Source: Federal Government Study: "The Dilemma Of An Aging Society"
My name is Kathy Lane and I am one of the founders of DieSmart. I am also a mother, wife, grandmother and, until my mother died last year at the age of 95, a caretaker. And I thought I was retired.
My partner and I are not attorneys; not doctors; not grief counselors. We are people who have started and managed businesses, raised families and nurtured friends. We became caretakers for our aging parents, and then acted as executors of their estate.
In dealing with our parent's death and our grandmother's incapacity, we discovered laws we didn't understand or even know about that governed how we managed their financial affairs.
We found it hard to believe that educated people like ourselves did not understand the paperwork or the legal and financial aspects of dying.
We realized that no one teaches someone how to die smart in school. Or explain why a lack of knowing or doing means someone pays later.
We discovered that dying is not just an emotional event in life, but a major financial one as well. An event where "dying dumb" can cost 4 to 8% of your net worth and, if long term care is involved, perhaps all of your net worth.
New State Laws and how they affect you www.diesmart.com/statelaws
Family Stories www.diesmart.com/stories
July 1, 2009: Estate Tax Update — Current estate tax laws: In 2001, Congress passed the existing federal estate tax laws. The 2001 legislation gradually raised the federal estate tax exemption allowance from $1 million to $3.5 ...
June 26, 2009: Estate Tax: Senate Bill 722 — Estate Tax: Senate Bill 722 The 2010 Congressional Budget Resolution recommends a personal estate tax exemption allowance of $3.5 million. The value of estates above that would be taxed at 45%. ...
April 2, 2009: Long Term Health Care–”..Number 1 issue…over the next decade.”" — David Pitt of the Associated Press submitted an eye opening article for the San Jose Mercury News today--4/2/09. It was a very clear warning about how the long term care costs will negatively impact ...
Resources and information that help you plan and manage your life in the event of incapacity or death: probate, power of attorney, living trusts, digital assets, inherited IRAs, wills and more...