Anthony S. Park

We are thrilled to have spoken with Carol Marak , solo aging advisor and advocate. Carol is the founder of the Elder Orphan Facebook Group , which launched in 2016 has almost 10,000 members. She also has a very successful YouTube channel called Solo and Smart and her book Solo and Smart , is slated for publication in 2021. Carol attributes her seven years of family caregiving as how she learned to...

It’s not uncommon for couples to forgo marriage. Instead, they choose to live their lives together as partners and significant others. But what does that mean for the other person when their partner dies? In this particular situation, “Ed” wants to leave his estate to his long-time girlfriend, but he doesn’t want to make one lump sum payment. Ed wants to leave her a set amount per month when he di...

We had the privilege of speaking with Joy Loverde , author of two books, The Complete Eldercare Planner and Who Will Take Care of Me When I’m Old . She’s an expert in this area of solo agers and we are grateful that she shared her insight with our followers. Who Will Take Care of Me When I Get Old?   This is a very important question and Joy says that the answer is yourself. It’s a mindset. You ha...

If you’ve done your research, you know that a good probate lawyer is not cheap. So how can you start your probate case even if you can't pay now? How much are probate attorney fees? Lawyer fees for the simplest probate case start at $3,000 . But probate is naturally messy, since is involves family, money, death, and high emotions. So probate fees are usually more, sometimes tens of thousands of do...

When does the executor tell the beneficiaries? Once the court process starts, which is usually shortly after death. We often get this question when our Solo Ager clients name me as executor in their will. When does the executor notify beneficiaries? No, the executor does not notify the beneficiaries upon you signing your will. This is a common concern. An executor only notifies the heirs after dea...

No, it's not a good idea to have an out-of-state executor. Although it's technically legally allowed, in reality an out-of-state executor causes tons of problems. Banking Problems Opening the estate account You probably think opening a bank account is a piece of cake. And you'd be right, if you were opening an account for yourself , personally. But banking for an estate is a different animal . But...

Erica Loberg shares the story of her mom's court-appointed stranger , and what she would to do differently to avoid a court-appointed conservator. Erica first shared her full story at NextAvenue.org . About Erica’s mom When all this happened, Erica's mom was 70 years old.  She was not diagnosed with dementia, technically. But for years Erica's dad had handled everything. So when he passed away, it...

Many people who ask me to be their executor commonly make their will using do-it-yourself methods. DIY estate planning can be tricky, so here are some tips on how to maximize the chances your DIY estate plan will actually work. Our Methodology We created identical estate plans using 3 popular free DIY will sites. Here is the fictional persona we used: John Doe is a solo ager. That is, he's unmarri...

This is an important question for Solo Agers, or for anyone without family nearby. Friends, Neighbors, Community Pros Your close friends, neighbors, etc. probably know your wishes best. And they also most want to honor you, have a nice remembrance. Cons It’s a big ask, even for close friends. Tending to final remains, and organizing a funeral service is a big and emotional job. Your friends may pr...

Want a  professional executor , but prefer an institution such as a bank or trust company? Here’s what to expect. The application process Like all other bank interactions, you must complete lots of forms and paperwork. It’s a lot of documentation, it may feel like you’re applying to college all over again. And just like applying for college, you may feel like you’re applying for acceptance. Banks...

Here are the results of a survey and statistics to illustrate why folks think being an executor is so difficult. Is being an executor difficult? The average executor doesn’t think the job is particularly difficult to understand. But, they do think  carrying out the role can be difficult. Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/281604/difficulty-in-being-an-executor-of-an-estate-among-wealthy-a...

Let’s take a look at a real world example of whether a Solo Ager’s estate plan worked towards the end of her life. Ms. H’s Plan: DIY Will + Professional Executor Background Ms. H is a solo ager (unmarried, no kids, over 60 years old) who’s been estranged from her closest relatives (siblings and nieces and nephews) for decades. She made a  do-it-yourself will  leaving everything to charity. Thankfu...

Most NYers know the deal with co-ops: they’s less expensive than condos, but they come with a lot of rules and headaches. Here are 3 real world examples: Last to unlock Quick to Sue Release of lien ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated! ========== JOIN Sign up to my email list for book announcements ========== WATCH Subscribe to my YouTube channel ========== LISTE...

Today we’ll share a few recent examples of why folks were so happy and relieved to find me, and name me executor in their will Today's stories: Don’t want to burden the boyfriend Former co-worker as a last resort Relieving an old friend ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated! ========== JOIN Sign up to my email list for book announcements ========== WATCH Subscribe...

What do you do if you need a probate lawyer, but you don’t have the money now? Let’s talk about contingent fee probate. What are contingent fees? Some limitations Will contests Kinship Uncertain assets ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated! ========== JOIN Sign up to my email list for book announcements ========== WATCH Subscribe to my YouTube channel ========== L...

Since we keep seeing folks who are going the DIY will route, a few more tips on how to make sure that software or will form actually works Today we’ll discuss: Use local software/forms Keep it simple Hire a lawyer to supervise the signing ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated! ========== JOIN Sign up to my email list for book announcements ========== WATCH Subscri...

Talking Solo Agers and Hospice Care with Helen Bauer and Jerry Fenter from the Heart of Hospice podcast. Helen shares her personal experience helping during a Solo Ager friend's final weeks. And Jerry shares some Solo Ager statistics and what he learned from Solo Ager Facebook groups. Links: http://www.theheartofhospice.com/ ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated!...

I keep getting calls, asking me to be executor outside New York. I’m flattered, and honored, and yes AVAILABLE for that role. Locality becoming less important In-state agent requirement Reciprocal nonresident executor law ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated! ========== JOIN Sign up to my email list for book announcements ========== WATCH Subscribe to my YouTube...

We’ll share the story of how one of my trusts played out, and how it’s accomplished the goal of keeping it in the family ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated! ========== JOIN Sign up to my email list for book announcements ========== WATCH Subscribe to my YouTube channel ========== LISTEN Subscribe to the “Simple Money Wins” podcast at: iTunes: https://apple.co/2...

We’ll share a few real-world amateur executor bloopers (of course, anonymized to protect our clients’ privacy) Choosing a disappearing banker The case of the missing $10,000 check "Oh yeah, taxes!" ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated! ========== JOIN Sign up to my email list for book announcements ========== WATCH Subscribe to my YouTube channel ========== LISTE...

Question from a listener: “Can you cover how to set prices as a virtual paralegal business owner (price high enough to cover the paralegals salary, subscriptions, training marketing, etc). Thank you!” We’ll discuss: Calculate overhead Work backwards from an office salary Market research: your competitors Mark up for special training, experience Don’t forget taxes ========== READ Pick up my books o...

An insider’s look into how the lockdowns are making probate even more difficult than usual. Even if lockdown over by the time this airs, probably lingering residual effects. Today we’ll discuss how lockdowns are affecting: The courts Banks and brokerages Real estate The IRS Lastly, creditors ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated! ========== JOIN Sign up to my emai...

Against all advice, you’ve decided to use a DIY will. But you also want to name me your professional executor. Today we’ll discuss: When you call me Show me your DIY will Supervised signings ========== READ Pick up my books on Amazon . Reviews always appreciated! ========== JOIN Sign up to my email list for book announcements ========== WATCH Subscribe to my YouTube channel ========== LISTEN Subsc...