Transitioning to a New Home [Episode 112]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur are joined by Charlie Shapard, of Smooth Transitions of St. Louis, to discuss senior moves and downsizing as you get older. He highlights senior move management and what they should consider regarding their care and needs, before making the move.

Charlie talks about their customized approach that lowers the amount of stress that seniors face as they transition into their new living environment and describes going through the belongings of senior clients who wish to downsize.

He talks about compensation and some of the labor and coordinating efforts that go into the transitional moves that his company takes on. Charlie talks about the hours and billing and what goes into his services for seniors and their families interested in them.

Charlie offers suggestions for seniors considering a move, as well as how he works with retirement communities in order to ensure a smooth transition for his clients.

Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid [Episode 111]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur identify some of the missteps that people make in their estate planning and highlight methods of avoiding these mistakes. They talk about the legal side of facing disasters when traveling with loved ones and how contingent agents and contingent trustees can be beneficial in times of crisis.

Joe and Susan talk about the challenges involved in leaving assets to minors and the importance of specific language in legal documents, as well as the implementation of trustees, in order to ensure the asset be maintained until the minor is of a specified age.

Joe and Susan discuss how marriage and prenuptial agreements can factor into the protection of assets and estate planning. They discourage only naming one person in your estate planning documents and emphasize the importance of including a residuary clause. Joe also highlights the importance to include advanced health care directives that reflect your wishes.

Learning More About Gray Divorce [Episode 110]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur talk about the trend of “gray divorce,” or divorces that occur from the age of 50 and older. Susan details some of the major statistics surrounding the issue, while Joe details some of the risks involved in getting a divorce at such an advanced age. Joe highlights how the division of assets can impact retirement and pension plans, as well as how taxes impact the situation. He talks about the marital home and how age can play a factor in when a couple decides to get married. Joe also lists the costs involved in creating two households, insurances, and all additional costs that add up when you begin the divorce process. He details the steps that people have to take in their estate plans and long-term care planning after they go through the divorce process. He also talks about the rules regarding social security and divorce.

Protect Yourself With a Plan in Place While Overseas [Episode 109]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur discuss the legal implications and challenges of unexpected injuries or deaths that occur while on trips and vacations. They talk about possible sources of the problems that cause unexpected injuries during trips or vacations, as well as being prepared with the resources necessary to facing the unexpected during these situations.

Joe and Susan present a checklist of practical insights on how to face injuries or other physical debilitations while on a trip or vacation. This checklist includes making sure that you have a will or trust in place, some type of advanced health care directive, paying for health care and evacuation when on a trip or vacation, insurance, and your digital assets that are protected by passwords or the necessary inscriptions that you may want to give the agent of your Power Attorney access to.

Joe also talks about treaties that are in place to accommodate the health care directives involved in a durable Power of Attorney.

Avoid Common Missteps in Your Estate Plans [Episode 108]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur dive into some of the more common mistakes that people make when estate planning. They talk about the hazards surrounding losing track of where your will is or not updating it.

Joe and Susan also talk about the complications surrounding pets and providing for them in your estate plan. They bring up pet custody and the modern commonality of including your pet in your estate plans through the uniform trust code.

They highlight some of the issues surrounding property, as well as creative property, and make recommendations, including putting property within a revocable living trust. Joe talks about the use of a deed of gift within a trust and how beneficial this mechanism can be.

Joe talks about the benefits of a trust owning an asset, in order to offer the asset and your loved ones protection from financial hardship or other risks.

Joe and Susan explain how interpersonal dynamics can play a factor in various parts of the estate planning experience, as well as how you should avoid surprising your spouse with the details of your will.

The Hazards of Forms in Estate Planning [Episode 107]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur caution the hazards surrounding forms on this episode of ElderTalk with Joe Cordell. They discuss the importance of planning for your future, and not just after you die, as well as the consequences of choosing a more inexpensive and convenient method of estate planning, as opposed to meeting with an elder law attorney.

Joe navigates the ins and outs of a testamentary trust, a beneficiary deed, and a payable on death provision. Susan tells a cautionary story of someone who utilized a form for his estate planning, forgot purchased stocks, and it ended up costing his loved ones after his death.

Joe emphasizes making your trust a beneficiary, in order to move assets into the trusts. He describes what you, as the client, are entitled in your estate planning documents and how they meet your unique priorities. Joe also highlights the importance of having a springing Power of Attorney.

Understanding Parkinson’s Disease [Episode 106]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur are joined by Debbie Guyer, the director of the Greater St. Louis chapter of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association to discuss Parkinson’s disease and its impact on the senior community. Debbie talks about Washington University’s leading research in the field of Parkinson’s disease, as well as the causation of the disease.

Debbie highlights the predictive profile of symptoms that can develop into Parkinson’s disease and discusses the activities and exercises that are beneficial in fighting Parkinson’s disease symptoms. She also talks about the impact of support groups that exist for Parkinson’s disease.

Debbie discusses the resources available to those with Parkinson’s disease, including the blog of Dr. Rebecca Glibert. She talks about the social and day-to-day challenges that those with Parkinson’s disease face, as well as the celebrity cases, such as Michael J. Fox and Alan Alda, that have brought Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s disease treatment to the forefront.

Preventing Family Feuds [Episode 105]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur highlight family feuds that can occur in the estate planning experience. They break down estate planning techniques that you can use, in order to any fighting among loved ones over an estate.

Joe and Susan break down how an estate plan that has not been updated can cause problems, as well as how expectations can cause family members to clash with one another and with the attorney caught in the middle.

Joe discusses the role that inclusion plays in the client’s motivations and how that can unintended consequences. He explains what a presumption of undue influence is and how it can shift a case, where a will is challenged.

Joe and Susan detail the responsibilities that the clients have in avoiding conflict among family members and loved ones. Joe talks about what goes into choosing who to put in charge with your decisions, if you are incapacitated, or with your estate, when you die.

The Power in a Power of Attorney [Episode 104]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur break down the abilities that a Power of Attorney document gives the designated attorney-in-fact. Joe simplifies what a Power of Attorney is and talks about the historical context of empowering a designated individual to make a decision on your behalf.

Joe describes the different types of Powers of Attorney and their different functions. He discourages Powers of Attorney forms that exist, due to their inability to offer the specific and necessary coverage. Joe offers scenarios where having a Power of Attorney is a necessary component to making health care or financial decisions.

Joe emphasizes how naming someone as a beneficiary in a will or trust will not empower them to make decisions for you before you have died. He also highlights the emergency procedure involved in decision-making if you are incapacitated without a Power of Attorney and how it can end up costing you quite a bit.

Learning the Principles of Elder Investing [Episode 103]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur go through the intricacies of investing in your senior years. They go over general principles of investing that will affect how you invest and how investing will benefit you.

Joe talks about the necessity of giving responsibility to others, as well as the benefits of reading informational literature about investing, so that you can stay informed on the methodology of investing. He highlights how important it is for those who wish to do their own investing, to be diligent regarding it and anything that may affect its well-being.

Joe details the impact that death and aging have on your investment portfolio, how you go about the investment process, and what your investment goals may be. He talks about how your retirement date can factor into investing and how safety needs to be emphasized when it comes to investment methodology. Joe highlights how liquidity and flexibility are important components to a safe and reliable investment strategy.