Navigator

Tomorrow, April 28th, I will be giving a free seminar at the Stoughton Library through WBBIC . The seminar is open to all, and will address the needs of anyone over 18, male or female, in relation to planning for illness, death, and taxes. And Saturday morning I will be doing the same seminar, for a small fee, through the UW Mini Courses at the Union .

Last week the local news ran several stories about a man who flew to Hawaii to scatter his recently deceased mother's ashes. The ashes were shipped via the US Mail, but did not arrive in time for the planned ceremony. In fact, initial stories reported the ashes were lost. Later the postal service stated that the ashes had been shipped via a slower method; Express mail would have had them there in 2 days. Sadly, this is not what the son had been told at the post office. This story will hopefully have a happy ending and that one day the family can return and complete the desired ceremony. It also illustrates the importance of 1) letting your family know your burial wishes, and 2) anticipating a variety of snafus in planning. Wisconsin residents have the ability to complete a free form, issued by the State of Wisconsin, called the Authorization for Final Disposition . It allows them to appoint a first and second choice person to handle burial/cremation arrangements. It is ava...

Driving to the office last week I turned on Wisconsin Public Radio, and caught the brief Writer's Almanac segment. The poem was moving, and made me think about my clients and the decisions they make when completing living wills. Here is a literary take on the nuts and bolts of my practice. The Writer's Almanac web site has an audio link, it is worth a listen. End of Days by Marge Piercy Almost always with cats, the end comes creeping over the two of you— she stops eating, his back legs no longer support him, she leans to your hand and purrs but cannot rise—sometimes a whimper of pain although they are stoic. They see death clearly though hooded eyes. Then there is the long weepy trip to the vet, the carrier no longer necessary, the last time in your lap. The injection is quick. Simply they stop breathing in your arms. You bring them home to bury in the flower garden, planting a bush over a deep grave. That is how I would like to cease, held in a lover's arms and quickly...

It's Earth Day, and I wanted to share an eco-focused blog post today. Earlier this month I came across on article about a Swedish ecologist/biologist who has developed an alternative to burial and cremation. She has called it promession: Promession reshapes, dries and allows the body to be cared for by the soil. It offers a very natural connection with nature and a more appealing way to consider death. mponent from the corpse. Within a week and a half after death, the body is frozen to -18 degrees Celsius and then submerged in liquid nitrogen, a substance that Promessa Organic claims does not cause any environmental harm. The body now very brittle is then treated to vibrations of specific amplitude that reduce the corpse to a fine organic powder, both hygienic and odourless. It finally is laid in a biodegradable container made of cornstarch. “The remains are buried in a shallow grave and the living soil turns it into compost in about six to twelve months,” says Wiigh-Mäsak, who ...

Next week I will be giving another seminar on wills and other important documents. The seminar is coordinated through WWBIC and will be held at the Stoughton library . Understanding and Preparing Your Will Thursday, April 28th from 6 - 8pm Stoughton Public Library Everyone over the age of 18 should consider estate planning! Learn the key elements of estate planning and receive resources to enable you to complete a plan of your own. This program is brought to you by the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) and the Stoughton Public Library. Registration is required. To register, call WWBIC at 608-257-5450.

It's that time to year again, tax day. This year it falls on April 18th. I came across this nice compilation of jokes related to taxes on cnbc . Enjoy: To help ease the pain, here are a bunch of hilarious quotes about taxes: “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.” — Albert Einstein “The difference between death and taxes is death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets.” — Will Rogers “The problem is that you keep thinking about it as your money.” — IRS auditor “Worried about an IRS audit? Avoid what's called a red flag. That's something the IRS always looks for. For example, say you have some money left in your bank account after paying taxes. That's a red flag.” — Jay Leno “It's income tax time again, Americans: time to gather up those receipts, get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself in the aorta.” — Dave Barry ”I just filled out my income tax forms. Who says you can't get killed by a blank?” — ...

Your taxes are probably done, so now tackle another unpleasant task -- completing your power of attorney for health care, living will, and power of attorney for finance. Learn more about National Healthcare Decision Day by visiting its web site . You can find free forms, stories, and more. Remember, completing these forms is a gift to your loved ones.