Navigator

I'm not sure when it happened, but all of a sudden I have a fondness for country music.  Maybe because my 30s are drawing to an end and 40 is coming on fast.  Maybe because I'm a parent and see the world in an entirely different light.  Maybe because I counsel clients on matters of illness, death and taxes.  And maybe it is a combination of all three.  Regardless, country music strikes a chord with me these days. Recently, while driving to the office Here for a Good Time by George Straight came on the radio.  It was the first time I'd heard the song, and I had just learned about the death of a much liked law professor.  She was only 53 and left behind a teenage son.  That news rattled me.  But Straight's lyrics helped me put life in perspective.  And it put a smile on my face.  The following verse jumped out at me "folks are always dreaming about what they'd like to do but I like to do just what I like". Wills, powers o...

Prognosis -- it is an art that, according to this NY Times article , has been neglected by the medical profession.  Prognosis the the doctor's ability to predict a patients survival.  It is a key factor in deciding when testing, screening, and other measures should be ceased.  The article states that colonoscopies are not recommended for patients over 85.  However, there are many 90 year olds who are in better health can 65 year olds.  Reading that sentence I immediately thought of my grandparents and my mother.  At 90 my grandparents are in far better health than my mother, who is kept alive thanks to the miracle of pacemakers.  The article states that the medical professional could improve on doctor's ability to research, determine and communicate a patient's prognosis.  It is an interesting thought.  Most people seem to rarely question a doctor's word, let alone think he or she doesn't have a good idea on survival.  Hopefully improvem...

Looking for a green burial option, but want something different than a green burial?  Have you considered donating your body to a forensic anthropology center where it would be used to assists scientists in building knowledge about how bodies decompose.  Why would this be important?  Those scientists take the information and use it to assist crime scene investigations. One center is located in Tennessee, The University of Tennessee's Forensic Anthropology Center, or Body Farm as it is called, conducts research to assist law enforcement investigations.  If you find this appealing, then you are not alone.  Apparently there is a two year wait list at UTFAC. I'm not sure about you, but I find this to be a great option to the costly and environmental harsh traditional burials.  The cost appears to be zero, and you are giving one last gift to science and crime solving.  That sounds like a win-win to me. If you'd like to learn more, click here for a lin...

Nursing homes, assisted living facilities, elder day care, in-home attendants -- commonly these words have a negative connotation with them.  However, as author Hendrick Hartog points out, they are a lot better than historical options.  Caring for elder loved ones primarily fell on children in historical times.  And if that sounds quaint, you may be looking through rose colored glasses.  Recently the New York Times ran an article by Hartog, Bargaining for a Child's Love , which sheds a new light on how the elderly were cared for in times past. Take a look, and then share your thoughts.  Skilled nursing care, is it a good thing, a bad thing, or a bit of both?

As January approaches its end, I am gearing up for another intense round of seminars.  Some are 2 hours in length others are 45 minutes as apart of a larger retirement planning workshop.  Some are open to the public and free, others require a small registration fee.  Either way, they are a great way to learn more about the world of wills, trusts, and probate. I always start my seminars with "estate planning is three things: planning for illness, death, and taxes.  Things none of us are going to escape".  Come, learn, and reduce any anxiety you may have about this critical subject. Whether you are 18 or 88, you'll learn something valuable! My seminar schedule is posted here . If an organization you belong to is need of a speaker on issues related to estate planning, please contact me office. Image taken by Attorney Melinda Gustafson Geravsi - Holga Camera

It's the little things that matter.  And its the little things that tend to start family feuds when a loved one has died. I have seen children of a decedent fight over hunting rifles that do not work, a pickle dish that mom had bought at a garage sale, and furniture that would not fetch $20 at a rummage sale. Estate planning sounds like a fancy and expensive process, but in reality it is simply taking charge of the situation by telling the probate court what to do with your stuff when you die. Sure there are the big items like a home, car, and savings account.  But it never fails that the little items create the biggest waves. How does one handle dictating what happens to their stuff, or in legal mumbo jumbo, their tangible personal property?  If you live in Wisconsin, state statute 853.32 allows you to mention in your will that you have created another document that lists your property and who should receive it.  This is great because you don't have to clutter ...

Reading the local paper last week I came across a small article that may have significant ramifications on participants in Wisconsin's 529 Plan, called EdVest.  Apparently the current administrator, Wells Fargo, no longer wants to service the account.  That means the State will be seeing a new company to run the 260,000 accounts, totaling $2.6 billion. Why is a change of administrator important?  The fee that is charged can be quite steep.  My husband and I selected the Vanguard Index funds that are offered under the current investment options.  The fees were quite low, which means more of our money will go towards our children's education, and less into the profits of the firm administering the program. According to the article , Wells Fargo's current contract ends October 31, 2012.  I'll be watching and monitoring what this might mean for fund selection and possible fee increases.