Bill Kratt practices in the areas of estate and tax planning, estate administration, asset protection, elder law and guardianship. He is a Board-certified Specialist in Estate Planning & Probate Law by the N.C. State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, and an elected Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Few documents raise more questions than the Power [...]
Most of us wish to maintain our independence throughout retirement and remain in our home forever. Planning is key to achieving this goal, and it’s never too early to start. Well planned, professional remodeling projects impact your ability to remain at home longer while protecting personal wealth. Major remodels tend to follow significant life events: (1) When a family outgrows their [...]
What is a direct crematory? A direct crematory is a licensed facility where a cremation takes place without a memorial service. A family will save on the expenses of purchasing a casket, embalming, hair and makeup, etc. as these funeral services are not required when you choose direct cremation. Are all direct cremation service providers the same? All direct cremation [...]
Though it’s not a topic most of us want to think about, planning for what happens after your death can reduce the stress on grieving loved ones. Making decisions now about your funeral arrangements can help assure those left behind that your wishes are honored. “The death of a loved one is always stressful. Fortunately, preplanning is something you can [...]
Brian Raleigh is President and Founder of TruWealth Strategies and TruWealth Capital Management. It’s always good to know what you are paying for. When it comes to mutual funds cost analysis, that is easier said than done. This article is absolutely not about investment advice, but rather it is about how to determine how much you are paying to have your money managed [...]
By: Clarissa Dellinger “Our leaders have asked for ‘shared sacrifice,’ but when they did the asking, they spared me,” Warren Buffett wrote recently in the New York Times. “I checked with my mega-rich friends to learn what pain they were expecting. They too were left untouched.” He continues, “While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and [...]
Linda P. Erickson Linda P. Erickson, CFP®, is the president of Erickson Advisors and a registered principal offering securities through Cetera Advisor Networks, LLC, 336-274-9403 lindae@ericksonadvisors.net. Investors, particularly retired investors, are starving – for higher interest yield on their portfolio holdings. I did a Google search of banks in Greensboro on August 18 and found two-year CD’s offering between [...]
Generally the terms “Aging in Place” or “Retirement Remodeling” refer to living in the home where you have lived for many years, using products and services that will allow you to remain in your home for many years to come. This is the ideal scenario for anyone approaching retirement. According to AARP, 80-90 percent of those surveyed wish to remain in [...]
Avoidable medical errors added $19.5 billion to the nation’s healthcare bill in 2008, according to a claims-based study conducted by Millman, Inc. on behalf of the Society of Actuaries (SOA). The report lists the 10 most expensive errors in healthcare settings. Pressure ulcers – the most frequent type of expensive error– were most often preventable, the authors wrote. Most of [...]
Harry Dolan was Chief of Police in Grand Rapids, MI, before his appointment as Chief of Police in Raleigh in 2007. As people grow older, their chances of being victims of crime decrease dramatically. But a lifetime of experience, coupled with the physical problems associated with aging, often make older Americans fearful. Although they’re on the lookout constantly for physical attack [...]
