Off The Clock

When someone you love can no longer make decisions for themselves, the question of who steps in, and how, matters more than most families realize. In this episode, Katie S. Heald, Esq. walks through two of the most important legal tools in that situation: Powers of Attorney and Adult Guardianship. Katie addresses one of the most common misconceptions the firm encounters, that a diagnosis of dement...

What happens when the doctor's visit ends and a senior goes home alone? In this episode, we sit down with Lori Smith, Program Director of WeCare Services in Milford, Delaware, to explore how their Personal Health Nurse model is quietly transforming the lives of older adults across Delaware. If you or someone you love is navigating the challenges of aging in place, this conversation is for you...

Delaware recently passed legislation allowing homeowners to add Transfer on Death (TOD) designations to their property deeds. While this new option promises a simple way to avoid probate, it comes with significant limitations that many residents don't realize until it's too late. In this episode, Director of Estate Planning, Mindi Cooper sits down with attorney Amber B. Woodland, Esq. to...

George Schwendtner, owner of Property Tenders, LLC, joins us to discuss property maintenance, and the chores that get away from property owners as they age, experience changing health, relocate, and more. With a focus on preventative work, our time together outlines ways that this creative business is supporting local families.

Featuring Kyle Banks from PKS Investment Advisors, this episode discusses how Delaware grandparents can strategically save for their grandchildren's education. Key highlights include recent changes to FAFSA rules, strategic use of the five-year election, opportunities to roll unused savings to Roth IRAs, and consideration of other strategies like directly paying tuition bills. Thanks to Kyle...

From understanding the basics of funeral pre-planning to navigating the practical questions families face, this episode covers many things you need to know about planning ahead for end-of-life arrangements. We're joined by Kelly Andreason, VP of Legacy of Love, a company that provides an alternative approach to traditional funeral pre-planning. Throughout our discussion, Kelly compares Legacy...

When young adults turn 18, parents and guardians lose their legal authority to act on their behalf—a reality that can create serious complications during emergencies or when support is needed. In this essential episode, attorneys Michele Procino-Wells, Esq. and Amber B. Woodland, Esq. guide young adults through the critical process of establishing a Power of Attorney and Advance Health Care Direct...

Repatriation isn't a process we'd considered before we attended a presentation made by a Parsell Funeral Homes team member. As it relates to funeral planning, the process of repatriation requires an expert, and Andrew Parsell was kind enough to join us for this episode to discuss the things that families should consider if they recognize the possibility of passing away in a country they...

Jeanine O'Donnell, Agency Owner of the Lewes, DE State Farm, brings years of experience to our listeners about the importance of insurance. Jeanine defines estate liquidity, dispels several myths, and was a good sport through a fun but unexpected travel question. Enjoy this segment of great advice from a pro!

Jeff Montgomery is the Founder and President of Montgomery Financial, a fully independent Registered Investment Advisory firm. We value Jeff's attention to detail and thorough approach to planning, including his knowledge and interpretation of the SECURE Act. Jeff was one of our very first podcast guests and he's back to discuss the latest changes to this law. This is another example of...

Team Centered. It's one of our four firm pillars and Mindi Cooper, Estate Planning Coordinator, is our "guest" today to share her journey with the firm. She and our Firm Manager, Sherri Holder, shed a little more light on Mindi's personality - the things our clients don't always get to see during the estate planning process. This episode is sure to make our list of favorit...

A lot of our clients express an interest in using their estate plan to fulfill their charitable giving wishes, but they aren't always confident in their knowledge of the options. Mike DiPaolo, Vice President with the Delaware Community Foundation, is our guest in this episode to discuss this topic. Our listeners will learn more about charitable giving options, and the use of Delaware Communit...

It's a common question - should I create a Revocable Living Trust or an Irrevocable Asset Protection Trust? Answer: Maybe both! Michele Procino-Wells, Esq. and Amber B. Woodland, Esq. are together in this episode to dispel a few myths about the use of trusts in Delaware. Their conversation uses a case study to illustrate how for most families, creating a trust (sometimes two!) is the perfect...

Administration is the area of our practice that helps families settle the matters of their loved ones who have passed away. During this stressful and emotional time, a decedent's important people are oftentimes uncertain of their role as Executor and Trustee, in most cases, because they've never done the job before. Just like hiring legal counsel, families receive an abundance of help fr...

Off The Clock is full of estate planning and elder law content but we love taking a break from the legalese to invite other content relevant to the demographic we serve. Hospice is a key healthcare resource for families to understand in case their future health could benefit from the services. Terri Brisbane, Nurse and Clinical Liaison with Compassionate Care Hospice, joins us to help our listener...

One of the best parts of our work is getting to know our clients and hearing about their lives: their stories; their families; their careers. Michele Procino-Wells, Esq. and Amber B. Woodland, Esq. are both on the mic to recount some of the most interesting clients they've encountered in their careers. Don't be fooled though, we could have filled hours and hours of content on this topic...

Sometimes it happens! A financial institution won't accept the essential legal document meant to help you support your loved one. Now what? Our Estate Planning Department Manager, Laura McCreary, is on the mic to offer an explanation of why this happens on occasion and what steps we might take to resolve it.

Take time this Father's Day to celebrate all the dads in your life! John Wells and Justin Woodland, husbands to our leading ladies and all-star dads, spent a few minutes with us to create this special episode. Take a quick listen to learn about Michele and Amber off the clock. We hope this is a sentimental start to a celebratory weekend. Happy Father's Day!

This is a common request through our phone line, but proceed with caution. Occasionally a client really wants to give property to a family member, but MOST of the time, they are making this request with other goals in mind, like avoid probate or protecting the real estate from long-term care costs. Michele Procino-Wells, Esq. and Amber B. Woodland, Esq. are together in this episode to discuss all...

Cindy McCabe owns Bethany Travel and we're so thankful she sat down with us to discuss vacationing in your retirement years. Listeners who weren't convinced before, are sure to recognize the value that experienced travel agents bring to planning a memorable trip. Cindy and her team are a wealth of knowledge (and so nice!!) and their office is very easy to find. If you don't want to...

That's a wrap! We're closing this season of episodes the way we started, showing off the younger generation. To celebrate National Grandparents Day we published a contest encouraging grandchildren to nominate their grandparent as the best around. Laurence and Janice Riggs are our winners! Take a listen to find out why. See you next season!

Stuff. We all have it, and during some milestones our stuff is a burden. Stacey Himler, Owner of Caring Transitions, is with us to introduce her business. Caring Transitions helps older adults relocate and downsize, and helps families who are cleaning out the homes of loved ones who have passed. Take a listen to learn more about Stacey, her team and her helpful work!

Our Estate Administration Coordinator, Marie Chin, interviews Amber B. Woodland about the probate process. As often as our team talks about probate, we sometimes take for granted that everyone knows what that term means. Listen in as Amber defines probate, describes the process, and reminders our listeners of how to use their estate plan to avoid it.

The third-party Supplemental Needs Trust is an incredible estate planning document that can be added to an overall plan when a person wants to benefit a loved one who is disabled and collecting public benefits.  Alternately, this episode identifies the first-party Supplemental Needs Trust, too. Listen in as Michele Procino-Wells introduces supplemental needs planning and some key opportunities.  

Lynn Paxson, Owner of Oasis Senior Advisors, helps our listeners understand important things to consider when helping an older adult move from their primary residence into senior living, like an assisted living facility. She's an expert and is passionate about her work of helping seniors dispel myths about facility living, ask the right questions, and keep a goal of happiness on the list!