"Will Power!" Episode 20

Episode 20: The importance of reviewing your retirement accounts to be certain that you have specified your beneficiaries, both primary and secondary; Supplemental Needs Trusts; Succession planning for businesses, the benefits of setting up a Family Limited Partnership. Karen's guests are Greg Dibrindisi, Hatfield Fire Department and Maria Pelchar, Holyoke Fire Department, providing fire safety and fall prevention tips for our elders and disabled.

"Will Power!" Episode 19

Episode 19: Coming soon!

"Will Power!" Episode 18

Episode 18: An example showing the importance of testamentary trusts; the new 3.8 % federal tax surcharge; what to think about in making your choice of agent for your Power of Attorney; incompetent agent. Karen's guest is Eleanor Wakin, founder of The Dementia Initiative.

"Will Power!" Episode 17

Episode 17: Elder financial abuse by mail and telephone and resources for help; how Senior Care Options and Group Adult Foster Care program can help pay for care at home, assisted living and nursing home; why not to hide money; Life Estate deeds and Due on Sale clause in mortgage; capital gains taxes, loans, and homeowner's insurance; what are appropriate charges to estate while serving as Personal Representative (Executor). Karen's guests are Barbara McEwen, RN, Pat Boynton, LICSW, and Leslie Hennessey, with Hospice Life Care team, a program of the Holyoke Visiting Nurses Association.

"Will Power!" Episode 16

Episode 16: Story of how Karen saved family over $200,000 because she prepared Life Estate deed, Durable Power of Attorney, and Health Care Proxy six years ago; problems with out of state wills; situations in which a testamentary trust is needed; fraud by caregiver during elder's last year of life. Karen's guest is Sherry Bell, Protective Services in matters of elder abuse and/or neglect.

"Will Power!" Episode 15

Episode 15: Alzheimer's in the news: excellent new evidence that anti-amyloid drugs already under development might alter the disease's course or even prevent it; good reasons to have a professional co-trustee in the various types of trusts; Life Estate deeds and mortgages; example of elder financial abuse. Karen's guest is Betty Thayer from Thayer Adult Daycare in Hadley and Ware.

"Will Power!" Episode 14

Episode 14: Reasons not to intermingle a parent's and child's money; reasons not to add child's name to bank account; practical tips regarding Voluntary Probate Administration; TOD bank account; explanation of "durable" in power of attorney; springing vs. immediately effective power of attorney. Karen's guest is Isaac S. Siegel, Vice President of Financial Advisory Services located at Monson Savings Bank.

"Will Power!" Episode 13

Episode 13: My friend's story of how his widowed mother's house and lifetime savings could have been passed on to her children if I had had the opportunity to meet with her/the family in advance; true story of an example of the danger of mirror wills when the spouses have different sets of secondary beneficiaries. Karen's guest is Sherrill Pineda, Director of SAGE Western Massachusetts, serving the LGBT Older Adults in our region.

"Will Power!" Episode 12

Episode 12: How the life estate deed can avoid estate recovery and successfully pass the house to the children/beneficiaries free of claims; long term care insurance, its importance and how it works. Karen's guest is Jeff Winston of Peace Tree Video Productions discussing the beauty and magic of legacy videos.

"Will Power!" Episode 11

Episode 11: Examples of how I saved my clients' beneficiaries $70,000 in Mass estate taxes; saved the community spouse $80,000 from having to pay the skilled nursing home; and, saved my clients thousands of dollars in avoiding conservatorships and guardianships. Karen's guest is Aliina Laine of Aliina Laine Financial and Insurance Services discussing the importance and uses for life insurance.

"Will Power!" Episode 10

Episode 10: The importance of buying long term care insurance now because the rates are increasing; the "reverse" caregiver child exception; the Durable Power of Attorney and conservatorships; methods used to divide personal property during a probate administration. Karen's guest is Sherill Pineda, president of Care@Home, discussing caregiver stress.

"Will Power!" Episode 9

Episode 9: The basic steps the Personal Representative needs to take to go through the probate process; the caregiver child exception to the prohibition against transfers of property within five years before applying for MassHealth benefits - an excellent technique to save the house. Karen's guest is Aliina Laine from Aliina Laine Financial and Insurance Services.

"Will Power!" Episode 8

Episode 8: The "granny pod", more formally known as a MEDCottage, a prefabricated 12-by-24-foot bedroom-bathroom-kitchenette unit set up in the backyard for elderly parent; three ways to hold real property jointly with others; MassHealth qualified annuities.  Karen's guest is Steven Connor, Director of Central Hampshire Veterans Services discussing state and federal programs to help pay for home and medical care.

"Will Power!" Episode 7

Episode 7: The new study for a cure to Alzheimers disease; the resources available through the Alzheimers (and other dementia) Association; simple tests to see if a family member might have dementia. Karen's guest is Betty Thayer of Thayer Care in Hadley and Ware adult day care centers.

"Will Power!" Episode 6

Episode 6: Find your estate plan and read it; the revocable trust and estate taxation; and, the pooled trust. Karen's guest is her law partner, Attorney John Torrone, with Jackson & Torrone, PC, who discusses guardianships and conservatorships.

"Will Power!" Episode 5

Episode 5: The importance of the Homestead; joint accounts; and, MassHealth applications. Karen's guest is Jeff Winston, president of Peace Tree Video Productions, providing legacy and other video services.

"Will Power!" Episode 4

Episode 4: The importance of the Advance Directive; description of "probate" and jointly titled property; and, the new Uniform Probate Code. Karen's guest is Sherill Pineda, president of Care@Home, a home care agency.

"Will Power!" Episode 3

Episode 3: The importance of the Health Cary Proxy; when to deed vacation homes into a trust, part 2; and, caregiver agreements. Karen's guest is Deborah Hollingworth, geriatric resource specialist with Greater Springfield Senior Services, who help people find affordable ways to pay care without having to enter the nursing home.

"Will Power!" Episode 2

Episode 2: The importance of the Durable Power of Attorney; the $13,000 annual gift confusion and problem; and, when to deed vacation homes into a trust, part 1. Karen's guests are Betty Thayer and Marty Moore, of Thayer Care in Hadley and Ware, MA, who operate adult day care centers.

"Will Power!" Episode 1

Episode 1: The importance of the Will; description and benefits of using the life estate deed; and, the types of Special Needs Trusts. Karen's guests are Patty Shaughnessy, Director, and Crystal Cote, social worker, Northampton Council on Aging, who discuss the many services offered to seniors age 60 and older.