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Spring Cleaning With Charitable Twist By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi February 28, 2020 Recent headlines applaud Rock Star John Oates , of the duo Hall & Oates , who will auction off a vintage race car to benefit the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Foundation through RM Sothebys on March 8th. The media does a wonderful job of casting the spotlight on millionaires and their 6 or 7 figure charitable donations.  My wish is the media would also sprinkle in a few stories about middle class Americans who are also philanthropic.  That's why I wrote Middle Class Philanthropist: How anyone can leave a legacy in 2013.  A small book, it is designed to encourage everyday people to consider an end of life gift to a favorite non-profit.  But we don't need to wait until we are gone to be charitable, nor do we need a vintage race car. We are poised to enter March, the month when yard and garage sales sprout here in my hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, in 48 hours.  Th...

The Teacher Within: Powers of Attorney End At Death By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi Nearly every day of my elementary school days I "played school" upon returning home.  My older brother, 10 years my senior, thought I was a weird kid.  My parents thought they would raise a teacher.  Wrong!  A lawyer emerged.  What my family did not realize was the extent to which a lawyer educates as part of her legal practice. Today's lesson -- powers of attorney end with death.  It is a new concept to my clients, who suddenly find themselves wading into the terms and processes associated with planning for, and administering an estate.  I will get a call in which I hear "I am my dad's power of attorney, and he died last week, what do I do?".  My answer: "you were his power of attorney.  That authority ended with death.  Was there a will or trust?  If so, who was appointed to act now?  Who is the Personal Representative and/or trustee?" And ...