Category Archives: Financial Planning

Pension Plan Benefits after Death of a Spouse

Reporting Date of Death One form of retirement income is a pension from a prior employer. When the retiree dies, the former employer or the pension plan administrator should be notified immediately. The address and phone number of the pension plan administrator can often be found on the most recent check stub, on the…

Social Security Benefits after Death of a Spouse – Part I

Reporting Date of Death Social Security should be notified as soon as possible when a person dies. In most cases, the funeral home will report the person’s death to Social Security. Family members should give the funeral home the deceased person’s Social Security number if you want the funeral home to report the death for…

Social Security Benefits after Death of a Spouse – Part II

As described in the article entitled “Social Security Benefits after Death of a Spouse – Part I,” a meeting with the local Social Security office will assist you in determining the benefits for which you are eligible following the death of your spouse. In order to be prepared for that meeting, we suggest that you…

New Year, New You: Financial Awareness Month

With the start of every new year, people make resolutions to make big changes. But what if we just improve on things we already do, like keeping track of our finances? With just a few helpful financial tips and reminders, 2016 can shape up to be so much easier. Keep tabs on all your money…

We all want the best for our aging loved ones and when it comes to the point that they can no longer handle important financial tasks, it can be best to put a Power of Attorney into position. When a loved one can no longer handle their responsibilities it is best to have a family…

How To Reconcile Your Check Book Without Pulling Your Hair Out

To protect your identity and your assets, you should make sure that you reconcile your bank and credit card accounts each month when you receive your monthly statements. For those who are good with numbers, this task is not too difficult. But for some, this is an extremely daunting task. You procrastinate and then give…

Giving Up The Check Book – Worse Than Giving Up The Car Keys

Giving up the check book is worse than giving up the car keys. We often hear children talking about their aging parents and how difficult it was to convince them to stop driving. But I believe that asking the parent to stop managing their money and trusting someone else to watch their assets is much…