Americans Love A Winner And Will Not Tolerate A Loser.

— George S. Patton

What is so different about you? What enables middle class folks to rise and win, time after time? Facing and beating challenges? At 7 years old, I began helping another kid on his paper route. Lucky for me, there was a block of triple decker houses and Paulie did not like climbing stairs. A few years later, my next younger brother and I had our own route. Hot in the summer. Cold in the winter. Raining or snowing from time to time. On foot.

We did not always whistle while we worked. But the Carrier boys delivered the Evening Bulletin 6 nights a week. And early Sunday mornings, before church, the Journal-Bulletin. You have done the same.

Throughout your life, you took the overtime. The second job. Doing what it took. My weekends at Notre Dame were spent delivering pizza. As a law student, I worked full time on the graveyard shift as a security guard. Just like you. What else could we have done? We had a job. We saw the need. We got it done. We learned it from our folks. After beating the bad guys in WWII, our parents went to work. Dad taught school all day, came home, changed clothes, and put in 8 more hours at the Narragansett brewery. For 16 years. Mom was an RN. After raising 8 kids, she pinned her nurse’s cap back on and resumed nursing.

Details vary, but your family lived the same values. How do I know? Thirty years of talking to and planning for your folks. And you.

These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country…yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

— Thomas S. Paine

And now COVID. The Elder Plague. Death rates: way down. Therapies: better and improving. So much winning. But we are not done yet. COVID is real. COVID can strike close to home.

By a series of commonplace coincidences, a team member tested positive for COVID. Several of us are now waiting on our own test results. We should be fine. Since the beginning, the Carrier Law team has taken every recommended precaution. And come up with a few of our own. Hand sanitizer, videoconferencing, outdoor workshops, social distancing, masks, working from home, plexiglass barriers, ultraviolet lights, temperature checks, screening protocols, Clorox-ing conference rooms, prudent behavior. Not perfect.

Last Friday, I spent a few hours (in the rain) climbing through trees on one of those courses. Team building with several paralegals. Outdoors, yes. Distanced, yes. Wearing masks, yes. Until that triumphant team photo at the finish. Mask off. Picture! Mask on. Well. So now we wait for the test results.

One more thing to be taken in stride. Aren’t we all waiting on “test results”? What will your “Alzheimer’s test” reveal? Of course, there is no such “test.” We find out only as time goes by. With COVID, we face reality, we do not wish it away. Most of us will eventually face dementia. Personally. Not just our spouse or a loved one. Lots of statistics. One bottom-line fact.

The trouble in American life today, in business as well as in sports, is that too many
people are afraid of competition. The result is that in some circles people have come to sneer at success if it costs hard work and training and sacrifice.

— Knute Rockne

We, the middle class, do not deny reality. We accept it, make our peace, and do the best we can. With optimism and good cheer. Lots of critics have lots to say about us baby-boomers.

But all agree that when we see what we want, we go get it. Make it happen. Rejecting the counsels of gloom and doom. With open eyes and stout hearts.

When you are facing long-term care, dementia, end of life issues, there are a million questions and few reliable answers.

Many people, including otherwise competent financial planners, well-known attorneys, and respected members of the community, seem to believe that you should go broke when facing these issues. Maybe they are unaware of the options. Perhaps they are in denial. Is there a moral imperative that you should go broke? Some “experts” seem to think there is.

Americans play to win all the time. The very thought of losing is hateful to americans.

— George S. Patton

Like you, I completely reject the idea that losing is okay. Like you, I believe in winning. We all have challenges and sometimes we do lose. But we never “get used to it.” Why should we? Losing is a bitter pill. I may have to take my medicine, but I do not have to like it.

If you want to go broke, as some folks think you should, you do not need me. The state is very good at making a bonfire of your lifesavings. The state helps only when you comply with their rules. And for most folks, compliance means poverty, insecurity, loss. Unacceptable.

[W]ith firmness in the right as god gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in…

— Abraham Lincoln

LifePlanning™ is middle class Michigan’s tool kit for winning. Comply with their rules? Yes, absolutely. If you want to win, you must know how to play the game. Thirty years of study, experience, testing and delivering results have produced the LifePlan™ system. Techniques and tools that preserve, protect, and defend your right to decide how you will live.

You earned that right through decades of work and conscientious stewardship. Isn’t it ridiculous to suggest that impoverishing yourself, your spouse, your family is somehow noble? Isn’t it foolish to reject your own life experience for the defeatist counsels of the “wise”?

LifePlanning™ means your choices matter, whatever the test results. Are you like thousands of Michigan families who played by the rules and earned homes, cottages, farms, lifesavings? Would you like the rules to work for you, for a change? Are you waiting for the test results?

Are you waiting until it is too late? Would you like to know now?

GET ANSWERS NOW… CALL THE LIFEPLAN™ HOTLINE
1-800-317-2812

LifePlan™ Workshops are Available Now: Live, Streaming and Recorded
What could it hurt?

A Pandemic Of Potpourri
Did Somebody Get Into The “Potent Potables”?

Ten Inspirational Quotes
Profound Or Just Confusing?
You Be The Judge.

1. It’s not the days in your life, but the life in your days that counts. — Brian Williams
2. The best way to predict the future, is to create it. — President Abraham Lincoln
3. Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom. — General George S. Patton
4. A career is wonderful, but you can’t curl up with it on a cold night. — Marilyn Monroe
5. I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. — Michael Jordan
6. You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough. — Mae West
7. To avoid criticism: Say Nothing. Do Nothing. Be Nothing. — Aristotle
8. When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they take better care of it there. — Cecil Selig
9. Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you, too, can become great. — Mark Twain
10. We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone. — Ronald Reagan

BONUS QUOTE: “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.” — Luke 10:26-28

MEDICARE MISHEGAS
“OY VEY! DE GOY IST USING A YIDDISH WORD… SOME CHUTZPAH, DA KLUTZ!”
“QUIT WITH DE KVETCHING, BUBBE… MENSCH OR MESHUGGENEH, WHO CAN SAY?
HE’S TRYING AND THAT AIN’T BUPKIS” BASICS

1. Medicare is a Mulligatawny Stew of Health Insurance Options, including Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Part D Prescription Drug Plans.
2. 2.1 million Michiganders, Michiganians, or Great Lakes Staters are enrolled in Medicare.
3. Everything Changes Every Year! Open Enrollment is NOW! GOOD STUFF is available.

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE (PART C AND SOMETIMES PART D)

1. Average Monthly Medicare Advantage Insurance Premiums DROPPED from $35 to $29 per month for 2022.
2. 25 new Medicare Advantage Plans are available in 2022. Total: 191 DIFFERENT Plans.
3. Some Medicare Advantage Plans have ZERO, that is $0 per month premiums.
4. 18 Advantage Plans offer rewards and incentives for healthy behaviors.
5. Advantage Plans, including Advantage Plans with ZERO premiums, are available to ALL (that’s 100%) of Michigan Medicare folks.

MEDICARE STAND ALONE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN (PART D)

1. 23 Stand Alone Prescription Drug Plans (Part D) are available in 2022.
2. Many Advantage Plans include Part D coverage.
3. 99% of Medicare recipients can lower their 2021 premiums.
4. Part D Plans start at $7.50 per month.

OPEN ENROLLMENT… OPEN ENROLLMENT… OPEN ENROLLMENT

You get the chance every year to change your MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE. The time is NOW! From October 15 through December 7. Do NOT miss this opportunity to evaluate your Medicare insurance. Maybe you already have the best plan of all time. Maybe there’s a new one that would fit you better. You do not get to complain if you do not get involved. So get involved in your own health care insurance. You have choices.

The Government evaluates all the various plans and assigns STAR ratings to each. One Star or Five Stars? That is your choice. The ratings are available right now on MEDICARE.GOV.

GET INFORMATION NOW!

“Don’t be a shmendrik… Listen to the spiel… Mazel Tov!”

You can watch a super video class on your 2022 Medicare choices. It is so easy!
1. Prepare a nice hot cup of tea. And a muffin or scone.
2. Go To davidcarrierlaw.com
3. Click on “Free Workshops”
4. Click on “Visiting Expert Series”
5. When You Get to the Visiting Expert Series page, scroll down to “In Case You Missed It.”
6. Click on “Medicare AEP (Annual Election Period)”.
7. Relax! Sip the tea. Nosh the scone. Absorb the information!
8. Decide… Do you want to make changes?

THE REST OF THE STORY…

Your Medicare, along with Medicare Supplement Insurance and Medicare Advantage Plans are essential pieces in assembling the puzzle of your health plan. Hospitalization. Disease. Injury. Bad Stuff that Happens. Medicare is there when you need acute care. Or a new knee.

But Medicare is only part of the story. What about long-term care? What about at-home care or assisted living? What about nursing home care? What about the $185.50 co-pay for Days 21-100 of rehabilitation services? What about NO COVERAGE AT ALL for Days 100+? Medicare is not the answer for these questions.

Medicaid is the rest of the story… Find out at a LifePlan™ Workshop. Or come to the Navigating Medicaid Webinar sponsored by MLive!

PANDEMIC PANDEMONIUM: FREE COVID CASH
TRILLION HERE, TRILLION THERE, PRETTY SOON YOU’RE TALKING REAL MONEY
EMPLOYEE RETENTION TAX CREDIT – THROW MONEY OUT THE WINDOW!

FULL DISCLOSURE: For the last 31 years, from the very start, the Firm paid taxes. And paid. And paid. Freedom is not free. Blessings of Liberty have a price. But now we have the World Turned Upside Down. Government wants to give the Firm money. To keep folks employed. To keep the lights on. And the Firm has said yes. Including this galloping geyser of cash called the Employee Retention Tax Credit. The Firm is happy to duke it out with other law firms on any fair ground. But when the government starts spewing cash, the game is rigged. And it’s either play by their rules or lose. The Firm does not like to lose. So, the Firm took the PPP. And the ERTC. And we don’t like it. But your highly trained, motivated, and grateful team is still here to serve you and your family.

The 2020 CARES Act gave us this payroll tax credit. The Employee Retention Tax Credit. It has been extended through December 2021. The ERTC is worth up to $10,000 per employee for 2020. For 2021, it’s up to $28,000 per employee (70% of each employee’s earnings, per quarter, up to $7000). This is not chump change.

You get the money if:
a. Your business was partially (or fully) shut down by COVID, or
b. Your revenue was down by 20% in any 2021 quarter this year (50% in any 2020 quarter) as against the same quarter in 2019.
c. By the way, what if your income was down in the first quarter, but not the second? Under the alternate quarter rule, you can use the first quarter to qualify for the ERTC in the second quarter.
1. Here’s where it gets crazy. You can still claim the credit in the first quarter! Your business only qualifies for one quarter, but you can claim for 2 quarters? Yes. Nuts, right?
d. ERTC is supposed to offset employer payroll taxes. And it does. But what if you do not have enough employer payroll taxes to use up the credit? The IRS sends you a check. Not kidding.
e. Jed Clampett was surprised to find oil in his backyard. You may be just as shocked to discover this little fountain of fun. Too bad, you missed out in 2020, right? Nope, just go back, amend your returns, and get a nice fat government check.

EXIT QUESTION: Would You Give $3.5 Trillion Dollars to the Goof-balls Who Dreamed This Up? Do You Think They Would Spend the Money Wisely? Would You Want Them Running a Hotdog Stand? Collecting Your Garbage? (Apologies to waste haulers everywhere!)

SURE IS GREAT TO FIND OUT HOW THINGS REALLY WORK…
UNCOVER THE ELEPHANT!

Elephants to the left of us, elephants to the right… Sneaky devils! Cleverly camouflaged by the global investment industry, the legal profession, government, and others.

Can you handle the truth? I knew you could! Come find out what is really going on…

Most people know that long-term care is the stinkiest elephant in the herd. But you can get the straight story. Accurate information. Clear thinking. What you truly need to know.

Of course, you are busy. So much going on. We make it easy. Get the information, insight, inspiration you need. To live your life. Make smart decisions. Cut through the fog. It is your turn. For you. For your loved ones.

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE.
It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.
Get Information Now.
800-317-2812

WOULD YOU SURVIVE DISASTER? WILL YOUR FAMILY FINANCES SURVIVE LONG-TERM CARE?

Faced with Catastrophe, What Will You Do?

It was a dark and stormy night. Steaming through the crashing waves are two ships. A swinging Greek cruise ship, the MTS Oceanos, was partying in the Indian Ocean, off the Wild Bay of South Africa. The other was a workaday Eastern European ferry, the MS Estonia. Making its daily rounds in the Baltic Sea, heading for Stockholm. Both crammed with passengers. Each with a hidden secret. Within 24 hours both ships will be on the ocean floor. Sunk.

On both ships, hatches gave way. Bitter cold salt water rushed in. One ship’s captain and crew stayed with their vessel. On the other, the professional sailors immediately abandoned ship. And the passengers.

By dawn tomorrow, 852 people aboard one of these ships will be dead. Only the Titanic caused more death. Drowned. Buried at sea. No rescue. Recovery operations. Few survivors.

But every passenger on the other ship will soon be reunited with family and friends. Happy. Healthy.

Perhaps with an increased sense of gratitude for each new day. Each with a fascinating story to be told and retold. And a lifetime for the retelling.

Professional disaster specialists and rescuers were amazed at both outcomes. Very unusual for a disaster to claim so many victims. Or for every possible victim to escape.

What made the difference? How can you benefit from this hard-won knowledge?

Ferry Passengers: Remained Calm, Seated, Drowned

Aboard MS Estonia, the captain and crew remained in command. Professional sailors advised the passengers. Hold your positions! Too dangerous

in the water. Safer on the boat. So, when the ship capsized, the obedient 852 were trapped beyond rescue. Drowned.

Not everybody listened to the professionals. About 240 people disregarded this advice and jumped for it. That’s why there were 137 survivors to tell the tale.

Cowardly Captain & Crew: Chicken Out Professional Party People: Show Must Go On!

At the first sign of trouble, captain and crew of the MTS Oceanos took to the lifeboats. Failing to inform the passengers or the musicians, magicians, mimes, and other entertainers. Racing to the ship’s bridge, they found the wheelhouse empty. Not a sailor in sight.

The cruise director quickly organized the rescue. Although her previous experience was limited to organizing shows, buffet lines, and shore excursions, she took charge. Eagerly supported by her traveling troupe. And the multitude of merrymakers.

When morning came, all had survived.

Conventional Wisdom or Get it Done?

Unbelievable that the conventional wisdom could be so wrong? Everybody said “Sit tight! Do nothing!” Those folks died.

Crazy to follow the tour lady. “What does she know?’ “That guy’s the guitar player and the magician sawed that gal in half!” “Follow them?” Yes! And that’s why everyone survived.

Everybody says, “Don’t worry. Somehow long-term care will take care of itself.” That is how families go broke every single day.

TAKE CHARGE!

Will you sit tight? Or take action? It is a simple choice. It is your choice.

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE.
It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.
Get Information Now.
(800) 317-2812

Truth: Stranger Than Fiction?

Ladies and gentlemen, the stories you are about to read are true.

If we knew their names, we would have changed them to protect the innocent.

But we don’t, so we didn’t. We also did not edit the questions for spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Well, hardly at all.

Can I get a salary in addition to free room and board while caring for a parent who has dementia?

I live with my mother who has dementia. I care for her 9 pm until 9 am every day. I get free room and board and gas. No salary compensation
— Night Ranger

Dear Night:
Bad news: Paying a family member for care services is near impossible.
Good news: You may still get the homestead.

How To Get Paid Caring For Mom

Ray: I did it all. Not once did I ask “What’s in it for me?”
Shoeless Joe: What are you saying, Ray?
Ray: I’m saying “What’s in it for me?”
— Field of Dreams

Bad News Rules – No Pay For You

Getting paid for caring for your loved one without breaking the rules is complex, confusing, and convoluted. You might even think that the rules are unworkable on purpose.

Here’s what you need:
1. Legal contract. Written. Dated. Notarized.
2. Contract first. Services and Payment second.
3. No payment until services are performed.
4. No advance payment for future services or expenses.
5. Mom must live at home. Not in a “nursing facility, adult foster care home (licensed or unlicensed), institution for mental diseases, inpatient hospital, intermediate care facility.” Maybe your home.
6. Mom cannot “be eligible for home and community-based waiver, home health or home help.”
7. Mom’s doctor must prescribe the services in writing. With a care plan. And certify that without your help, mom would be going to a “residential care or nursing facility” pronto!
8. No pay for “companionship.”
9. Mom must sign the contract. Except #10.
10. Mom’s court-appointed guardian or conservator, or Patient Advocate or agent under mom’s power of attorney, may sign the contract. But the caregiver cannot be the representative.
11. Mom’s care plan must get Medicaid’s OK.
12. All these arrangements go under the Medicaid Microscope. Medicaid will “review[] the written instrument between the client and the provider which must show the type, frequency and duration of such services being provided to the client and the amount of consideration (money or property) being received by the provider, or in accordance with a service plan approved by [Medicaid].” Ouch!!

Good News Rules – House For You

Normally, mom cannot give you the house. (Unless you are blind or disabled.) without suffering severe penalties.

Here’s how it works:
1. Mom transfers the homestead to a child (you).
2. You lived in mom’s house for at least two (2) years.
3. Mom will now receive Medicaid long-term care services.
4. You provided care that would otherwise have required long-term care services.
5. Mom’s physician (M.D. or D.O.) documented #4.

So, if you are caring for mom at home, and living there too, you can’t get paid without penalty, but you can get the house. After 2 years of pretty intense care. While you are actually residing in mom’s house. Not next door. Or down the street. Change your driver’s license, etc.

Stranger Than Fiction Lesson
Mom Cannot Pay You $10 Per Hour, But Mom Can Give You A Million-Dollar House

Can a family member kick you out you are their soul [sole?] caregiver and their power of attorney but it’s their house and you pay rent

My mom got sick 3 years ago after my dad passed away I sold my house quit my job of 28 years and moved in with her and my grandmother and my son. It is her house we have been here for 3 years
— Unappreciated

Dear Unappreciated: As you now know, mom cannot pay you for services, even if she wanted to… As it is, you have no ability to require her to allow you to stay. If mom wants to evict you, she is within her rights. Mom can also revoke the power of attorney.

Three years ago, that was the time to figure out what you and your mom were willing to do for one another. That was the time to make a deal. Of course, you were not thinking of “making a deal” when you rode to the rescue. Which is why folks need to consult with an elder law attorney when making these sorts of life-changing decisions.

Yes, it seems cruel and harsh to suggest that you should “lawyer up” when you are just trying to help in a desperate situation. On the other hand, maybe a brief consultation would avoid the cruelty and harshness of being evicted by your own mom after you made such profound sacrifices for her.

Can a poa act as executor for a mentally incapacitated person named as executor?

I have a family member who claims to have poa for my mentally incapacitated parent. My parent was named as executor and that family member is claiming to be executor because of that alleged poa..

— Skeptical

Dear Skeptical: The short answer is No. Your parent’s agent is acting for your parent. Only. If you named a close friend to take care of your affairs, would you want a friend of your close friend to make your decisions? Of course not. It does not work that way.

It can be uncomfortable to challenge the family member’s claims. But you must. Do not let the “family member” get away with this sort of thing. Pushing the decision down the road will only make things worse. Much worse. Do not avoid the situation! Confrontation is tough. Be tough. Act now.

Life-Plan™ Salvation For The Middle-Class

The rich do not need me. Folks without savings, I cannot directly help. (Although a percentage of all gross revenue goes to charities.) That leaves you. Regular folks. The middle-class savers, workers, builders that I can help. You reject nursing home poverty. You choose the path of reasonable optimism, while guarding against the potential downsides. Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst.

The LifePlan™ approach is the least expensive, most effective solution to the harsh reality of long-term care. Open your eyes to long-term care costs. Accept reality. Seventy percent (70%) of us aged 65 will need these services. Average: 3 years. Twenty percent (20%) of us will need services for more than 5 years. Says the federal government. Refuse to allow your lifesavings evaporate like a snowflake on a hot griddle. Recognize the reality of the caregiver spouse dying first, almost half the time and fix it. Reject nursing home poverty.

Not Chance, Your Choice
Uncover The Elephant!

There is nothing inevitable about nursing home poverty. Peace of mind and security are waiting for you. Right now. It is a choice. Despite what “everybody else” says. Despite their attempts to disguise the elephants in the room. For over thirty years, people have told me, “I’ve never heard of this before!” “If this is real, why doesn’t everyone do it?” “My lawyer / financial advisor / brother-in-law / accountant / tax person / banker/best friend / fill-in-the-blank never said anything like this…”

Well, here you are. Now you know. No excuses. Get the information, insight, inspiration. It is your turn. Ignore the message? Invite poverty? Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions. For you. For your loved ones.

No Poverty. No Charity. No Waste.
It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.
Get Information Now.
(800) 317-2812

If The Shoe Fits…
Partisan Politics? Me?
Wear It!

Faithful Readers: Like most of you, I believe that cheerfulness, hard work, perseverance, loyalty, openness, and love of others are the path to success. We do not suffer smug, sanctimonious, divisive, destructive, pseudo-intellectuals gladly. Recently, I reacted to a new book that neatly encapsulates the sneering, unearned, assumed superiority of the incompetent chattering class. You may recall the piece: “They Do Not Hate You; They Despise You.”

Well. You and I are willing to “suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” And most of you were warmly supportive, even enthusiastic. But there was one reaction, profane and obscene… that suggested I was indulging in “partisan politics.” How is that possible?

Is it true that support for the American middle class is a “partisan” issue? Not in my experience. I cannot believe it. I do not believe it. Honesty and integrity; respect for others; forthright conversation in the marketplace of ideas. Partisan? How? Is there a party in favor of censorship, suppression, and “holier-than-thou”, self-righteous preening?

We are committed to helping American working women and men avoid nursing home poverty and secure the best possible future for themselves and their families. We make the rules work for the folks who play by the rules. We do not appreciate deception, snobbery, or phony empathy. Simple as that.

If some folks decide to be on the other side, that is their personal choice, not ours. And we would welcome them back at any time. With open arms! But “partisan”? “politics”? Good grief. No. Not in a million years.

Avoid Probate – Save Taxes – Help The Kids

Traditional Estate Planning Means Nursing Home Poverty

Ever been on an airplane? You remember. Aluminum thing with wings. Like a city bus, but less comfortable. Sure, it was a long time ago. Before COVID. Distant memory. Return with us now to the thrilling days of yesteryear…

Who could forget the flight attendant safety talk? Cabin dark and filled with smoke? Simply follow the blinking lights as you crawl on the floor! Water landing? Your seat cushion is a “floatation device.” “Sudden loss of cabin pressure”? Oxygen masks pop out from the ceiling. Good times.

We all remember what the flight attendant (do not call her a stewardess!) told us to do with those masks, right? You put your own mask on first. Not grandma’s. Not the kids’. You first! Gee, that sounds rather selfish. Lookin’ out for ole Number One, eh? So self-centered!

Why take care of you first? Pretty obvious, isn’t it?

If you are unconscious and turning blue, you are not much good to anyone. You are a problem. Not a solution. You must take care of yourself before you can care for others. Including those you love. Neglect yourself and you become a burden. A nuisance. Or worse.

Big Problem Is Not When You Are Dead

Traditional estate planning is all about what happens after you die. Focused on the kids or beneficiaries. Who gets your leftover stuff? Who pays the bills? Can we stay out of probate court? Please. How do we clean up the mess now that you have crossed over the Great Divide?

You are smart to think about these things. An inheritance can be a blessing. Thanks, Mom & Dad! Good, solid death planning makes sense. Sadly. All too often. An inheritance is a curse.

Why let the kids or beneficiaries wonder about what you wanted?

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Confusion, uncertainty, conflict. Families fight and fall apart. Certainty, clarity, confidence. Families bond closer than ever. As Matthew wrote (5:37): “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Good estate planning advice!

You should plan for your death. Nobody wants to, naturally But death planning is a good and generous thing… a considerate gift to the next generation. On the other hand, what if you neglect your death plan? What is the worst that can happen?

Well. One way or another, your survivors will figure out what to do with your earthly remains. Cremation or Casket? In a Mausoleum or on the Mantel? Bagpipers or the Chippendale Dancers? Fancy Funeral Lunch or McDonald’s Gift Cards? Big Production or No Publicity?

Your leftover stuff… someone will get it. Maybe take years. Bitter battles. Maybe go quickly. Everybody happy. Who knows?

Aretha Franklin had about 80 million dollars when she died recently. And a woefully inadequate estate plan. Her sons are still squabbling. But you know, she is safely in the ground. Taxes, government, lawyers… all got more than their fair share. But her sons did get millions.

Your kids will figure out what to do with your Precious Moments, Hummels, and workshop tools. Takes longer. More expensive. Family feud. But sooner or later those loose ends will get wrapped up and life will go on… And you won’t be there to see it. Thank goodness.

Trouble Comes When You Are Still Alive

LifePlanning™ is all about you. Now. While you are still among the living. How could your continued life be a problem? You are the one who fixes things. Does the hard stuff. Big Trouble?

Right now, you are caring for yourself. Maybe caring for your spouse, too. Or another family member. You worked. You saved. You planned for your retirement. You did all the good things and you have not been disappointed. Until…

Federal government says that if you are 65 years old, you have a 70% chance of needing skilled long-term care services. As you get older, the chance of needing services goes up. Anybody surprised? They say you will need those services for about 3 years, on average. But a big chunk of us will need services for more than 5 years. See for yourself: www.longtermcare.gov.

By the way, this is why most folks die broke. Why don’t most families have to worry about inheritances? Nursing Home Poverty, that’s why. Most families are simply swamped by long-term care costs. Sell the cottage. Liquidate the savings. Cash in the CDs, mutual funds, IRAs, annuities. Quick, quick, quick. And it does not have to be that way.

America pays for long-term care through the Medicaid program. Simple as that. You have not saved enough to pay $30/hour for at-home care. How long can you pay $12,000/month for institutional skilled care? Or $10,000/month. Or $7500/month for assisted living memory care?

Sure, you can do it for a while. And then the savings are exhausted. So is your family. And then you get the “government solution:” Medicaid.

What if you plan ahead so that you get some payback on the tax dollars you have paid in? With every paycheck, every tax withholding, you have been paying in. And yet. If you were frugal, if you saved, if you paid your bills, if you honored your debts… you get nothing until you are flat, busted, broke.

What if you lived in debt? Always refinancing the house. Pulling every nickel of equity out to spend on whatever struck your fancy? You get credit card advertisements all the time. What if you took those cards and ran ‘em up? With no intention of ever paying? Do you know anyone doing such things? Of course you do. We all do. Maybe even in your own family.

The person who spends and spends and spends… without saving. Borrows and borrows and borrows… then defaults. Lives the high life. Always the new car or truck. Always on the razor’s edge. Well, our system rewards people like that. Long-term care for those folks is free. Right now. No problem. Right this way, your table’s waiting! But not for you…

For you… different story! You were foolish. Unwise. You worked and saved. You planned ahead. You said NO! to dependence. And when you or your loved one needs long-term care, now your security is sacrificed. You weren’t saving for your golden years, grandchildren’s tuition, that once-in-a-lifetime trip or cruise. Oh no. You were saving for long-term care. So that you could get the lowest level of care, go broke, and then get the government solution, Medicaid.

LifePlanning™ is not about getting any special deals. You will not game the system. You will not take unfair advantage. Let the grifters grift. That is not you.

LifePlanning™ is all about fundamental fairness. You don’t want a special deal, all you want is the same deal that guy is getting. Why does the system penalize people like you? Most folks just want a fair shake. But people like you get played for chumps. Sure you paid in. Just keep on paying. You thought maybe “they” were looking out for you? Nope. Look around. Smell the coffee.

What Can You Do?

LifePlanning™ keeps the American Dream alive. LifePlanning™ rejects Nursing Home Poverty. LifePlanning™ preserves your hard- earned dollars to serve your spouse, you, and the next generations. You earned it. You paid in. You did the right things.

And now they want you broke. Dispirited. Discredited. Dependent. Why do they want you a beggar? Because beggars are easier to please.

Must you go broke? Can you preserve what you have earned, protect what you value? Yes, you can. LifePlanning™ preserves your savings. LifePlanning™ does not create wealth, you did that. I know it wasn’t easy. LifePlanning™ makes the rules work for people who play by the rules. That is you.

Maybe thousands of LifePlanning™ Michigan families are wrong. Perhaps the thousands who have received long-term care benefits while preserving their life’s work are mistaken. It is possible that you just want to surrender. Give up. Wave the white flag. That is OK. Personal Choice.

Or maybe the hundreds of millions in homes, farms, and other assets protected by LifePlanning™ Michigan families will preserve and strengthen our middle-class values. For you. For the next generation.

Think about it? Not enough. Those who wish to tear down America are acting. So should you. Find out how. Ask questions. Get answers. LifePlanning™ Workshops are available on-line and in person. Don’t look back with regret. Face the future with hope and confidence.

Here’s how you start:

1. Call 1-800-317-2812.
2. Get the next LifePlanning™ Workshop.

Easy. See you there!

“Contemptible Idiots Who Are Kind Of Evil”

Clowns Are Leading The Parade While You Do The Work

Ever wonder what elite experts think about you? Probably not. You have a life to live. Bills to pay. Kids to raise. Grandchildren to spoil. You are busy. Lots of stuff going on. And yet. You cannot help noticing that things are not what they should be. Or used to be.

“Some Ideas Are So Stupid That Only Intellectuals Believe Them.”
—George Orwell

You expect politicians to be hypocrites. Tell you to do one thing, while they do the opposite. Wear masks! Except at my fundraiser/birthday party/hairdresser. No riots… stay between the velvet ropes! Unless you are firebombing federal courthouses, shooting commercial fireworks at police officers, or assaulting people in cars. By the way, shoplifting is A-OK! And rent is optional.

Everybody knows university professors are out of touch. Their job is to think Great Thoughts. Re-segregate campuses on racial lines. Tear down, cover up, or suppress politically incorrect art, speech, thought. In Madison, Wisconsin, they are removing a landmark boulder from campus, at great expense, because someone, about a hundred years ago, may have used a racial epithet in referring to that boulder. Harvard’s new chaplain is a loud and proud atheist (Let that sink in.). Insist that fairness requires women athletes to compete with “twig and berries” athletes who “identify” otherwise. Even at the Olympics.

Still, you expected more of military leaders, but… Abandon the guys who helped us fight for the last 20 years. Overnight. Slander our foreign allies who lost 70,000 dead. Abandon hundreds of billions of dollars in advanced weaponry, aircraft, ammunition, electronics, and military installations to folks who want to kill us. A/k/a bad guys. The same bad guys who also, by the way, want to subjugate the population. Again. And export terror. Again. Meanwhile, the British and the French (the French!!) rescue their civilians, while the 82nd Airborne is ordered to stand down and leave American citizens to their fate. Stupefying. (Unless you know any British or French soldiers.)

“If You Would Only Recognize That Life Is Hard, Things Would Be So Much Easier For You.”
—Louis D. Brandeis

You and I know that the world is a harsh place. Making the right decisions is a challenge. Follow through is tough. We make mistakes. Do things wrong. Take our lumps. Accept responsibility. Apologize. Fix it. And move on. Do better next time. Results. No excuses. Yes, it is difficult. But you do it anyway because that is what it takes. For you. But not for them.

Some folks rise high in academia, corporate culture, and government. Smart people who punched their tickets at Harvard, Yale, and other prestigious institutions. They did work hard to punch those tickets. Scrambling to the top of the heap is not easy, simple, or fair. And now they never make mistakes. They fell into the trap. They believe what is said about them. Surrounded by an impenetrable cocoon of adoring supporters, reality does not bite, it does not even bark.

Military fiasco? Fire the lieutenants, captains, majors. Give medals to the colonels and generals. Political disaster? No worries! If you are of the correct persuasion, it never happened. If they cannot cover it up, biased media will bend over backwards to make excuses. Educational calamity? Cannot read, write, do math, think? Eliminate honor roll. Close “elite” high schools. Erase standards.

Ever wonder how the people doing these things can live with themselves? Puzzling, isn’t it? You do not need me to tell you things are bad. Look out the window. Yes, your news sources are controlled. Directly and indirectly. Mostly by herd instinct. Wrong opinion? Get cancelled. No Tweets for You! No Facebook either. Too bad that some things are too big to cover up entirely. Afghanistan. COVID. January 6. Ongoing riots.

If you failed at your job as enormously as these folks, the “elite experts” fail, you would be on your knees praying for forgiveness. Which is why you never will fail so completely. You have the gift of humility. Humanity.

We all count on one another to grow the food, pump the oil, mine the coal, keep the electricity on, stock the shelves, build the houses, fix the cars, fill the teeth, engineer the bridges, pave the roads, replace the knees, administer the medicine, rehabilitate the sick, research the cures… We work hard, but who’s complaining? The people who are better than you. They are complaining. You annoy them. They must put up with you. They do not like it.

Arrogance and blindness. Human frailties. They go together and we all suffer from them. But when arrogance and blindness overwhelm common sense, practicality, and basic decency… well, sometimes you get a book! Like this one:

How To Talk To A Science Denier
Conversations With Flat Earthers, Climate Deniers And Others Who Deny Reason

Lee Mcintyre, Mit Press

Professor McIntyre has a distinguished resume. Harvard. Boston University. Wesleyan University. University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) (of course!), Tufts. A genuine, certificated, credentialed smart person. Deep thinker. Author. Honored intellectual. Candid, too.

Unlike some other experts, he wants to talk to you. Show you the errors of your ways. In his book, he “shows that anyone can fight back against science deniers”. Courageous! The professor “use[s] his persuasive powers as a philosopher to convert” you. And he wants to teach like-minded others how to do the same. In his promotional material there is a good bit of blather about dealing with folks like us “calmly and respectfully.” A U of M professor who reviewed the work agrees. She thinks he is a champion of “listening respectfully, discussing science patiently, and fostering interpersonal trust.” Too bad she did not read the book.

Fortunately, our hero is not content with winking to his audience. He drops the mask in the book. You do not have to wonder what he thinks of you, he tells you:

“When speaking to a contemptible idiot who is kind of evil, don’t call them a contemptible idiot who is kind of evil! Many contemptible idiots find that language insulting.”

Wow. Way to “foster interpersonal trust”! Just lie to the rubes. They will never notice. Just be polite. Unless you just cannot stand being polite to contemptible idiots who are kind of evil.

“When speaking to them, we should remember that it is an insult to use the word ‘anti-vaxxer.’”

One reviewer then counted “109 uses of the term “anti-vaxx” in the book.” Interspersed with calls to civility are his true feelings. Your skepticism? Nothing more than “ridiculous conspiracy theories and partisan nonsense”. Thank you, professor!

Professor M did do some real field work. Went to an airport hotel. Spoke with Flat Earth Society members. At their convention. Well.

Out of 330 million Americans, he found the few needles in the haystack who think the world is flat. Or at least claim to think it’s flat. Hey, it’s a club. Perhaps a little common sense is in order. Don’t people join clubs for lots of reasons? I have heard of another club claiming direct descent from the stoneworkers who built the pyramids. George Washington was a member. Quick, get the fact-checkers!

But mostly, the good professor deceives himself, and his chosen audience, by describing absurdly extreme caricatures. He then beats up on those false images. COVID deniers. Anti-vaxxers. Global warming deniers. So much denial! Plus a GMO skeptic. Not sure how he fits in.

It is the sort of thing I remember from freshman year dormitory BS sessions at Notre Dame. Supreme confidence. Argumentative skill. Closed mind. Strawman Fallacy in Technicolor. Or Kodachrome.

You say, so what? Grifters gotta grift. Academic authors must flatter their audience. One more book catering to “intellectuals’” invulnerable, insufferable notions of themselves as the good and wise. What else is new?

But Professor M has done us a huge service. Without his candid revelations, you might wonder “Just how do they think about us?” The mystery is over. Case closed. The “Let’s talk” psychobabble is an amateurish smokescreen.

This is how the clowns got to lead the parade. We believed what they were saying. But they did not believe it themselves. We were conned. It was always a confidence game. They do not hate you. They do not respect you enough for that. They despise you, you contemptible idiot who is kind of evil.

Look around and see the consequences.

Never Complain And
Never Explain
—Benjamin Disraeli

The hour is late. There is no time to complain. Professor M would just write another book. But we are not helpless, and we are not hopeless. Have we faced worse than this? I do not know. What I do know is that it is up to us to make it right, one family, your family, at a time.

What does it have to do with Elder Law? Quite a bit.

The federal government says long-term care awaits 70% of Americans aged 65 or older. Three-year average length of care. And for 1-in-5, that three-year average goes to more than five years. Who pays for this care? You do. You did. Every paycheck. Every health insurance premium payment.

We, the middle class, bear the greatest burden of long-term care. Can you pay $12,000 per month without strain? Congratulations! I’d call you rich. Is paying $12,000 per month a joke because you don’t have two nickels? Don’t worry… we will pay for you.

Does a $12,000 per month bill make you sick to your stomach because it means losing the security of lifesavings? Don’t you wish you had a cottage or cabin to sell. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were an extra car or truck to trade for a month of long-term care? But all you have are the CDs and life insurance you managed to scrape out of the grocery, heating, and car bills. And when it is all gone? Now you are broke. Your choices do not matter. You get what they feel like giving you.

Isn’t it obvious? Middle class families are targeted by long-term care costs. Savings evaporate. Grandparents helping grandchildren… Prohibited, Penalized.

Professor M has done you an enormous favor. Learn his lesson. You thought you were saving for your own retirement and then to offer a stepstool for the next generation. They have other ideas.

LifePlanning™ keeps the American Dream alive. LifePlanning™ rejects Nursing Home Poverty. LifePlanning™ preserves your hard-earned dollars to serve your spouse, you, and the next generations. You earned it. You paid in. You did the right things.

And now they want you broke. Dispirited. Discredited. Dependent. Why do they want you a beggar? Because beggars are easier to please.

Must you go broke? Can you preserve what you have earned, protect what you value? Yes, you can. LifePlanning™ preserves your savings. LifePlanning™ does not create wealth, you did that. I know it wasn’t easy. LifePlanning™ makes the rules work for people who play by the rules. That is you.

Maybe thousands of LifePlanning™ Michigan families are wrong. Perhaps the thousands who have received long-term care benefits while preserving their life’s work are mistaken. It is possible that just want to surrender. Give up. Wave the white flag. That is OK. Personal Choice.

Or maybe the hundreds of millions in homes, farms, and other assets protected by LifePlanning™ Michigan families will preserve and strengthen our middle-class values. For you. For the next generation.

Think about it? Not enough. Those who wish to tear down America are acting. So should you. Find out how. Ask questions. Get answers. LifePlan™ Workshops are available on-line and in person. Don’t look back with regret. Face the future with hope and confidence.

Here’s how you start:

1. Call 1-800-317-2812.
2. Get the next LifePlan™ Workshop.

Easy. See you there!

It begins. Maybe with your husband. Your wife. Could be Mom. Or Dad. Sister. Brother. Best friend. You, yourself. Little things. No big deal. But you wonder. It goes on. Stranger things. You notice. Routine changes. You adapt. You do more. It gets worse. You think. It becomes obvious to others. It becomes apparent to you. You must name it. Could it be Parkinson’s? Alzheimer’s? Lewy Body Dementia? Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS)? Vascular Dementia?

Like most Americans, you know the devastation of dementia from family or friends. Many of us feel at a loss to provide help or comfort. Look for the following stages. Help your loved one and yourself.

Denial: This Is Not Happening!

Everyone at this age has some memory trouble. Strong as ever, except for the years. Absolutely nothing wrong! Anyone could have mislaid their keys, left the water running, put the laundry in the pantry. Those people do not know what they are talking about. Fit as a fiddle! Just shut up about it, will you…

Anger: How Could This Happen To Me? So Unfair!

This is the worst. How dare they say such things? About their very own father/mother! About me! All I/we have done for them! And this is our reward? Rotten ingrates. How could God let this happen?! Simply, blindly furious. Rage rage against the dying of the light.

Bargaining: Exercise, Prayer, Diet

Follow doctor’s orders. Eat more fish. Exercise more. Go to church every day. Be nicer. Pray. Pray more. Do everything you are supposed to do. Then do more. It will go away if we are/I am
worthy. Please. Only say the word and I shall be healed. Let’s make a deal!

DEPRESSION: NOTHING IS GOING AWAY; IT IS JUST GETTING WORSE.

No way out. Overwhelming grief. Powerless. So sad. Life comes to this? No solution. Cannot fix it. Blank wall. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

ACCEPTANCE: THIS IS REALITY; NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT, BUT OKAY.

No, it is not getting better. This is it. Not what anyone wanted, expected, hoped. It is what it is. Terrible beauty in sacrifice. Praiseworthy endurance. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. No fault. No regrets. Satisfaction. Content.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIKE IT, BUT YOU MUST DEAL WITH IT

So many folks get stuck on the first stage, Denial. Baffling behaviors, confusion in common place activities, mood swings. After a diagnosis, nothing is more common than for family and friends to realize that “this” had been going on for months, years. It becomes clear as all the explanations and excuses fall away. Why didn’t we act sooner?

Dementia is insidious and destructive. Nothing is easy. We must be on guard, but sensitive. Vigilant, but not insulting. Concerned, but not condescending. It is a difficult, narrow path to tread.

But we do it for love. Love of parent, spouse, sibling, friend. We do it for the best.

Ten Warning Signs Of Dementia

Here is some advice from the Alzheimer’s Association, people just like you. Ten Warning Signs:

If you notice any of these signs, take action

If you notice any of these signs, take action. Note your concerns so you can address them with a friend, family member or doctor.

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life.
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks.
4. Confusion with time or place.
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships.
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing.
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
8. Decreased or poor judgment.
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities.
10. Changes in mood and personality.
Alzheimer’s Association ©2019 Alzheimer’s Association®. All rights reserved. Rev. Jun19TS-0066

No list is comprehensive. Nothing substitutes for professional evaluation and judgment. But, guided by your genuine care and concern, these ten signs point the way to early detection and effective care.

What’s Any Of This Got To Do With Elder Law?

Elder Law, I believe, is all about recognizing the reality. Dementia happens. You can ignore the possibility or prepare. You can let your lifesavings evaporate or use them to supplement available benefits. LifePlanning™ means we reject denial, overcome anger, give up on bargaining, sweep away depression. We accept life as it is, doing the best we can with what we have, never giving up, always looking for and committed to the good. Accepting life as it is. Accepting that our role is to always make it better. For ourselves, our loved ones, our families and friends. Planning that gets results.

Get Knowledge Now! Call (800) 317-2812.
There’s a LifePlan™ Workshop near you.

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