What You Need to Know About Disability Benefits
By Elaine Floyd | Horsesmouth Most of us probably hope that we will never need disability benefits. But for those who qualify, they can be an important source of income. The disability portion of the Social Security program is so big and so complex that there are law firms that specialize in helping…
Read MoreChecklist: Is It Time for Assisted Living?
By Jennifer Reimer | Horsesmouth Editorial Assistant How do you know when loved ones are ready for assisted living? Use these guidelines to help spot the warning signs of aging and illness. Rosalyn Carter once said: “There are only four kinds of people in the world—those who have been caregivers, those who are…
Read MoreHow to Pay For Long-Term Care: 8 Strategies
By Tammy Ward and Ed Friderici | Horsesmouth Long-term care planning—if not now, when? Two big questions loom as the American population comes of age for long-term care—How do I plan for it? Can I afford it? When it comes to planning for a safe and secure retirement, long-term care (LTC) can be a…
Read More11 Financial Tips to Make Caregiving Easier
By Debra Taylor, CPA/PFS, JD, CDFA | Horsesmouth Caregivers generally tend to their elderly/disabled family members as a labor of love, but it can also be taxing for them financially and otherwise. These 11 tips can help you manage the financial side of caregiving and keep things under control. Becoming a caregiver to a…
Read MoreHow to Start the Family Caregiving Discussion
By Amanda Chase | Horsesmouth Associate Editor Nobody looks forward to discussing finances and elder care with their parents, but every family needs to do it. These tips will help you start the conversation now and get a plan in place before you urgently need it. Most of us have always thought of our…
Read MoreUnderstanding Guardianship for Older Adults
By Elaine Floyd, CFP ® | Horsesmouth One day you may find yourself involved in guardianship proceedings for an elderly parent or relative. Here’s an overview of what guardianship means today, how the court evaluates the adult, and what you need to know. Guardianship promises to be a huge issue facing baby boomers in the…
Read MoreHow to Keep Health Care Costs Under Control in Retirement
By Elaine Floyd CFP ®| Horsesmouth If you’ve been covered by a generous employer group health plan, you may be in for a rude awakening when you retire. Here are some tricks for keeping health care costs under control after you retire. Although the government may subsidize some of your health care costs under the…
Read MoreHow to Build a Retirement Health Care Budget
By Elaine Floyd CFP ® | Horsesmouth The most accurate and reliable way to determine your spending needs in retirement is to sit down and make up a budget projecting costs in the areas of housing, utilities, food, transportation, leisure activities and so on. Depending on how your life will change (or not) after retirement,…
Read More10 Common Medicare Questions Answered
By Elaine Floyd | Horsesmouth People are confused about Medicare—both about how the system works, and how these inner workings affect their retirement decisions. These ten questions address some of the most common sources of confusion around Medicare: When to sign up, what to do if you are still working, how much it costs,…
Read MoreBuilding Health Care Costs into Retirement Planning
By: Amy E. Buttell | Horsesmouth Health care costs are rapidly emerging as a major expense item, both before and during retirement. With lifetime employment a relic of the past and longevity on the rise, it’s more important than ever to estimate how much to save to cover costs in retirement and include those…
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