Are you are a Star Wars fan? I am. If you are too, then you know that May 4th is also known as Star Wars Day. A day for Star Wars fans to celebrate their love of all things Star Wars. As a huge fan myself, I know I always enjoy this day (in part because we always buy a cake).
In honor of Star Wars Day, the subject of this article is based on one of Yoda’s famous quotes that has meaning to my area of work.
Impossible to see, the future is.
As an estate planning attorney, I find this quote especially poignant. Even with all of our technology, no one can see the future. This is exactly why everyone should have their estate planning documents prepared before a crisis strikes. If you had a crystal ball and could see the future, you could see when (and what) will happen to you and make sure you have everything ready before then.
Unfortunately in the real world, you never know when a crisis might strike. That is why it is important not to put this planning off. While no one likes to think about the bad things that could happen, if you truly love your family (and yourself for that matter), planning ahead will help make things easier in a time of crisis. I will leave you with one last quote from Yoda, one of my personal favorites.
Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
To me, this means to not only believe in yourself, but to also get it done. The same should be said of your estate plan. Don’t procrastinate - get it done. You and your family will be better off for it.
Recently I have been talking to some people that are thinking of retirement outside of the US. If you are one of those people, there are some things you should make sure you consider first. If you’re thinking of retiring abroad, and you want to purchase (or have already purchased) long-term care insurance, be sure to read the fine print on your policy.
Not all policies cover care in other countries, and even if they do, the benefits are often reduced. For example, one large insurer pays only 50 percent of the nursing home benefit if your care is received outside the U.S.
Other companies provide full benefits, but for a limited time (such as one year). Once you reach the limit, you’ll have to move back to the U.S. if you want to continue your remaining coverage.
Still other companies will cover you only if you move to an English-speaking country.
To check your policy, go to the section for exclusions, and look carefully for “international benefits” or “out-of-country coverage.”
Medicaid Myths
To follow in our theme of Long Term Care, over the years I have heard many comments about Medicaid and Long Term Care. Unfortunately, although many of these sound good, they are not usually true. In fact, in many instances believing them without knowing the whole story could cause more harm to you and your loved ones. Check out our list of 10 common Medicaid and Long Term Care Myths that you should be aware of. To get a copy, just click on this link (Top 10 Medicaid Myths) and follow the instructions. If you would like to find out the truth behind them, I would be happy to set up an appointment to discuss with you.
Kristina M. Belanger
Paralegal & Receptionist
Kristina is the latest addition to Roth Elder Law and she truly enjoys working here. She finds the firm’s proactive approach to estate planning is far superior to a reactive approach. This is especially true as compared to her past work in the legal field, which included divorce, custody and visitation matters. Kristina says, “After years in areas of law where clients are reactionary, it is a great change of pace to work at a Law Office which actively engages their clients to proactively plan for their estate, not only for their own benefit, but also for their loved ones.”READ MORE
As soon as the weather turns nice, we like to head out and start grilling. Here is a simple but great recipe for grilled chicken, especially for get togethers. We hope you enjoy it.
Ingredients:
5 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs or Breasts
1 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Ketchup
3/4 Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
1/3 Cup Sherry (or Chicken Broth)
2 1/2 tspMinced Ginger
1 1/2 Minced Garlic
Instructions:
In a small bowl mix everything but the chicken.
Set aside 1-1/3 cups of the mixture for basting and cover and refrigerate.
Divide the rest of the mixture in two large resealable plastic bags and add half of the chicken in each bag.
Preheat your grill to medium heat and lightly cover the grill rack with non-stick spray.
Drain and discard the marinade from the chicken.
Grill the chicken 6 to 8 minutes on each side (or until no longer pink).
Baste occasionally with marinade during the last five minutes.
Kristina M. Belanger
