Common Estate Planning Mistakes

This article from the Wall Street Journal Blog is excellent.

We all know that having an estate plan is good for our finances and for our heirs. But many of us fail to put a plan in place—for fear of facing our own mortality, among other reasons. And those who do have a plan often make mistakes that can lead to familial and financial problems down the road. The Experts, a group of finance professionals and academics, weigh in on what they see as the biggest mistakes people make with estate planning.

Read the rest by clicking here…

from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC http://ift.tt/1WURsXi


from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC

Frequently Asked Question: Why does it cost so much?

GET ALL the ANSWERS NOW by CLICKING HERE.

Less than a cup of convenience store coffee every day.

You are getting a well thought out, custom, individualized plan, not a “box” plan from the office supply store or online.

There is something to the saying “you get what you pay for.” Lisa did an online will but did not get part of it notarized. This could have caused a big problem later if it was not caught during other work being done. The overall cost would have been much greater than having a custom plan done.

Asset transfers will add to the base price. Any Supplemental Needs Trusts will add to the price.

If the attorney has to go to your location, then travel time at the hourly rate will typically be added.

Breaking this down by a minimum every 5 year review, you are looking at $1.21 per day. That is less than the cost of a cup of convenience store coffee.

Finally, don’t expect bargain prices if you just need a single document. An attorney, like a CPA or doctor’s office, has an overhead to open the file, make notes, do the work, and close the file.

from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC http://ift.tt/1QKk1X5


from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC

Bride Brought Wedding To Alzheimer’s Home So Her Mom Could Be There

Poor Sleep May Actually Set The Stage For Alzheimer’s

Numerous studies have tied sleep to Alzheimer’s disease, but the link hasn’t yet been well-defined.

Now a new study led by Oregon Health and Science University hopes to clearly determine the relationship between a lack of shuteye and the memory-robbing disease. University researcher Jeffrey Iliff recently spoke with NPR about the upcoming study and the importance of adequate sleep.

“Changes in sleep habits may actually be setting the stage [for dementia],” Iliff told NPR. 

Researchers have known for decades that there was a link between Alzheimer’s and sleep but they might have had it all wrong. It’s common for Alzheimer’s patients to have sleep disorders, which researchers thought was a result of the disease and the way it disturbs the brain’s ability to regulate rest.

Iliff and his team believe that it might be the other way around. It’s during deep sleep that our brain is able to rid itself of harmful toxins, including amyloid commonly associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers now believe that if we don’t get adequate sleep, the brain might not be able to carry out this function, causing amyloid to accumulate. This, in turn, potentially increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

The new study will hopefully determine the exact link. They plan to use highly sensitive MRIs that can sense when the brain’s glymphatic system is activated to clear away toxins. 

Other research in this area has shown similar findings. One 2014 study of mice found that lack of sleep can lead to memory problems and brain tangles in just eight weeks. And a study from 2015 found that lack of sleep might speed up biological aging. 

Iliff and his fellow researchers hope their study will provide answers that could confirm their theory and also help pinpoint people who might be at risk. 

h/t NPR

Read more: http://ift.tt/1O45B13

from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC http://ift.tt/200Wp6d


from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC

Immediate Benefits of Estate Planning

Many people think that estate planning only has benefits far in the future.

That is wrong.

Here are some of the immediate benefits:

The satisfaction of a job well done.

You will learn how much equity you have, how much cash is coming in, and how much cash is going out each and every month.  Just like a business, you will have a cash flow analysis and a balance sheet.

Your unease of what may happen in the future will evaporate.  You will know that plans have been made.

You are being proactive, not reactive.  You have the right to know what will happen and the order it will happen in.  You should know who will be in charge of the finances and medical decisions.

You make sure your values will continue and are known to your family now.  If you don’t then your family may regret that you never shared family stories, history, and values.

Estate planning can open up new lines of communication for a family that you didn’t even know existed.  Just the process of creating a plan makes families communicate in new ways about new things.

You have the freedom to express yourself and make sure your views and values are expressed.

from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC http://ift.tt/1njiiMv


from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC

Shorter Posts

After looking back on past posts, they are really long and hard to read.  They take too much time out of a busy person’s day.

In the future, I will break things up into series, keeping each one to no more than a 5 minute read.

-G-

from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC http://ift.tt/1NuNcqp


from DeWitt Law Firm, PLLC

Blocking brain inflammation ‘halts Alzheimer’s disease’ – BBC News