With Your Family in Mind

Get a handle on finances: Raising a family on one income, or relying on an ex-spouse for child support, can be one of the hardest aspects of parenting alone. That’s why it’s important to take steps to budget your money, learn about long-term investments, plan for college and retirement, and, if...

 The summer season has arrived! Now that school’s out, many families will take a summer vacation. If you are planning on bringing a senior on your trip, here are some recommendations for traveling with them. • Before you book a plane ticket, make sure your loved one is cleared to travel by...

Estate planning is far greater than just drawing up a will: it’s a way to make decisions about all kinds of important personal and financial topics, from insurance to real estate to guardianship to financial planning and wealth management. Legal protections for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and...

 Hal, a onetime close friend of mine, died last week, from complications of old age. We hadn’t been in touch for a while, and I didn’t know his circumstances until his cousin, Charlie, called me. Turns out, Hal had a house, furniture, a car, some good artwork, some stocks, a cause of action...

By June, most children in the US have closed the books for the school year. For some children, summer means camp, or family vacations. For teens, it could mean a job or internship. Perhaps it’s just lazy days playing with friends. But just because children are not stuck behind desks doesn’t...

 Thursday, June 21 is the summer solstice, which marks the longest day of the year. The Alzheimer’s Association promotes an annual “Longest Day” campaign on this date to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease. Businesses and individuals are invited to participate in this global movement by...

The massive overhaul of the US Tax Code passed earlier this year included a very significant change that will take effect in 2019 and will impact every pending divorce case in the United States where alimony or spousal support is an issue. Under the old code, spousal support or alimony was tax...

 Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a magic formula or one easy trick that made it so you never had to worry about money again? If you’re tired of constantly being stressed out about money, then maybe it’s time to get a hold on your personal finances. There are five keys that can help you get...

 Divorce can be one of the most traumatic life events a person can experience. Legal fees, asset division, child support and alimony can ruin otherwise healthy finances. 1. Your Ex Stops Paying for Joint Accounts Many spouses jointly share credit accounts, like a mortgage or credit cards. In...

 As stated last month, many individuals are receiving care in Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly instead of Nursing Homes (“RCFE). However, there are some problems individuals are reporting while residing in such facilities. One of them is: Evictions: There are only five reasons a...

 With passing years, easy bruising becomes increasingly more common with seniors with the mildest bump or blow. Exactly what causes this? Over time our capillaries age and become more fragile and prone to rupture. Our skin also becomes thinner, losing the protective fatty layer that helps to...

 They say it is not preventable, nor curable. But are they wrong? I watched my grandfather suffer from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, and experienced first-hand the devastation to my family. I walked through an eight-year Alzheimer’s journey with my mother, and mere words cannot explain...

 In my law practice, I get asked this question quite often. And my answer is always no: You do not get any creditor protection from a revocable living trust. This upsets people sometimes because they really want that protection and they have “heard” they can get it with a trust. I believe...

 Join us Thursday, June 14 at Double Trouble Wine Room, featuring Hoi Polloi and Pagter Bros. Wineries at 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Certified Financial Planner Melanie Meyer has big plans for the women of Santa Clarita. This spring, she kicked off a pilot program for women’s financial education and...

 Jared Client, age 45, was divorced. He shared custody of his two daughters, ages 10 and 12, with his ex-wife. (She was a loving mother, but Jared didn’t trust her with money. Her well-developed talent for spending was not matched with a talent for budgeting or saving. Jared was still paying...

Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVRO), unfortunately, can be very confusing, especially in the area of duration. Generally, there are three different types of orders, each with varying duration. The first order, which is given by law enforcement, is generally called an Emergency...

 One of the first questions new clients often ask is, ‘how long will my divorce take?’ There is no simple answer to this questions since each individual case has its own circumstances. The short answer is you will remain married for at least six months in California after you file your Petition...

Many individuals are receiving care in Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly instead of Nursing Homes (RCFE). However, there are some problems individuals are reporting while residing in such facilities. One of them is: SSI as a Payment Source – If a resident of an RCFE runs out of money...