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What Exactly Is An Estate Plan? By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi February 28, 2025  Crown - Copenhagen, Denmark, Image by M. Gustafson Gervasi “So, what exactly is an estate plan, and do I need one?” asked the client seated across from me earlier this week.  “Um, my life is really pretty simple…do you think I need something like that?” they added. My response was a simple “Yes” . To me an estate plan means preparing for illness, death, and taxes. It may not look like the estate plan used by the rich and famous, but it will address preparing for illness and death” Here are common types of documents that make up an estate plan: Power of Attorney for Finances is a document that allows another person to handle financial tasks and decisions, such as banking, taxes, real estate, legal actions, and professional assistance if you are alive but too sick to act. Power of Attorney for Health Care – is a document that gives someone else the power to make health care decisions for you if you ...

What I’ve Been Reading: Let’s Talk About Aging Parents: a real-life guide to solving problems with 27 essential conversations by Laura Tamblyn Watts February 18, 2025 By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi “Ahhhh, Mom….why are you reading a book about aging parents?” asked my observant 14 year old.  With her head tilted just so she added “....um you know we don’t have grandparents, right, you “k”?”  Rather than be frustrated with my teenager for pointing out the obvious and conveying with her eyes a concern about my possible dementia, I classified the moment as one in which my child’s maturity is starting to deepen.  The simple “k” being her way of saying “mom, are you doing okay?”  Smiling, I reminded her that I often read books for work to find ones my clients might enjoy.  Well aware that we have no “aging parents” on either branch of our family tree, I still picked up a copy of Let’s Talk About Aging Parents: a real-life guide to solving problems with 27 essential c...

Embrace  A Low-Tech Foundation For Your Estate Plan By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi February 7, 2025 Geroges -- everyone paid attention! “Rome is a lasagna,” said Georges, our tour guide for Palatine Hill, the Forum, and The Colosseum, “we have built layer upon layer.” Spry and a fountain of information on Roman history, Georges filled my brain not only with basic facts about Rome, but he planted a seed in my mind to reinforce the importance of a quality foundation in my verbal and written work as an estate planning and probate attorney.   Roman Holiday For just about twenty years I have spent my working days counseling on the ins and outs of estate planning and probate.  As a result of my work in this often gloomy area of life, I know that tomorrow is never guaranteed.  Rather than wait until my retirement years to travel, I work travel in whenever our schedules and budgets allow.  That is why this past December, Santa pulled out the passports and delivered ...