How To Have Difficult Conversations With People You Love
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How To Have Difficult Conversations With People You Love

Sometimes, loving people means having hard conversations.

We're updating our original post, How to Have Difficult Conversations About Money, Long Term Care Planning, and More below with more insights and tips that you can use in many different situations - from talking about hard topics like finances and caregiving to negotiating whose house the holidays will be hosted at this year.

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Long Term Care Insurance and Income Taxes - 2024
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Long Term Care Insurance and Income Taxes - 2024

The new year is bringing little change to long term care insurance deduction limits but may mean brand new payroll taxes for long term care being introduced in some states. Below, you’ll find the current deduction limits for individual plans and guidance on factors that affect deductibility of premiums. Check with your CPA to make sure you are getting the deductions you deserve.

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Thinking About Retirement?
Megan Archer Megan Archer

Thinking About Retirement?

Being prepared for retirement, emotionally and financially, provides a solid foundation for whatever your dreams entail. We’re here to provide the resources and experience to guide you to a safer retirement. Download our retirement preparation booklet to learn more.

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Long Term Care Planning - Even “Too Little Too Late” Can Be Enough
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Long Term Care Planning - Even “Too Little Too Late” Can Be Enough

Are you one of the millions of adults who have let estate planning fall to the bottom your to do list for years? Does wondering about how you’ll pay for long term care nag at the back of your mind? Has life thrown some curve balls that smacked the life out of your retirement savings?

Sometimes it feels like it’s just too late or too hard to rescue your retirement dreams, but take a minute to remember all the times you’ve been knocked down yet found a way to get back on your feet.

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A Tale of Two Small Estates: Lessons Learned
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A Tale of Two Small Estates: Lessons Learned

Last year brought home to me the reality of aging. My husband and I experienced five deaths of people close to us which included responsibilities for three of the estates. My mother, Joan, and a close family friend, Russell (through his wife Mary) chose me to handle their estates as Personal Representative – a role I’d never held before. Since both estates were small and had been prepared by the same local estate attorney, the comparison of how they turned out was eye opening.

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Inflation Shock? Here Are Some Tips For Improving Your Retirement Income
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Inflation Shock? Here Are Some Tips For Improving Your Retirement Income

During the current high inflation, many of us are rethinking our retirement plans and wondering if we’ll outlive our savings. If you’re still working and saving for retirement, it’s not too late to make some changes to account for higher inflation. If you find yourself in a bind with an unexpected expense or a view of the end of your retirement income, you may be able to recoup some funds.

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9 Tips for Giving Care From Far Away
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9 Tips for Giving Care From Far Away

Chances are you or someone you know has opened their heart and dedicated their time as an unpaid caregiver. But what happens when a loved one that needs care is too far away to help day to day? The good news is that there are ways to lend support from a distance.

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Love and Challenges - Caring for Loved Ones
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Love and Challenges - Caring for Loved Ones

According to the latest statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association, over 11 million Americans provide unpaid care (totaling more than 16 billion hours) for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. 1 in 3 seniors die with dementia. Like many of you, I am one of those eleven million Americans who has cared for a family member – my mother.

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How Will The Out Of Pocket Cost Of Long Term Care Impact My Retirement?
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How Will The Out Of Pocket Cost Of Long Term Care Impact My Retirement?

One of the first questions people ask when they consider long term care insurance is whether or not it’s worth it. Follow our Real Retirement Stories series and make your own decision.

Our first story is about a 67-year-old friend and client, Tom (not his real name), who made a reasonable decision based on his long-term preparations for his and his wife’s retirement - but then life happened.

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Keep Track of These Documents In Case of Emergency
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Keep Track of These Documents In Case of Emergency

When an accident or illness turns your life upside down, knowing where to find critical documents can help ease the stress. The key is to locate and organize these documents ahead of time so you or your loved ones can easily find them.

While there are a number of documents important to have on hand in an emergency, in this case we are focusing on documents that will help pay for care, grant access to medical or financial information, help your loved ones understand your wishes or appoint someone to make medical or financial decisions.

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How To Have Difficult Conversations About Money, Long Term Care Planning, and More
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How To Have Difficult Conversations About Money, Long Term Care Planning, and More

The holiday season is stressful enough on its own. When getting together for the holidays means having hard conversations, that stress multiplies. We’ve learned a lot from Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen about how to have those stressful conversations, and we’re excited to share our favorite tips.

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Long Term Care Insurance and Income Taxes - 2022
article Sivea Key article Sivea Key

Long Term Care Insurance and Income Taxes - 2022

The new year is bringing little change to long term care insurance deduction limits but may mean brand new payroll taxes for long term care being introduced in some states. Below, you’ll find the current deduction limits for individual plans and guidance on factors that affect deductibility of premiums. Check with your CPA to make sure you are getting the deductions you deserve.

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What To Do If You Don’t Qualify For Long Term Care Insurance
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What To Do If You Don’t Qualify For Long Term Care Insurance

In the first 3 installments of this series on the cost of long term care insurance we looked at folks who were able to qualify for a policy. However, long term care insurance can be difficult to qualify for - chances are we all know someone who would not be able to buy a long term care insurance.

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What To Do When Long Term Care Insurance Alone Isn’t Enough
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What To Do When Long Term Care Insurance Alone Isn’t Enough

Last week, we looked at a single woman who wanted to be able to decide when and where she received long term care. For her, traditional long term care insurance was the best answer. Not everyone’s goals are the same. Maybe your situation is more like Art and Maria’s. Art and Maria have saved for retirement diligently throughout their working years. Their plan…

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How Much Does Long Term Care Insurance Cost?
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How Much Does Long Term Care Insurance Cost?

How Much Does Long Term Care Insurance Cost? The short answer is, “It depends.” In this blog series, you’ll learn about what affects the premium price of long term care insurance and what impacts those factors make on the benefits. The first step…

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