage, business, lifesavings, independence. Planning is the best route, but not the only one. Even if the dementia diagnosis was your wake-up call. Even if your attention was finally focused by the slip and fall broken hip. Do not give up the ship! It is never too late for you to be the hero… to fight and win!

Not Chance, Your Choice. Uncover The Elephant!

There is nothing inevitable about nursing home poverty. Peace of mind and security are waiting for you. Right now. It is a choice. Despite what “everybody else” says. Despite their attempts to disguise the elephants in the room. For over thirty years, people have told me, “I’ve never heard of this before!” “If this is real, why doesn’t everyone do it?” “My lawyer/financial advisor/brother-in-law/accountant/tax person/banker/best friend/fill-in-the-blank never said anything like this…”

Well, here you are. Now you know. No excuses. Get the information, insight, inspiration. It is your turn. Ignore the message? Invite poverty? Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions. For you. For your loved ones.

No Poverty. No Charity. No Waste.

It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.

Get Information Now. (800) 317-2812