As Gen Xers enter into their 40s and 50s, it is time for them to become active in the creation and execution of their retirement planning. There are many things to consider, including finances, investments, insurance policies, legal documents, living arrangements, and healthcare. It is advi...

Health experts have been advising people for years about unhealthy habits being the cause of "lifestyle" diseases that are increasing across the US. These lifestyle diseases become more common with age and include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and Alzheimer's disease. Around the...

Marietta Estate Planning Attorney Warns, “Beware of DIY and Online Estate Planning Options!” With today's technology, access to information is literally in the palm of our hands. From your cell phone, you can download manuals to repair a washing machine that's thirty years old or watch step-by-step video tutorials that will teach you how to do anything from knitting a sweater to playing an instrument without taking a single professional lesson.

When the US federal government established its social insurance program on August 14, 1935, its purpose was to provide retirement, disability, and survivors' benefits. Since that time, in part due to the disappearance of extended family networks, an increase in population, and a profound increa...

When Google Inc became a publicly traded company in 2004, its founders wrote a letter that said, in part, Google and its employees are "committed to significantly improving the lives of as many people as possible." Google is famously known for its search engine and is part of many inter-relat...

Aging is something you cannot escape, and it affects all family systems. It can be challenging for adult children to imagine their parents as seniors and to understand and respond to the reality that each parent will age differently. Even if you are in the fortunate circumstance where your agin...

As a Marietta elder law attorney, I often meet senior clients as a result of them coming into our offices with their adult children. When this situation happens, it is the lawyer's job to recognize the differing needs and rights of both parties. The lawyer must be clear on who is being represen...

An alert has been issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General about a fraud scheme that involves genetic testing. The warning is for Medicare beneficiaries across the nation, and the federal government is working with law enforcement to put an end to the...

Concerns about your memory or that of a loved one should never be ignored.  There are many resources available through a simple internet search, and professional associations that provide education and guidance through a maze of questions you may have regarding how to approach someone you suspe...

America experienced its worst financial crisis since the great depression between 2007 and 2010. Known as the subprime mortgage crisis, it happened because home prices fell in 2006, triggering loan defaults. Then the risk spread into pension funds, mutual funds, and corporations who owned the...

As 2019 draws to a close, it may be time to take a fresh look at your financial and legal documents to ensure that your affairs are in order and that you are ending the year on a solid foundation This is especially important if you've experienced any notable life or financial changes, such as ...

Diminishing brain function due to the onset of dementia can lead to the destruction of your financial well-being. If you are age 50 or older, easy access to your financial assets like stocks and bonds, checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, and other assets can lead to loss of ...

During the Vietnam War (1962-1975), the United States military, as well as the Republic of Vietnam, used defoliants for tactical purposes to reduce cover for enemy forces, improve perimeter visibility of military installations, and even to kill enemy food crops. Agent Orange is the most infamou...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease in the US accounts for one in every four deaths or about 610,000 people. It is the leading cause of death for both men and women. And yet, mcknightsseniorliving.com is reporting that in the United States, Alzheimer...

The Baby Boomer generation is growing older and beginning to incur the financial costs and strains of aging.  Many are caring for their own elderly parents while beginning to recognize long-term care challenges of their own. Boomers are also starting to learn first-hand that long-term care is e...

If you are a part of the millennial generation or younger, there is a steady path you can pick that can over time make you a self-made millionaire. It does not require a unique set of skills, specialized knowledge, or even excessive risks. Americans who achieve millionaire and multi-millionaire...

Kiplinger.com is suggesting it is time to rethink your financial retirement portfolio. You may have built up a significant nest egg in a 401(k) plan, but it does come with serious baggage during your golden years. It is impossible to argue against the early stages of a 401(k) when employers mat...

A non-partisan advocacy group called The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) has a new analysis that asserts the federal government measuring tool to calculate the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is flawed. The decrease in social security benefit monies that are paid to seniors is eroding their financ...

If you have an elderly family member or friend living in an assisted living or skilled nursing facility, it is imperative that you stay attuned to the signs of abuse to your loved one. The National Center on Elder Abuse reports the most common types of abuse include physical (29%), psychologica...

When someone passes away, family members often find themselves asking a Cobb County estate planning lawyer what they should do. If the individual had a will or other aspects of a plan in place, then the estate planning lawyer will help with the execution of that plan and the probate process. Wh...

Most people who work in healthcare may recognize the acronym LASA, which stands for “look-alike-sound-alike” and is usually seen when referencing medications.   When it comes to federal programs, Medicaid and Medicare, in written form, look alike and they do sound alike but work very differentl...

Master plans for inter-generational community living models are changing the shape of the aging experience from the ages of 8 up to 80 years of age and beyond. Dubbed “new urbanism” it is the belief that a living environment with high standards can have a positive effect on the quality of life,...

We live in a world of the Internet of Things (IoT). Embedded electronics with internet connectivity simplify tasks and are a pervasive part of our daily lives. Typically, the younger generations are very adept at navigating the IoT while many seniors feel overwhelmed by technology, devices, and...

One cannot overstate the importance of family presence in a senior's life. Family creates a consistent social network and connection that directly impacts the senior's overall quality of life. Prioritizing family relationships provides continuity as a senior experiences change in their social n...

Suppose your mother can no longer make decisions for herself and she now needs nursing-home care. You are stressed and anxious. The nursing home puts a twenty-page, single-spaced contract in front of you. You wish you could flip straight to the last page and sign then and there, just to get it ...