Search Results for: blog living wills

Do You Have a Living Will?

Many people don’t like to think about — or talk about — death. But it may be wise to think about the shape you’d like the end of your life to take now… before someone else has to make the decision for you. In the summer of 2001, my paternal grandmother passed away. It was somewhat unexpected — she had been living with Parkinson’s disease, but was largely stable. It was my paternal grandfather who had been very sick that same summer, and he was the one we were worried about. When Gramma died, we started making plans for her … Continue reading →

Spencer and Heidi: A Case Study in Living Together

A couple weeks back I wrote about a show I watch on MTV called The Hills. It follows the lives of four girls as they deal with friends, careers, dating, and all the other stuff life throws at you in your early twenties. One of the girls is Heidi. Last season she hooked up with a guy named Spencer. They had a tumultuous beginning. He seemed to be two-timing her with one of her good friends, Audrina. (Someone else the show follows.) Then when Heidi was supposed to go out of town but a last minute change kept her in … Continue reading →

Estate Planning Tips

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Having a child with special needs means planning for her future more extensively than you would your other children. It also means planning for her day-to-day care after you have passed away. There are many important details to take care of to ensure the best possible life for your child, including estate planning. The laws can be confusing, so you should contact a professional with experience in special needs planning. Here are some tips from the pros: Make a Binder. Bernard A. Krooks, J.D., CPA, LL.M, CELA, is a founding partner of Littman Krooks LLP and an expert on special … Continue reading →

A Genealogist In The Family

It turns out that at least one of my relatives has been doing some genealogy on our family. I learned this when I was talking to that relative through the chat function on facebook. I had no idea that there was a genealogist in my family! Before you begin doing your own genealogy research, it is a good idea to ask your other family members if they have already started. Find out what has already been done. If possible, share what each of you has discovered about your family. This is a great way to expand your family tree, and … Continue reading →

Homeschool groups and resources in Michigan

Involvement with other homeschoolers is very important to a family’s success in homeschooling. Joining a homeschool network or support group in your area will make a difference in your homeschooling journey. This installment is for Michigan. Adventurers Homeschool Association Christian co-op that meets weekly for classes just south of Ypsilanti, MI Christian Home Educators of Midland Ministry, Inc. (CHEMinistry) Christian Home Educators of Midland Ministry, Inc. We are a Midland-based, Christian, nonprofit home school support group that serves families in Mid-Michigan. Christian Home Educators Support System (CHESS) homeschool co-op founded in the fall of 1993. Capital Homeschool Athletic Program (CHAP) … Continue reading →

Who Sets the Agenda in Marriage?

Having your own agenda can be problematic in a marriage. It often means you are so focused on what you want to do and achieve that you ignore the feelings of those closest to you, which is you spouse and family. Where two people in a marriage each have their own agenda, it can then becomes a contest of wills to see who will prevail or it ends up in the man and woman living independent lives that hardly ever connect. This is not what marriage was intended to be. Marriage is meant to be a sharing of ourselves, our … Continue reading →

Book Review: We Rode the Orphan Trains

I’ve written a blog before on the story of the orphan trains, a true story which has captured the imagination of several writers who have written either memoirs or historical fiction. We Rode the Orphan Trains, by Andrea Warren, is different because it interviews adoptees at the other end of their life stories, those senior citizens who are still living today (the book was published in 2001) and who rode the orphan trains between 1854 and 1929. We rarely hear from adoptees looking back on their entire lives. The book’s format consists of introductory and concluding chapters, and a second … Continue reading →

Bypass Trusts

First, I have to say, I love the lawyer I found to do mine and my husband’s wills. I highly recommend finding a good lawyer yourself to do your estate planning. Paying for good legal counsel to write up your will, is worth the money. Ask around your neighborhood, I am sure someone has a good recommendation. What impressed me about our lawyer was his advice, which I hope to also share with you. The key when making a will is to ensure you have covered all the basics of your current situation, and included sections that will cover changes … Continue reading →

Do you Need a Power of Attorney?

Most people envision a power of attorney as something you designate on your deathbed. Actually, this is the worst time to attempt this decision. When my husband and I completed our wills, the lawyer also had a file the paperwork for the power of attorney. My first thought was why? As my husband, can’t he already access all our bills and accounts anyway? Not completely… any joint assets like a house can’t be sold without the consent of both parties. Imagine a scenario where you were in an accident, unable to respond, and the bills were stacking up. Your spouse … Continue reading →

Getting Out of Debt

For many years, the leaders of the Church have counseled us to avoid debt and to pay the debts we have. President J. Rueben Clark, Jr. said, “Interest never sleeps nor sickens nor dies; it never goes to the hospital; it works on Sundays and holidays; it never takes a vacation. … Once in debt, interest is your companion every minute of the day and night; you cannot shun it or slip away from it; you cannot dismiss it; it yields neither to entreaties, demands, or orders; and whenever you get in its way or cross its course or fail … Continue reading →