New Lessons To Learn

The Times They Are A-Changin’

It’s that time of year again. You have been here before. New school year beginning. First day of kindergarten. First grade. High school. Going off to college. New shoes, new clothes. Very familiar. Totally strange. Will your child or grandchild be heading to the classroom or to the bedroom? Kitchen table? Teaching with live instructors surrounded by friends and other students? Or alone through a computer screen?

Hasn’t the first day of school always been a challenge? Parents concerned about how their kids will do in new situations. Kids worried about friends, classes, sports, fitting in. And now COVID-19. Masks all day long. How is that going to work? You expect that getting the younger kids to wear masks would be tough. What about the teenagers? Especially when they discover that continuous masking irritates the skin. And that means? The most dreaded teenager plague of all: acne. Has anyone thought this through?

Normal things you don’t do anymore: baseball, weddings, cook-outs.

Hasn’t it been a strange summer? Normal things you don’t do anymore: baseball games, weddings, cook-outs. Weird things you now do all the time: wear a surgical mask, quarantine, obsessive handwashing. Fall football? Maybe in the spring, they say.

The Medicine that Dare Not Speak Its Name

The Henry Ford Health System studies a possible medicine to combat COVID-19. Henry Ford discovers good news. Henry Ford is not a bit player. They are big time. Henry Ford is a “major academic medical center with more than $100 million in annual research funding, [and] is involved in numerous COVID-19 trials with national and international partners.” www. HenryFord.com Smart guys.

What did Henry Ford find? Only that use of this mystery drug cuts the COVID death rate in half. And it’s well-understood, generic, cheap, and widely available, with minimal side effects. Not unexpected for a drug that has been used worldwide by millions for over 75 years. Front page news? Medical Miracle? Game Changer? Nope. The wrong politician said it might be useful. So… political correctness hides the medicine that dare not speak its name. And lots of unnecessary deaths? Find out for yourself, it is easy. www.henryford.com/news/2020/07/ hydro-treatment-study

Strange times.

Founded on the Rock or Building on Sand?

Doctors finding remedies for deadly diseases are ignored. Are you okay with that? Rioters stop firefighters from fighting fires. Nodding in approval? Police officers are overrun with riots and looting. Feeling good? Courts and judges release accused criminals to commit more crime. Smiling yet?

Maybe we all need to go back to school. To relearn what we have always known.

Work hard. Save for a rainy day. Pay it forward. Lend a hand. Play by the rules. Help the unfortunate. Worship as you will. Keep an open mind. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Rules we have lived by. Ideas that built our nation. Your life of commitment to these simple but profound ideals has provided more prosperity for more people than at any other time in history. Living these bedrock truths is the strongest foundation for the future.

The simple fact is that America is getting older.

Middle Class Must Succeed

Who works harder than middle class folks? Who saves more? Who pays more taxes? Who volunteers more? When the going gets tough, who do they expect to help?

But if you’re like me, you’re not here to complain, but make things better. What should regular, middle class Americans, workers and retirees, do in times like these? Same thing as ever. Dig deeper. Try harder. And that starts at home. With you. Single or married. Kids or no kids.

The simple fact is that America is getting older: every day another 12,000 Baby Boomers turn 60, 65, 70. The “Greatest Generation” is in its 70s, 80s, and 90s. Poisonous rhetoric and slanted commentary about the “Me Generation” and the supposed self-centeredness of the Boomers are poisonously wrong. The truth is that 75% of Baby Boomers are right now caring for parents, have already done so, or expect to.

If your husband or wife is caring for you, almost half of the time your spouse will die first. And many more will die shortly after you do. Much sooner than expected. Skilled nursing home care, according to the State of Michigan, costs almost $9000 every month for the most basic care.

At this moment in history, America needs your example of middle-class success. Too many unfortunate young people have become disillusioned and hopeless, led astray by angry rhetoric and disinformation. LifePlanning™ embodies middle-class American values. We all win, one person, one family at a time.

Learning the Wrong Lesson

A terrible lesson has been accepted and taught by most planners and attorneys. Spend it down. Spend it all. You are not in control. You cannot choose. Your values are wrong. Nothing can be done. It is a counsel of despair.

But it does not have to be that way. The LifePlan™ approach keeps you in charge. Your life savings protected. Your life choices respected.

As with so many other things, though, the burden falls hardest on those who have worked and contributed the most.

Medicaid is the way America pays for long term care. As with so many other things, though, the burden falls hardest on those who have worked and contributed the most. No savings? No problem! Live life on a credit card? Medicaid is there for you. Work hard and save? Be frugal? Debt was dumb and savings were smart? Do the right things? Medicaid will not help until poverty. Until all your life’s efforts are wiped away.

But if you plan you can: Keep savings. Provide for loved ones. Receive at-home care. Participate in choosing a care facility if necessary. And still pay it forward.

You keep the cottage, the rental, the hunting land, your lifesavings.

Emergency Rules Mean Middle Class Safety

With COVID-19 expansion, you keep the cottage, the rental property, the hunting cabin, your lifesavings. And still get comprehensive, at-home care. You think it is too good to be true.

Dozens of other families thought so too. But they made the call. Folks just like you, except they picked up the phone. No co-pays, donut holes, or out of pocket expenses. Keep your income. Too good to be true! Not this time.

Elementary Education

1. Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly is PACE. You paid for PACE through your tax dollars. You stay at home through PACE goods and services. No nursing home or assisted living, until that is what you need.
2. COVID-19 puts extraordinary demand on long-term care facilities. Care at home does not.
3. Expansion of eligibility under COVID-19 means thousands more qualify.
4. Facts are free.
5. PACE means: Life Savings Protected. Life Choices Respected.
6. PACE is available now. No waiting list. Do you think that will be true next month? Into the fall and winter? Is there a better time to act?
7. PACE is not for everybody. But if it is for you and your loved one, it is a Godsend.

Core Curriculum

1. Over 55.
2. Medical Need. (We will help you determine).
3. Income Limits: If married, may adjust.
4. “Safe at home,” with assistance.

Many other families are already taking advantage of these new rules. Why not you? The call is free, the information is free, the results can be priceless.

CALL THE PACE HOTLINE 1-800-317-2812

Wide Wide World Of Shorts (Short Answers!)
The Thrill Of Legacy, The Agony Of Probate

Note: These Questions Are From Real People. Unedited. The Glitchy Grammar, Strange Spellings, Problematic Punctuation And Other Offenses Against Literacy Appear In The Original Questions. Unedited.

My mother is in a nursing home, she is now almost out of money and we will be applying for medicaid soon. while we are working to get medicaid. and while the cash is gone, can the nursing home kick mom out for non payment?

second question. medicaid is looking at moms money from present to 5 years back. about 6or 8 years ago an account was open in my nieces name. my mom is the second name on this account, can they also take this money?

—Koncerned Kid

Dear Koncerned: Question #1: Once the Medicaid application is complete, with all 300 pages of attachments, Medicaid still has 45 days to respond. And it is often much longer. No surprise to the nursing home. No big deal. They will wait. A skilled nursing facility is much like a hospital when it comes to pay and refusing services. Government requires that the hospital and the home MUST provide services. Even if they do not get paid. Sure, there is a “kick mom out” procedure if she does not pay. But “involuntary separation” is complex and difficult for the home. And they always lose. So the nursing homes hardly ever bother. The Result: HUGE bad debts that will never be paid. HERE’S A THOUGHT: Ever wonder why nursing homes and hospitals are so expensive for us middle class folks? Gee… Maybe all the “free” services have something to do with why nursing homes cost $400 per day and a hospital aspirin is $12? [Who’s up for “free” college?]

Question #2: If mom’s name is on an account, caseworkers figure mom must own the money. Not true, of course, but that is how they think. If you can prove that the money came from the niece (or other person on the account)… hurrah! If not, too bad, so sad.

The absolute worst is when mom, dad, son, daughter, niece, nephew, butcher, baker, candlestick maker all put their social security, pension, IRA distribution, paycheck and everything else into the same account. And then pay the bills. Good luck, Chuck! Now Medicaid counts the same money against different folks. Nightmare! Do not put all the money together. Keep it separate.


Can I stop the sale of a house?

Rough situation: Grandmother is dead, Grandfather has pretty far along Alzheimer’s disease.

Aunt, who has power of attorney is trying to sell the house to a neighbor, and wants to tell the neighbor if any of us are interested so that they “know they have competition” somthing that will likely drive the price unreasonably high. Is their any legal mechanism to injunct the sale of the house to allow those of us, including myself in the family who are interested in purchasing it for fair market value to do so before it goes to the market?

—Sale Stopper

Dear Stopper: Medicaid absolutely requires that Aunt sell the house for fair market value. If she fails, Medicaid will hit Grandfather with a penalty period. “So what the heck is ‘fair market value’?” I hear you say. Well, there are many definitions.

My favorite says: Fair Market Value is the price that would be paid by a willing Buyer and a willing Seller with knowledge of all relevant facts.

You may not like that the housing market seems overheated. It sure seems that way to me! Time and again, several buyers will make multiple offers on a single property… and ALL of them higher than the listing price! But that simply IS the market.

The State says different. Every year you get a tax statement on your house with an assessment. By the state Constitution, that assessment (the “SEV”) is supposed to be one-half of your home’s Actual Cash Value. Everybody knows that is just bunk. You would never sell your house for twice the SEV. And neither will anyone else.

So there is only one way to find out what the Fair Market Value actually is. Put it on the market. Find out what other people would pay for the house. Simple as that.

ANSWER TO THE QUESTION YOU DID NOT ASK: Should we sell the homestead, when Grandfather is likely to need Medicaid? No! What Einstein came up with THAT idea? Oh… It was in a video on the Internet… Please tell me you are not falling for that! Er, uh, I mean… Selling the homestead is more than likely an ill-advised course of action. Harumph.

Sell homestead. Spend money for services Medicaid would pay for. Huh? It is possible, however unlikely, that this is a great idea, a brilliant strategy. But I doubt it. Consider that the homestead is a store of value. Leverage it to provide additional services to Grandfather while he is on Medicaid. Call me and I will happily explain in more detail.


What are the tax consequences of caring for my parents (both in hospice) and accepting funds from them from their ssi and saving

My brother and his wife now care for our parents in there home. They have health care poa, I have financial poa. I have agreed to pay them from my parents ssi and savings $10000 per month for the services. They are not trained care givers. I am concerned about tax consequences both employment as payee and as income for my brother.

—Care Medicaid Taxes

Dear CMT: Tax Question You Asked: Any money you pay to brother or his wife to provide services for mom and dad will be taxable income. Brother and Wife will have to pay federal, state, local income taxes. Plus federal self-employment tax. Did I mention Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment Taxes? And now that we have COVID, there’s a whole new raft of requirements. See IRS Publication 926, Household Employer’s Tax Guide. Enjoy! https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p926.pdf

Depending on how you set it up, these burdens will descend on your brother and sister-in-law and/or on your mom and dad. Yes. It is a nightmare.

Medicaid Question You Did Not Ask: Congratulations! You jumped through all the tax hoops necessary to hire family members! Paid all the additional costs. Filed all the paperwork. Now you are an expert! But what about Medicaid?

Unfortunately, even though you already complied with a telephone book’s worth of rules and regulations, you are not done yet. You must submit to Medicaid. If you do not, every nickel legitimately paid for services will be treated as a Medicaid gift. You read that right: Does not matter that you paid taxes, insurance, etc. All those dollars are a gift in the eyes of Medicaid.

Funny thing about the Medicaid rules for paying family members. I do not believe it is possible to comply with them. At least I have never seen anyone comply with these rules. And I believe that is on purpose. Medicaid does not like folks paying family members for care. That was a policy decision made years ago. And we are living with it today.

P.S. There is a Medicaid program of limited scope that will pay family members to be caregivers. But family members cannot pay family members without creating a penalty period. Generally speaking.


Can a person make you sell your primary residence that was left in a will to 2 unrelated people?

My mom’s husband died and left the home equally to her and to his grandson. This has been her primary residence for 25 years. The grandson is trying to make her sell it and move. But she wants to refinance buy him out. But he doesn’t want to do that.

How Sharper Than A Serpent’s Tooth,
An Ungrateful Grandchild!

Dear Sharper: Can Greedy Grandchild evict Sainted Spouse? Maybe. (Don’t you hate that word?) Depends. (Another hateful word!) But in every legal matter, the actual words matter.

Maybe the Will is painfully simple. Let’s say the Will only states that the remaining property is divided between Surviving Sainted Spouse and Grasping Greedy Grandchild. Nice and simple, right? Thank goodness those lawyers did not make it all confusing and hard to understand.

Well, the simple truth is that now GGGrandchild can get the Probate Court to evict SSSpouse. And then sell the property. And then divide the money. Whoops! Where is SSSpouse supposed to live now? Did Old Grand-dad intend to throw his beloved to the wolves? Kick her to the corner?

Maybe the Will is a little more complex. What if the Will states that SSSpouse and GGGrandchild are joint tenants with rights of survivorship. Whoops Again! GGGrandchild cannot evict his step-grandmother (if there is such a thing), but he can now move into the homestead. With his Great Dane. And all his biker-gang friends. Old Grand-dad has a lot to answer for!

Perhaps the Will excludes Grasping Greedy Grandchild by giving Surviving Sainted Spouse an exclusive life estate. She alone can live in the homestead. Until she dies. But then she goes to a long-term care facility. And for the next 10 years, until she passes, no one lives in or uses the homestead. Except a few lonely raccoons. And a bat or two. Whoops yet Again! Because no-one is paying the taxes, the city takes the house. Because no one is living there, it becomes a crack house. Because no one is paying the insurance, it burns to the ground.

On the other hand, Old Grand-dad was a sharp old bird, a crafty codger was he. He put together a LifePlan™. No worries with long term care. At-home care. Assisted Living. Skilled Nursing. No problem!

Yes, there are more words in a LifePlan™. Some folks find it confusing. Truth! But now the results are tailored to the need.

The LifePlan™ provides a Residence Trust for the Surviving Sainted Spouse. She lives there as long as she maintains the property. Pays the taxes. Buys the insurance. What if she needs skilled care at a nursing home or assisted living facility? Now the house can be sold. The cash proceeds are held in trust to supplement the Medicaid benefits she receives. And GGGrandchild? He gets his share. Sooner, rather than later. When all the needs have been met.

It does take work to get it right. Albert Einstein supposedly said. “Things should be as simple as possible. But not more simple.” So it is with your LifePlan™. It is as simple as possible. While being as secure as possible.

Life-Plan™ Salvation For The Middle-Class

The rich do not need me. The poor I cannot directly help. That leaves you. Regular folks. The middle-class savers, workers, builders are the ones who benefit from LifePlanning™. 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. 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

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE. Make PACE Your Power!

Dedication, Devotion

Just a couple weeks ago. A perfect Sunday morning in late summer. Bright sunshine, warm air, colorful flowers, green leaves.

Two women reading the paper. They could have been sisters. Remarkably similar. Children and grandchildren. Both are reliable volunteers for church and school. Both looking forward to their 50th wedding anniversary.

Comfortable homes with well-tended gardens. Paid for. Substantial retirement savings. No debt. (Thanks to coupon clipping and natural thrift!) Extravagant or expensive habits? None.

Except spoiling their grandchildren at every opportunity. Good-naturedly, of course.

You know these women. The sort of middle-class people who enrich the world by their simple presence. And generosity of spirit. Authentic kindness.

Now, both are primary caregivers for their husbands. Husbands who, after many years as partner and confidant, father and grandfather, best friend and “accomplice,” had fallen victim to Alzheimer’s Disease. Heart-breaking. Life-changing. No description necessary.

These women take their wedding vows seriously. Better or worse. Richer or poorer. Sickness and health. They said it. They meant it. They lived it.

Sure, the kids think it is corny. But these women took the words of JFK seriously: “We choose to do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” Alzheimer’s is hard.

To be sure, the kids have their own families and challenges. They live out of state. They would like to help, but… Now they think it is a good idea for Dad to be “placed”. What is it with kids these days?

Too Good To Be True?

One Sunday, both women were reading the same article. An account in The Michigan Elder Law Reporter describing the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, known as PACE.

The Reporter claimed that PACE provided free, at-home care. All pharmacy needs with no co-pays, donut holes, delays, or frustrating paperwork. Specialist care. Respite care. Durable medical equipment. Supplies. Occupational and Physical Therapy. The list went on and on. It even claimed that PACE was intended to help folks just like her. On purpose. Family members caring for loved ones at home. Staying at home.

Most outrageous, though, was the bald statement that their life savings, their home, their cottage, their security, need not be sacrificed to long-term care costs. That a lifetime of shared work could be preserved for themselves, their children, their grandchildren. How could that happen?!

They remembered similar articles … published over the summer and winter of 2020-2021. And the warning that the special COVID rules would expire on November first. Too late. But now comes the news that these rules were extended to April 2021! And yet again the COVID rules that expand eligibility were extended! “Until further notice…” Whatever that means, right?

Two Roads Diverged In A Wood, And I – I Took The One Less Traveled By…

And this is where the women made different choices.

One said to herself, “Stuff and Nonsense! I pity anyone foolish enough to believe this… Promises, promises! Too good to be true! I didn’t believe it last summer and I don’t believe it now! Fiddle Faddle.”

The other thought, “I heard of this back in July, then in the fall, and again in the springtime. I still didn’t act. Is it possible that I have another chance? Is Someone trying to tell me something? Maybe I should find out more…”

Five years quickly passed.

And That Has Made All Of The Difference

Another fine August morning. But now these women are not so much alike. They had made different choices. They got different results.

Pride Goeth Before A Fall

One was physically exhausted. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven days a week. Constant caregiving was taking a heavy toll. Worse was the mental stress. Facing bankruptcy. She gladly spent the life savings to pay home health care workers. Selling the cottage? No, she didn’t mind it. That money was long gone. Days at the lake a distant memory. The grandkids can learn to swim at the Y.

She was still bound and determined that her husband would never wind up in one of “those places.” Then the cash ran out. She gritted her teeth and took a loan against the house. Twice. Plus a line of credit. In desperation, she turned to cash advances on the credit cards.

In her pride, she did not share the burden with her friends or children. She chose a solitary journey. Until the inevitable day when the house of cards collapsed. She reached for the phone to call her eldest child.

She never imagined living in a senior housing project. Well, at least the bill collectors had stopped calling. Pathetic? Pitiful? Or just sad…

The other woman was at the cottage window watching her grandchildren fish from the dock. The last few years had been tough. Her husband no longer knew her or their children. She was making the best of a bad situation. But. Her health was good. The PACE folks were a blessing. No worries. PACE had installed a wheelchair ramp at their home. Several times a week, expert aides came out to attend to her husband’s hygiene. During that coronavirus problem so many years ago, they even helped with her grocery shopping. And housekeeping. In addition to all the medical support. She knew her future was secure. She did not face it alone. Life savings protected. Life choices respected. “Well,” she thought, “sometimes “too good to be true turns out even better.” Sympathy for her tough row to hoe. Tempered by respect for her wise decisions.

I Have Finished The Course, I Have Kept The Faith

Several months later.

At the first woman’s funeral, her friends agreed. It was tragic. Pitiful, even. She had run the race. She had fought the good fight. At the ultimate cost to herself, she did what she believed was necessary. Pouring out the savings and accomplishments of a lifetime in a few short years. But. Is there anything more tragic than needless suffering? Doing very well something that did not have to be done at all?

As one mourner observed, “She killed herself with work and worry, all to keep him out of “those places.” And where is he going now? One of “those places.”” It is more than sadness that we feel when a good person refuses the helping hand. It is more than regret when refusal leads to unfortunate consequences.

Not far away, at about the same time.

After the preacher’s kind words at the cemetery, the other woman turned from her husband’s grave. She too had run the race, fought the good fight. She had been there for him to the ultimate end. Hospice at the house. Familiar PACE folks who supplied the hospital bed, Hoyer lift and other necessary equipment and services. Given fair warning, the kids made it in from out of town. It was sad, heart-breaking. But not tragic. Surrounded by family and friends. Secure. Respected. Gracefully accepting sympathy without a hint of pity. At peace. What did the Lord have in store for her now? She did not know. But she looked forward to finding out.

The Difference

Most people, reading this article, will choose the path of the first woman. Most people, faced with long-term care costs, will close their eyes. Hope for the best. And watch their life savings evaporate like a snowflake on a hot griddle. Why does the caregiver spouse die first, almost half of the time? Why do hard-working, prudent, frugal, middle-class folks accept nursing home poverty? Most of the time?

Not Chance, Your Choice

There is nothing inevitable about losing your home, cottage, business, lifesavings, independence, security. All of that is a choice. Despite what “everybody else” says. For thirty-one years, people have told me, “I’ve never heard of this before!” “If this is real, why haven’t I heard of this before?” “My lawyer/financial advisor/ accountant/tax person/banker/best friend/fill-in-the-blank never said anything like this…”

Well, here you are. Reading The Reporter. So now you know. No excuses. The Reporter is here to provide information, insight, inspiration. Now it is your turn. To ignore the message. Invite poverty. Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions about your life. And that of your loved one.

It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.
Get Free Information Now.

(800) 317-2812

PITY IS FOR VICTIMS – YOU HATE IT
SYMPATHY IS FOR FRIENDS – YOU SHARE IT
RESPECT IS FOR DOERS – YOU EARNED IT

Some People Choose To Be Pathetic Victims, But Not You!

Everything I Needed To Know, I Learned In The Neighborhood Patterns Start Early

Give me a child until he is seven and I’ll show you the man.
Aristotle, St. Ignatius Loyola
As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.
Proverb

Have you noticed how the kids from your old neighborhood never really change? Remember that kid who was always borrowing your stuff (and giving it back busted)? Well, now he lives his life on credit card debt. That person on the job, you know who I’m talking about, the co-worker who never gets anything done. How can that one still get a paycheck? You think to yourself: “Either they are related to the boss… or there are photographs!” The type of guy who actually talks about their bankruptcy (only once or twice!). Rents his furniture. Takes every minute of time off. Late getting back from breaks. Customer for the Pay- Day Lender. Blames others. Pathetic. Pitiful.

You are the same way. Consistent. Same now as you were 50, 60, 70 years ago. Nothing much changes. Some kids looked at a snow day from school as a mini- vacation. You grabbed a shovel and went door-to-door. In the summertime, you pushed that old lawnmower through the neighbors’ grass. Baby-sitting. Paper route. Bagging groceries. Washing dishes. You got it done when you were a kid. You get it done now. Habits start young. And persist through life. Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly. Doers gotta do. That is you.

Since you were little, you have been taking care of business. You still do the hard stuff. You enjoy the rewards. Paid-off home. Lifesavings. And your family does too. Honorable. Admirable. We work hard, but who’s complaining?

Some Kids Are Just Pathetic – Pity

Poor poor poor me Poor poor pitiful me
***
Lord have mercy on me Woe woe is me
Warren Zevon – “Poor Poor Pitiful Me”

Growing up, we all knew the kid who was never ready. Remember that kid? Somehow it was your fault that his bike had a flat. That he couldn’t find his baseball glove. That he forgot to dig his own worms to go fishing. The gang (Remember when “gang” meant the kids in the neighborhood, not an organized criminal enterprise?) decides to camp out (Yes, we used to do things without playdates, grown-ups, background checks or professional camp-ologists). Guess who forgot to fill his canteen. Didn’t bring food. Or a blanket. Or a raincoat. Every time you try to be nice to the kid, he screws it up. And blames you. You bend over backwards, and it is still your fault. Never enough. But you keep trying. Because you can. Because it feels like the right thing to do.

Women… you knew girls who were the same way. (Sorry, I don’t have any personal experiences to share on how that works for girls.) You try to involve them, but it always ends poorly. With you on the receiving end. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride? More like: Always the victim, never the hero. And always someone else to blame.

And how did those kids make you feel? You pitied them. You felt sorry for them. You made excuses for them. You did your best, but it always fell short. Poor pathetic Pauley. Or Pauline.

Eventually the well runs dry. You have given all you have to give. Pauley (or Pauline) goes into the “hopeless case” category. They are exhausting. And you have a life to live. You may as well try to bail out the Titanic. After it hit the iceberg.

Beware of the danger lurking here! Can you be too “nice”? Good people like to help. Poor Pauley needs help. Lots and lots of help. At some point though, you are not helping. Soon, it’s not even about Pauley anymore.

I think this is what they call “co-dependency.” Some folks like it best when Pauley is pathetic. They feel superior. The more pathetic, the better they like it. That is why they make it easy for Pauley to be pitiful. Yikes! You figure, I can help Pauley get on track. They don’t want Pauley on track. They want a victim to rescue. Over and over.

Consider (some, not all) politicians and preachers. Golden words! Beautiful sentiments! So high- minded and concerned! Righteous Champions of the distressed, depressed, downtrodden. Unlike you, they are so virtuous, their own rules do not apply to them. Professing concern for the little guy, they grow wealthy in money and prestige. Bought-and-paid-for credentials. Virtue overflowing. Mansions stuffed with birthday party guests and designer ice cream. Beating up other people in the name of peace.

What can you do?

Well, the first thing you can do is: Don’t be that guy. Or gal. Make it happen. Take your lumps. Keep moving. Stop blaming. Be grateful. Consider others. Eyes on the prize. All the boring nonsense your mom kept drilling into your head. Surprise! Mom knew what she was doing. Remember Dad’s preachy lectures? Now you know the old guy wasn’t half wrong. Sometimes it is better to shut your mouth, keep smiling, take responsibility, and work through it. Drama is for soap operas.

You already know all this, but sometimes the obvious bears repeating. Do not be pitiful. As General George S. Patton once said, “Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. Now, I wouldn’t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed.” You are a winner. Don’t forget it.

Some Kids Are Your Friends – Sympathy

I get knocked down, but I get up again You are never gonna keep me down
Chumbawamba – “Tubthumping”

None of us are perfect. We all screw up. But not as a way of life. Your best friend sometimes forgot stuff. Got the flat tire. Lost his glove. But you never pitied your best friend. And nobody felt pity for you. Because you are not now and never have been pathetic. Not a victim.

Your trials and tribulations are not habit. Not your way of life. Sure, bad stuff happens. And when it is your fault, you shoulder the blame. Sometimes you are filled with righteous anger at injustice. Accidents, disease, the evil of others. Thank God for friends to sympathize. Not pity, sympathy. And so, you get over the tough times. Put them in the rear-view mirror and drive on. Encouraged and supported by your friends and loved ones.

As we get older, we face different challenges. Not just for ourselves, but our loved ones, too. Physical infirmity. Mental incapacity. Alzheimer’s. Arthritis. Dementia. Some can be “fixed.” Get a knee or hip replacement. Some cannot. Memory loss. Parkinson’s.

Sympathy is an authentic expression of love. Freely offered. Freely accepted. Where would we be without it? It is as far from pity as can be. Sympathy is an acknowledgement of shared risk and experience. Burdens are lighter when they are shared. Sympathetic friends share your load, as you share theirs. Sympathy spreads the pain around. Your pain is my pain.

Pity leaves the victim in pain and satisfies the other’s superiority. Who knows why some people are tragedy vampires, deriving pleasure from others’ pain? It is easy to observe, but hard to understand. Let us answer the higher calling. Let us be the one who comforts from full friendship, from sympathy. Make it better.

Some Folks Take Care Of Business (TCB) – Respect

All I’m askin’ (oo)
Is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit)
Baby (just a little bit) when you get home (just a little bit)

***
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB
Aretha Franklin – “Respect”

Respect is earned. Respect is serious. It cannot be forced. People can pretend to admire, respect, or value you, but the real thing cannot be faked. Respect is not inherited. Respect does not come from winning the lottery. Respect, dignity, admiration. Why do others ask your opinion? When something is broken, or a situation is difficult, why do they call you? Maybe others look to you because you have demonstrated your ability to solve problems. Perhaps they already “know” the answer, but want the reassurance of hearing you say it. You have earned this status. You are respected because you have done the hard stuff. Time and again. You have lived the Boy Scouts’ motto: “Be Prepared.”

Who says it is impossible to tell the future? Not fortune-telling, just everyday predictions. You knew the hot water heater was going to leak at some point. That old car of yours could not go on forever. Sooner or later, you knew TV was going on the fritz. Sometimes refrigerators explode. (But not usually!) You were not surprised. You were prepared. And not by having a credit card that wasn’t quite maxed out just yet.

A recent survey said that a surprisingly large percentage of Americans could not write a surprisingly small check in case of emergency. Remember that one? Hard to believe, but it had the ring of truth. And that is not you. Never has been. But it probably WILL be…

How The Middle Class Went Broke

How did the Greatest Generation die broke? How do Centennial Farms get broken up piecemeal and turned into subdivisions? How will your lifesavings evaporate? What will happen to transform you from respected, dignified, welcome family elder to broken- down charity case?

“Oh, that never happens!” say the financial advisors, attorneys, estate planners, and others who benefit from the way things are. Some do not know better. Others avoid the truth. The worst know what is really going on and conceal it from you. For their own gain.

Whatever happened to the heaps of money that were supposed to transfer from one generation to the next? You may have heard or read about the supposed massive wealth transfers that have been predicted in the newspapers, radio and TV. These tidal waves of riches never seem to materialize. Why?

The National Institutes of Health say that your last 12 months of life will consume 25% of all the money spent on your care for your entire life. See for yourself: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6610551/

Let’s say you die at age 80. That means that you spent the same as $75 for the first 79 years of life and $25 for the last year. And that money comes first out of your lifesavings.

We also know that 70% of Americans over age 65 will need long-term care services averaging 3 years. And for a lucky (?) 20%, those services will be needed for more than 5 years. Again, see for yourself: https://www.acl.gov/ltc/basic-needs/how-much-care-willyou-need

That is where the money goes. Not to the next generation. Not to your favored charities. How did it happen? Was it the inevitable, unchangeable Laws of the Universe? Bad luck? Random chance? It is acceptable that soon you will become Pathetic Pauley? Pitiable Pauline? Maybe there is another way. Maybe it is possible to retain your cottage, hunting property, lifesavings, home. Maybe it is possible to maintain your self respect and the respect of others throughout your entire lifetime. Come what may.

The Only Answer: Middle-Class Values LifePlan™ Salvation for Regular Folks

I cannot help Pathetic Pauley. He made his bed. He will have to lie in it. We Americans will provide a level of care better than almost any other country in the world, but it will not be overly fancy. And Pauley is fine with that. Pauley gets a long-term care bill for $12,000 per month. Shocking? Yes, but he just puts it on the stack of other bills he cannot pay. Nothing to worry about.

Richie Rich does not need me. He is fine, too. Richie will not even see the long-term care bill for $12,000. Richie’s “people” will handle that for him. Like Pauley, Richie has no worries.

Who does that leave? Middle-class folks like you and me. It is the middle-class savers, workers, builders that need and can be helped by LifePlanning™. With LifePlanning™, your lifesavings remain intact. Available to supplement Medicaid or inadequate long- term care insurance.

Imagine getting that $12,000 per month long-term care bill in the mail. You know what it is, but boy is it tough to open the envelope. You finally tear it open, unfold paper, read the bill. Your stomach does a somersault, your knees turn to water, your heart races. You desperately search for a place to sit down. Relax! Your LifePlan™ will take care of it. You saw the signs. You rejected nursing home poverty. You choose the path of reasonable optimism, while guarding against the potential downsides. Hoped for the Best, Planned for the Worst.

The LifePlan™ approach is the least expensive, most effective solution to the harsh reality of long-term care. You opened your eyes when faced with long-term care costs. Accepted reality. Refused to allow your lifesavings evaporate like a snowflake on a hot griddle. Recognized the reality of the caregiver spouse dying first, almost half the time and fixed it. Rejected nursing home poverty.

Respect And Sympathy? Yes!

Welcome Pity? Never!

You are not sitting there with the nursing home bill in your hand, saying, “Coulda, shoulda, woulda…” You went to the LifePlan™ Workshop. Good idea!

You will never suffer the pitying looks of those who ask, “Did you have trouble selling the cottage?” Or “What will you do now that your lifesavings are gone?”

They Laughed When I Sat Down At The Piano But When I Began To Play…

How will they react when they learn the truth? You tell them that the cottage isn’t going anywhere. Your lifesavings are intact. Your spouse or loved one has a private room with a Certified Nursing Assistant to help with daily (not weekly!) showers and “sundowner syndrome” issues.

How will they react? Pity turns to Respect. Everyone expects you to go broke without complaint. They expect you to take whatever they choose to give, without listening to you. Your lifetime of work… gone in a flash. That is what they expect. But that is not what you will accept.

Respect. Not Pity. Reasonable payback for what you paid in. Dignity. Esteem. No one will be allowed to take advantage of you. That is the power of the LifePlan™.

It is never too late. There is nothing inevitable about losing your home, cottage, business, lifesavings, independence. Planning is the best route, but not the only one. Even if the dementia diagnosis was your wake-up call. Even if your attention was finally focused by the slip and fall broken hip. Do not give up the ship! It is never too late for you to be the hero… to fight and win!

Not Chance, Your Choice

There is nothing inevitable about nursing home poverty. Peace of mind and security are waiting for you. Right now. It is a choice.

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. For Respect.

No Poverty. No Charity. No Waste. It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.
Get Information Now.

(800) 317-2812

Wishful Thinking – Get Others’ Sympathy
Deliberate, Thoughtful Planning – You Have Earned Others’ Respect

Twelve years ago.

The year is 2009. On a hot summer afternoon, warm bright air, sunny, a bit of a breeze. Two men retiring from the same homegrown Michigan company. They were very much alike, these two older gentlemen. Team builders. Known for getting the job done. Both had better-than-average, thirty-year careers. Personable, well-respected, and secure. Paid-for home, nice cottage. Everybody likes the lake. Boating. Swimming. No debt. Conservative investments. No bad habits (except spoiling the grandkids). Respected. Accomplished.

As new retirees so often are, both were filled with dreams for the future. Time to spend more time with the important people. Wives, kids, grandchildren. At the cottage, on the golf course, traveling. Enjoying the retirement freedom and security they had anticipated, saved for, earned.

Last week.

July 2021. The company had its one-hundredth anniversary. Both men were invited to celebrate.

They were still very much alike. Both healthy. Each had three grandchildren. Still devoted to their wives of over forty years. Both primary caregivers. At home. Just a few short years into retirement, their wives were stricken with Alzheimer’s.

The sympathetic support of family and friends has been gratifying and welcome.

But there were enormous differences.

One struggled to make ends meet. “On duty”
24 hours per day. Exhausted. Retirement savings, cottage, comfortable home – all gone. His wife gone to the nursing home. And with pension replaced by the 401(k), living on social security. Pitiful.

The other man recently hosted his granddaughter’s wedding. At the lake. One hundred and twenty guests. Life savings intact. Independent, secure. Yes, he was his wife’s primary caregiver. But she still lived at their home. And he had plenty of help. Using the program of all-inclusive care for the elderly (PACE). PACE provides services at home. No worries. Covid emergency rules let him keep the home, cottage, life savings. Respected.

Why is one desperate and the other secure?

Do you want pity or respect?

Have you ever wondered, as I have, what makes this kind of difference in a person’s life? It does not seem to be native intelligence or talent or dedication. I do not believe that one person wants security, and the other does not. No one is looking for pity. Both would like respect. How has each man used the knowledge they have?

Doesn’t the difference lie in what each person knows and how he or she uses that knowledge?

And that is why I am writing for you and for people like you. For that is the purpose of this blog: to give its readers knowledge – knowledge that they can use in life. LifePlanning™ that benefits themselves, their loved ones, their greater circle of friends. Have you heard about PACE or the new COVID emergency rules anywhere else?

Why didn’t your lawyer or financial adviser tell you?
They cannot tell you what they do not know.

Traditional estate planning lawyers are only concerned with avoiding probate and getting your leftovers to the kids. Things that happen after you have both died. Good to do, of course, but you are not dead yet. Maybe it would be helpful to know how to keep your assets while you are still in the land of the living. LifePlanning™ shows you how.

Financial advisors advise on finances. Liquidity. Rates of return. Stability. Long-term care is not their area of expertise. Let’s keep the financial folks focused on financials. Let them worry about increasing your nest egg. LifePlanning™ is making sure the eggs stay in the nest. Financial advisors want to put more in your bucket… LifePlanning™ makes sure the bottom doesn’t drop out.

This is where you find the rest of the story.

Take action today

Knowledge, concept ideas – all very fine. But without action? Nothing. LifePlanning™ incorporates the reporter’s unique perspective and knowledge, in real life. Getting what you have earned. Avoiding nursing home poverty. Living life to the full, whatever the circumstances. Thousands of Michigan families use LifePlanning™ techniques. Securing a better life for their families. Security is a choice. What do you choose?

Knowledge is power, if you use it

Emergency Covid rules gave you options without poverty.

Beginning last spring, we told you about an expansion of the program for all-inclusive care for the elderly – PACE. Emergency rules for the covid pandemic. We told you: you do not have to sacrifice your life savings, your cottage, your property. Over the last year, through pandemics, vaccines, elections, protests, and general shenanigans, many, many families responded. And have benefited.

But the emergency rules were set to expire on November 1, 2020. Then extended to April 1, 2021!

Bad news: you and hundreds more families were shut out. Not enough time. Too bad, so sad. Coulda, shoulda, woulda. Snooze and lose. A bitter pill. But… those rules were extended to April 1, 2020. And then?

The recent past has been full of surprises. Finally, a good surprise!

Good news: the emergency rules have been extended “until further notice.” Thousands of families let the first opportunity slip through their fingers. You let the second chance expire. Now you have a third chance. Should you wait to see how long the government let this go? Are you kidding?

No poverty, no charity, no waste
Not pity… the respect you have earned
Make rules work for folks who play by the rules

Too many middle-class families (one is too many and long-term care poverty smashes the security of thousands) go broke from endless long-term care bills. Pitiful. That does not happen to our Lifeplanningtm families. Respect.

It is simple: three goals, one strategy.

1. No poverty – you will not go broke.
When you are in control, life is good. You will not go broke from casinos, Bernie Madoff, or too many vacations. Long-term care rips the steering wheel from your hands and points you over the cliff. No choice, no chance.
LifePlanning™ keeps you firmly in the driver’s seat. In control. Lifesavings intact. As you have always been.

2. No charity – caregivers get paid. You already “bought the insurance.”
America pays for long-term care through your taxes. Withheld from every paycheck you ever
earned. More than your fair share over the years. You paid for other people. Folks you have never met. You, the middle-class, only want a fair shake. You paid in, you should get paid back if

3. No waste – any leftovers go to your beneficiaries. Not wasted on probate or taxes.
Why shouldn’t your family, your loved ones, benefit from your leftovers? Why should probate, taxes, government soak up what is left? Wise plans avoid strife and insure family harmony.

For 31 years, the LifePlan™ strategy has achieved your goals.

The rules can work for you. LifePlanning™ makes the rules work for the people who play by the rules. Other so-called experts, attorneys, planners, financial advisor accept the status quo. They do what everyone else does. The LifePlan™ approach dives deep. Seeking out and securing your family’s future.

What should you do next?

Safe and secure or broke and anxious?

About those older gentlemen I mentioned at the beginning. They retired at the same time and faced similar challenges. What made their lives so different? Knowledge. Useful knowledge. Action. Follow through. Better results. Why does one man, honorable and well-meaning, face a pathetic future… to be pitied by friends and relations? Why does the other man, with the same opportunities, face a secure future… respected and admired by sons and daughters, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren? And his neighbors at the lake?

Sound planning or urgent need?

Are you facing an urgent need? A loved one who has received a diagnosis? Have you retired and watched your friends and neighbors go through long-term care impoverishment?

Are you considering retirement and want to face the future without fear? Would planning that lasts a lifetime meet your criteria? Does it seem unfair that the middle-class should pay and pay while others reap the rewards?

Put us to the test

Thousands of families across 31 years have experienced the proof. Why not you? Call directly or email. If your situation is urgent, we will get right on it. Or choose to attend a LifePlan™ workshop in person or online.

Get the information you cannot get anywhere else.

Get the information you need without charge or obligation. Just ask. Your time and attention are precious, we will not waste either. Get the inside story no one else shares.

Get the LifePlan™ information now Call the LifePlan™ hotline today

(800) 317-2812

The big dance – 1963
Betty and Wilma were like sisters. Without the sister drama. Since their first day at Lansing Central High, two years ago. Now Betty was organizing a dance with some Lansing Tech Junior ROTC guys. She had her eye on Barney, a fella who made that uniform look good. And Barney had a friend, Fred, a shy guy, just like her friend Wilma. Anything can happen at a dance, you know. When will Saturday get here?

On Thing Leads to Another

That dance was just rehearsal for the big dance Wilma and Fred, Betty and Barney would lead through their lives. After graduation, the guys got their union cards and entered the wonderful world of GM’s Lansing car assembly. The ladies followed.

Betty and Wilma did not stay long in the steno pool. Wilma loved to get things just right. Call it perfectionism if you want to, that talent got Wilma assigned to quality control. Eventually she headed the plant’s QC efforts. Betty’s organizational skills landed her in the plant manager’s Office, as executive secretary.

Betty and Wilma did not stay long in the dating pool, either. Fred and Barney knew a good thing when they saw it. Before long they “put a ring on it” and got busy raising families too.

It was a sad day in April 2004 when the Olds plant shut down for good. They were all retired, but it still hurt. The guys made a pilgrimage to the old place every springtime. Both couples were doing fine. Their homes were paid off and worth about $175,000. With $200,000 in savings and $75,000 of life insurance, they felt secure. Not to mention having prepaid their funerals. Each couple had three kids and three grandchildren. They even like the in-laws!

Nothing Good Lasts Forever… Gathering Clouds

Just few years ago. Another perfect spring. Bright sunshine, crisp air with a bit of warmth, the smell of new growth, green leaves.

Two women of a certain age. Maybe sisters. Alike in many ways. Both were mothers and grandmothers. Respected. Looked up to.

Reliable volunteers for church and school. You want it done right? Get Betty and Wilma on the case. Rapidly approaching their 50th wedding anniversary. Time flies.

You have friends like these women. Middle-class people who enrich the world. Generous spirits. Authentic kindness. Get it done attitude. Nice homes, colorful gardens. Debt free.

Comfortable cash cushion (not that the kids would know). Coupon clipping and natural thrift. No extravagant or expensive habits. Except spoiling their grandchildren. But what is going on with Fred and Barney? Why does Fred put the car keys in the refrigerator? Barney gets so confused with the simplest things. And it is getting worse.

2020… The Storm Breaks

Betty and Wilma are now their husbands’ primary caregivers. Barney and Fred, after many years as partner and confidant, father and grandfather, best friend and “accomplice,” have fallen victim to Alzheimer’s disease. Heart-breaking. Life-changing. COVID isolation on top of it all. No description necessary.

Wilma and Betty take their wedding vows seriously. Better or worse. Richer or poorer. Sickness and health. They said it. They meant it. They lived it.

Maybe the kids don’t get it. But these women took JFK at his word: “We choose to do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” Alzheimer’s is hard. Alzheimer’s plus COVID is even harder.

Yes, the kids have their own families and challenges. They live out of state. They would like to help, but… travel ban. Now they think it is a good idea for dad to be “placed”. What is it with kids these days?

A Real Lifeline… Too Good to be True?

A pleasant Sunday, May 2021, both women were reading the same article. An account in the Michigan Elder Law Reporter describing the program of all-inclusive care for the elderly, known as PACE.

The reporter claimed that PACE provided free, at-home care. All pharmacy needs with no co-pays, donut holes, delays, or frustrating paperwork. Specialist care. Respite care. Durable medical equipment. Supplies. Occupational and physical therapy. The list went on and on. It even claimed that PACE was intended to help folks just like her. On purpose. Family members caring for loved ones at home. Staying at home.

Most outrageous, though, was the bald statement that their life savings, home, life insurance… their security, need not be sacrificed. Their lifetime of shared work could be preserved for themselves, their children, their grandchildren. How could that happen?!

They remembered similar articles in the reporter… published over 2020. And the warning that the special COVID rules would expire, but were then extended to November, then extended to April 2021, then extended “until further notice.”

Two Roads Diverged in a Wood, And I – I Took the One Less Traveled By…

And this is where Betty and Wilma made different choices.

Betty said to herself, “stuff and nonsense! I pity anyone foolish enough to believe this… promises, promises! Too good to be true! I don’t believe it! Fiddle faddle.”

Wilma thought, “I heard of this last year and didn’t act. Could this be my second chance? Maybe I should find out more…” Five years quickly passed.

And that Has Made All of the Difference

Another fine spring morning. Betty and Wilma are still best friends. But not so much alike anymore. They made different choices. They got different results.

Pride Goeth Before a Fall
PROVERBS 16:18

Betty was physically exhausted. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven days a week. Constant caregiving for Barney took a heavy toll.

Emotional stress was worse. Bankruptcy. Lifesavings did not last long paying home health care workers. Cashing in the life insurance? No, she didn’t mind. That money was long gone.

Betty was still bound and determined that her barney would never wind up in one of “those places.” Then the cash ran out. She gritted her teeth and took a loan against the house. Twice. Plus a line of credit. In desperation, she turned to cash advances on the credit cards.

In her pride, she did not share the burden with Wilma or her children. She chose a solitary journey. Until the inevitable day when the house of cards collapsed. She reached for the phone to call her eldest child. She never imagined living in a senior housing project. Well, at least the bill collectors have stopped harassing her.

She is Clothed with Strength and Dignity; She Can Laugh at the Days to Come
PROVERBS 31:25

Wilma stood at the kitchen window. Watching her grandchildren play in the yard. The last few years had been tough. Fred did not recognize her or their children. She was making the best of a bad situation. But. Her health was good. The PACE folks were a blessing. No worries. PACE aides came out to help with Fred several times a week. During COVID so many years ago, they even helped with her grocery shopping. And housekeeping. Plus all the medical support. Wilma’s future was secure. She did not face it alone. No poverty: life savings protected. No charity: PACE was a return on all those tax dollars.

No waste:
Her legacy will endure for years. “well,” she thought, “sometimes “too good to be true turns out even better.”

I Have Finished the Course, I Have Kept the Faith
2 TIMOTHY 4:7

Several months later.
Betty’s funeral. Wilma thought about her best friend. It was tragic. Betty ran the race. Betty fought the good fight. At the ultimate cost to herself, she did what she believed was necessary. Rapidly pouring out the savings and accomplishments of a lifetime. All gone in the blink of an eye.

Is there anything more tragic than needless suffering? Striving to do something that did not have to be done at all? Wilma had to say it: “Betty killed herself with work and worry, all to keep barney out of “those places.” And where is he going now? One of “those places.”” When a good person refuses the helping hand, it is more than sadness. When refusal leads to catastrophe, it is more than regret.

The next year.
After the preacher’s kind words at the cemetery, Wilma turned from Fred’s grave. Wilma too ran the race, fought the good fight. Wilma had been there for Fred to the ultimate end. Hospice at the house. Familiar PACE folks who supplied the hospital bed, Hoyer lift and other necessary equipment and services. Given fair warning, the kids made it in from out of town. It was sad, heart- breaking. But not tragic. Surrounded by family and friends. Secure. At peace. What did the lord have in store for her now? Wilma did not know. But she looked forward to finding out.

The difference most people, reading this article, will choose Betty’s path. Most people, faced with long- term care costs, close their eyes. Reject reality. Hope for the best. As lifesavings evaporate like a snowflake on a hot griddle. Why does the caregiver spouse die first, almost half of the time? Why do hard-working, prudent, frugal, middle-class folks accept nursing home poverty? Most of the time?

Not Chance, Your Choice

There is nothing inevitable about losing your home, cottage, business, lifesavings, Independence, security. All of that is a choice. Despite what “everybody else” says. 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. Wilma or Betty? You have 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

We Get Letters… We Get Lots And Lots Of Letters

(Note: Not Edited For Spelling Or Punctuation. Not Legal Advice!)

LETTER #1

Deed with joint tenancy doesn’t mention right of survivorship

My father purchased land with seller to buyer financing. Because my dad was a single unmarried man and it was seller financing, the seller asked my dad to put someone as a joint owner on the deed (to keep making the payments in the event my dad passed). My dad put my oldest sister as a joint tenant/owner as he was advised at the title company. I don’t think he fully understood. My sister never made one single payment I have all checks to prove. She didn’t even know she was a joint owner. My dad mentioned to mother, friends and to siblings me many times my sister wasn’t the real owner it was just for security bc the seller required security of receiving continuing payments.

My father sadly passed, and now my sister doesn’t want to change title practically keep the land to herself. The document doesn’t specify right of survivorship just say joint tenant can that help? Everyone knows my dads true intent we were all children from the same mother he loved us all the same. I feel he didn’t know what joint tenancy was and just signed. I am really worried bc my sister is taking over the property and not allowing entrance.

What can I use as defenses, thanks.

The Answer Is: “You Are Screwed. And Your Little Dog, Too!”
A Deed Is A Deed Is A Deed

For a number of years, I tended bar. Occasionally, a bar fight would erupt. Very exciting. My fellow barkeep Matt loved when that happened. He would vault the bar grinning, not waiting for assistance, eager to sort things out. Not me. I figured that was a job for the football player-bouncers. A bar fight is an ambiguous, fluid situation. Resolution is required. Application of force will be necessary. And litigation is a bar fight. In for a dime, in for a dollar.

But what if there is no fight? What if the facts are clear? Bouncers do not go looking for trouble. And they do not get involved in every disagreement. How does that apply here?

Michigan courts are extremely unwilling to upset the applecart. Especially when that applecart consists of a valid deed. There are plenty of dubious situations that folks can fight about. Then the courts and the judicial system can roll up their sleeves, get into the fight, start cracking heads.

Our letter writer’s case is not a bar fight free-for-all that needs sorting out. This is a Mike Tyson, one shot to the head, KO, 30 seconds, hope-you-did-not-blink-because-the-main-event-is-over type of thing.

Your father signed the deed. He was competent. He did not have a gun to his head.

Q: Was it a good idea or a bad idea?
A: Nobody cares.

Q: Is sister a generous angel or jealous limb of Satan?
A: Irrelevant.

Q: Did dad wish he had never signed?
A: Why are we still talking about this? Train left the station. Elvis left the building. Fat lady sang. Somebody already stuck a fork in it. It is done.

Folks Do The Darnedest Things

When a good person acts with the best intentions but brings about the worst results – that is tragic. Terrible. In Heaven above, the angels weep. Ever watch a movie, yelling at the screen, “Don’t open the door!” “Stay out of the basement!” “Run away!”? Reading this letter is like that. For me. Danger, danger! But, of course, it is too late. For them.

Why in the world did dad sign the deed?

“Because my dad was a single unmarried man and it was seller financing , the seller asked my dad to put someone as a joint owner on the deed (to keep making the payments in the event my dad passed).”

Dad was motivated to do the right thing. Seller gave dad plausible reasons. But. The stated “reasons” make absolutely no sense at all. Not a single part is accurate or reasonable. Sure, it is true that folks do this sort of thing all the time. On the advice of friends, neighbors, and Internet Experts. You might think these advisers would know better. But they do not.

Spoken Words Worth The Paper They Are Written On

“My dad mentioned to mother , friends and to siblings me many times my sister wasnt the real owner it was just for security bc the seller required security of receiving continuing payments.”

Sometimes motivations matter. Once in a while, verbal statements are relevant. But not usually. And not when we have a written deed that clearly creates ownership rights. Circuit courts, title companies, buyers… none of them care what you thought you were doing. Or why you were doing it.

Dad made sister joint owner by legal, valid, written, notarized, recorded and unchallenged deed. His motivations and understandings were incorrect. But that does not matter.

The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions

“Everyone knows my dads true intent we were all children from the same mother he loved us all the same. I feel he didnt know what joint tenancy was and just signed. I am really worried bc my sister is taking over the property and not allowing entrance.”

Hatfields & McCoys. Montagues & Capulets. Celtics & Lakers. Laimbeer & Bird. U of M & Ohio State. Historic feuds. This is how they get started… What chance does this family have to enjoy the peace and prosperity dad intended? Experience suggests that sister will treat the property as her own. She will be correct, legally. Cousins hating each other. Poison of resentment and ill-will seeping down the generations. Do not let this happen to you. Or your family.

Dad could have provided for the family. Avoided strife. Lawyers do come in handy, sometimes!


LETTER #2

How can I withdraw funds from my husbands bank account if I am not on his account?

Husband is a stroke patient in a nursing home. Medicaid covers all expenses. He has money from social security in his bank account that I can use to send to him for personal needs. I have all account numbers, ss number, etc but no pin number.

Powers Of Attorney: Faster Than A Speeding Bullet… More Powerful Than A Locomotive…Able to Change The Course Of Mighty Rivers, Bend Steel In Your Bare Hands?

You don’t have to be Superman to get the power to make a major difference in your loved one’s life. If your husband is still mentally alert, even though he may not be physically capable, he can give you the authority you need to take care of his business.

Powers of attorney are not all the same. They can differ radically in the way they operate and in your ability to get the job done. Be sure that the lawyer drawing up the power of attorney knows your goals. Of course, that is nice to say, but how to get it done in the real world. The answer is that most powers of attorney are intended only to allow you to pay the person’s bills. And pay. And pay. And keep on paying until the money is all gone. Which results in nursing home poverty. Powers of attorney can be drafted to save the family resources. Make sure that your attorney knows that this is your intention.

Here Comes The Judge!

If your spouse or loved one is not mentally competent, you have a date with probate court. The judge will decide (by clear and convincing evidence) whether you should have authority over your loved one. Guardianship is all about the person’s health and day-to-day living. Guardianship includes the right to make basic, routine money decisions. Conservatorship is all about the money.

Both forms of living probate involve special rules, court supervision, annual reporting and a limit on just what you are able to do with your loved one’s resources. Avoiding probate while you are alive should be, but usually is not, a laser focus of your estate planning.

Social Security…

The Social Security Administration does not care about your power of attorney. And they do not care about your guardianship or conservatorship either. Social Security operates across the globe and cannot be bothered to figure out the ins-and-outs of every judicial and legal system. It would be impossible.

What Social Security has done is create its own “brand” of guardianship. Your disabled loved one gets Social Security. Your guardianship and power of attorney are useless. Now you have to jump through the Social Security hoops and become Representative Payee. Now you can manage the social security.

Easy, huh?

You Choose!

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…”

Applying for benefits does not mean Nursing Home Poverty or silly Spend Down. Learn how to preserve your loved one’s lifesavings, business, cottage, life insurance. Thousands of middle-class families have learned and use these techniques. Why not yours?

Got Questions? Get Answers!

GET ANSWERS NOW… THE CALL THAT CHANGES YOUR LIFE…
COME TO A WORKSHOP OR ATTEND A LIVE WEBINAR FROM HOME…
(800) 317-2812

Opposites Attract
Ya Gotta Do What Ya Gotta Do
Not Really Kidnapping
Do It For The Children

She Said We Were Going Out To Dinner…
What Happened Next Changed Our Lives Forever

A Friday night in July. Hot. Humid. Threat of thunderstorms. Sue, a retired teacher, wheels the red Jeep Cherokee to the front door. Bob, an engineer, hops in, a bit mystified. “Where are we going?” he asks. “Your favorite steak place… Rico’s Rocket Room. But first, a special pre-dinner appetizer…” she mysteriously replies. After 30 years of wedded bliss, Bob wisely refrains from further comment and settles down for the ride.

Most married couples are not a matched set. Opposites do attract. She likes paisley, chintz, and patterned wallpaper. He prefers solid primary colors, leather, and walnut paneling. You say, “Spare the rod and spoil the child!” Your loving spouse whacks you in the head (figuratively!) with Doctor Spock’s “Baby and Child Care” book (also known as “How to Coddle a Criminal”). You “Rutabaga”. You say “Potato.” Loving spouse says “My sister and her family are coming to visit for a week. With my mom.” You say, well you say nothing at all. Or maybe, “Gosh, that’ll be nice.”

Couples who endure find ways of coping. Some delight joyfully in daily surprises dished up by their spouse. Others do not.

Noted finance guru, author, radio show host, and all-around wonderful fellow Dave Ramsey has observed: human beings are either natural spenders or natural savers. Not that there is anything wrong with either. But as you well know, natural savers overwhelmingly marry natural spenders. And vice versa. Sometimes this does not work. Debt. Fights. Divorce. But sometimes it works well. Balance. Harmony. Peace.

As a teacher, Sue is a natural planner. Lesson plans, grades, dates, times, objectives. Order. Sequence. Schedule. Engineer Bob thrills to the daily challenges he must solve.

An overloaded dam. A rusting bridge. Floods. Washouts. Emergency. Danger. Solution.

Two great workers who work great together. But after 30 years, they still only have the Last Will and Testament drawn up when they first had kids. Sue hears the clock ticking. Sue has reserved seats at the LifePlan™ Workshop several times now. Bob has always had an “emergency.” Of some sort. Including a dinner special at Rico’s Rocket Room…

Whose Fault When Nursing Home Poverty Strikes Middle-Class Savers?

Sue and Bob are just like your friends. Just like the folks at church. Little or no debt. Lifesavings. Home. Taking one day at a time and making the most of it. Confidence based on accomplishment. Security founded on savings. Sue and Bob recognize that they’re not experts on everything. A financial advisor helps. Medicare and Medicare Supplement insurance secure their future medical needs.

So who is to blame when middle-class folks, just like Sue and Bob, have to exhaust their lifesavings on long-term care? And give up their security. Fall into nursing home poverty? Did the Financial Advisor screw up? Is the Medicare Supplement insurance agent at fault? Somebody must have done something wrong… right?

Are You Stepping Into The Long-Term Care Trap?

Bottom Line: 70% of Americans need long-term care services for an average of 3+ years. 20% need long-term care for 5+ years. According to the federal government. Look it up. https://acl.gov/ltc You may not be interested in long-term care. But long-term care is interested in you.

Read On… To Learn The Rest Of The Story

Financial Advisors try to keep your money safe. And grow it too! Safe Money Plans claim to ride the market elevator up, but not down. Mutual funds, stocks, bonds, portfolio theory, annuities, retirement-year funds. They have charts and spreadsheets and glossy brochures. Have you ever been to a boat show? Salesmen, proposals, financing charts… You come home with a shopping bag full… Some financial advisors are kind of like that. Information overload… and all to do with: #1 Not losing your money in the market. And #2 Growing your money safely. All about investments and the market. But nothing about long-term care..

What about the Medicare agents? Medicare and Medicare Supplement insurance are intended, designed, and operate to make sure that seniors get top-shelf medical care. Need an operation? Medicare! Sick in hospital? Medicare! Broke hip? Medicare! But if you need long-term care for a chronic condition… dementia, physical disability… You are on your own! Sure, Medicare will help with rehabilitation, for a whole 20 days! And 80 more days, with a $170/day co-pay. If you qualify for rehabilitation. Which you will not.

Traditional estate planning lawyers want no part of this. Estate planning is all about when you die. Who gets the leftover stuff? How can we stop the kids from fighting over it? That is their concern. Foolish! When long-term care gobbles up all your stuff, there are no leftovers. Nothing for your estate plan to do.

Here is a crazy idea: What if we first made sure that you did NOT go broke? What if you could avoid nursing home and long-term care poverty?

Traditional planning leads to nursing home and long-term care poverty.

LifePlanning™ is the “Rest of the Story.” LifePlanning™ delivers freedom and choice. Sue and Bob earned the freedom to choose. By working. Saving. Doing all the right things. And they still fail, depending on Financial Advisors and Medicare. They were close, but…

A baseball that soars over the fence is called a homerun. A baseball that nicks the top of the fence and falls into the centerfielder’s glove is called an out. The celebrating football player who drops the ball one foot short of the goal line has a fumble. The one who protects the ball over the line has a touchdown. An almost win is a fail. A real win is a triumph… for you, for your family.

Why Should You Get Stuck With The Bill?

As anyone can see, rich folks have it made. Were you surprised when leaked IRS records proved that billionaires pay little or no federal taxes? Me neither.

Folks who have no resources cannot pay. Simple as that. Last I heard, you still cannot get blood out of a turnip. So I say, poor folks get services for free.

The rich have fixed things so they do not pay. The poor have no ability to pay. Who does that leave? Who gets stuck with the bill? Who pays for it all?

You do. Sue and Bob do. Middle Class foots the bill. Which sucks. Of course, it is nothing new. Other people have always counted on you. For your entire life. To do the job. Follow through. Pay taxes. Volunteer. Pitch in. Donate to charity. Bring something home-made to the potluck. And I pray you never change. Keep on smiling. Be reasonable, cheerful, action oriented. Do not let them get you down.

But gee… why do you have to go broke when your spouse needs long-term care?

Why Do They Say YOU Are Greedy?

They get care for free or without sacrifice. Sue and Bob are charged the highest rates and are wrung out to dry in a few months. Broke. All we ask is to keep some, a little bit. They say “No!” Take those Required Minimum Distributions… Pay the in- come tax. Too bad if grandkids need help. Sorry if you want to provide for your spouse… or yourself. Want to pay a little bit forward? Nope. You did work for it, but too bad. What the hell makes that OK?

Are You Selfish Because You Help Family First?

Sue and Bob are not selfish. Yes, some people are unlucky. True, bad things happen to good people. But seriously, some people are shortsighted and self-centered. They must have the new boat/car/ snowmobile/TV/cruise/whatever right now. Some sacrifice security for pleasure. Greedy, selfish people do exist. Bad decisions are made. We will take care of them all. No problem. But Sue and Bob want to take care of their own family first… how can that possibly be a bad thing?

I Expected A Cocktail And Hot Hors D’Oeuvres,
I Got An Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and A Bottle of Water

Minutes passed, miles rolled away, and Bob grew curious. “C’mon Sue, where are we going?” “You’ll see!” was her only reply. On arrival, a friendly young man greeted them. He handed over name badges, information folder and fresh-baked oatmeal raisin cookies. They chose bottled water over coffee. Sue and Bob were directed to their reserved seats. Several other couples, just like Sue and Bob, were there as well. Sue had finally gotten Bob to a LifePlan™ Workshop.

After introducing himself, the attorney conducting the Workshop asked if there were any questions.

Bob raised his hand… “What is this all about? Sue said we were going to dinner and here I am!” “Well dear,” said Sue, “this is that estate planning seminar we keep scheduling and cancelling…” “That’s fine,” said Bob, directing his comments to the attorney, “but there’s really only one thing that bothers me, and it keeps me up at night… what if I get dementia and need a nursing home… we’ve got a little saved, but what happens to Sue?”

That Workshop was the best! Sue had no idea that these questions were eating at Bob every day. He was even more concerned than she had been. She was surprised at the number of his questions. I was impressed with his analysis.

I don’t know what happened at Rico’s Rocket Room, or after… but Sue and Bob have turned out to be one of my favorite couples of all time.

Is It Kidnapping If It’s Your Spouse?

Getting your spouse to a LifePlan™ Workshop under false pretenses may be a bit extreme. But it is not kidnapping. Usually. Besides, desperate times call for desperate measures… You may not be sure exactly what to do.

As I see it, once you have decided to plan, you have three choices:

First: Same Old, Same Old

GOOGLE estate planning attorneys. Or look in the Yellow Pages. Ask friends. Check out billboards on the highway. Set appointments with several. Spread your personal information all over town. Thoroughly interview each. Ask questions. Get fuzzy answers. Lots of legalese. This will be great!

Second: Do Absolutely Nothing

Who wants to plan anyway? Spend all that time and money for what? A will or trust? Peace of mind… who needs it? You do not need that security. You like exactly where you are. Get exactly what you have always gotten. Acid indigestion. Insomnia. Migraines. This is as good as it gets.

Third: LifePlan™ Workshop – Kidnapping Optional

Try it, you’ll like it! Don’t give up your current plan right now. LifePlanTM Workshops are happening all over the place. Check it out. Once again offering those famous fresh-baked oatmeal raisin cookies. Sixty eye-opening minutes. You will be glad you did.

There’s no need to fear, the LifePlanTM Workshop is here!

Which Is Easiest For You?

Let’s see…
#1: Track down lawyers. Set appointments. Go to offices. Get third degree. Research. Try to pick… One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four…
#2: Sit Still and Go Broke.
#3: Sixty lively minutes. Getting the “Rest of the Story!”

Which one is easiest? Which most likely to help you to security and peace of mind?

Why Not Get It Done In Twenty-One?

I fear 2020 was a year of wasted opportunity for regular families. Devastating. The good news is that 2021 is rebounding! More families planning than ever!

Got Questions? Get Answers!

GET ANSWERS NOW… THE CALL THAT CHANGES YOUR LIFE…
COME TO AN IN-PERSON WORKSHOP…

LIVESTREAM ON-LINE AND GET ANSWERS TO YOUR PARTICULAR QUESTIONS
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SERVE! (800) 317-2812

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2021

“I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight!”
 
—John Paul Jones

Who Else Wants Respect & Security?

“Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety and will Lose Both.”
 
—Benjamin Franklin

Two hundred and forty-five years ago, July 4. John Hancock put his improbable, swooping signature on a single sheet of paper. Over the next few days, 55 more guys signed off. Aged 27 to 70 years old. From all walks of life. That sheet of paper was a death warrant for each man who put his name to it. Fifty-six men, with full awareness, voluntarily agreeing to be pursued by the mightiest military on Earth. And killed if the British could catch them. That single sheet of paper was the Declaration of Independence. Treason against King George. Punishment: hanging by the neck until dead. Serious business.

As each man signed, he was offering up all he had. The Founders pledged “to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” If captured, they could join Nathan Hale in pro- claiming, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Why did these men take the risk?

We do not have to guess. The whole point of the Declaration was to set forth their reasons. The Founders explained how “[t]he history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.” No room for doubt. About the stakes. Or the remedy. Quite clear.

When John Hancock signed the Declaration, the America Revolution was already more than a year old. For six more years, Americans would fight to secure for themselves and for us, “certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Like the troops who stormed Normandy on D-Day, they knew what they were getting into. And went anyway.

You know, as I do, that respect and security, the blessings of liberty, do not come cheap. We do not suffer from the blindness and arrogance of great or inherited wealth. We have only the work of our hands. Our time. Our effort. Striving to create a world for ourselves, our families, our fellow Americans. We may not always succeed in our “pursuit of Happiness.” Still, as you know, it is not the destination that matters, but the journey. Effort and hard work come first, Respect and Security follow. You know that. So do I. It is not easy… who said it would be?

Many Americans (too many?) view Memorial Day as a long weekend, start of summer. An opportunity for cookouts, hotdogs, and s’mores. Unfortunately, Independence Day, to many people, is just Memorial Day plus fireworks. Why not make it different this year? The past year has been a truly bizarre, strange, and unsettling time. Perhaps, in 2021, 245 years after the first Independence Day, we can make it a little more…

Little Mistakes That Cost Middle Class America Trillions

Brief review. Three consequences of COVID. Using Harvard-approved information. Funded by Bill and Melinda Gates.1 Could the “smart people” have wrecked things worse if they were trying? What would Washington have done if King George had pulled this on the colonists… Three (3) Main Points: Jobs, Small Business, Education.

#1 – Jobs: Rich – Great, Middle Class – Hurt, Poor – Hammered

#2 Small Business: More Government Control, The Worse It Gets

#3 – Education: Rich – Great, Middle Class – Hurt, Poor – Hammered

Americans: Willing to Cross a Frozen River. At Night. To Kill You.

In Your Sleep. On Christmas. We’ve Done It.

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; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.
 
—Thomas Paine

How much more can middle-class Americans take? Are you fed up with smiling faces telling you all is well yet? Lying to your face. Riots that are not riots? Sick and tired of murder rates jumping by huge percentages in city after city? Have you had enough of the “smart people” solemnly assuring you your desire for safe neighborhoods and secure borders means you are a bad person? Not to mention record-set- ting inflation, gas prices, housing costs. Now is not the time for wishing things were better. It is time to get to work.

Nothing about this will be easy. Not 245 years ago, not today. Back then the enemy was a tyrannical King. Today it is not so obvious.

But you can do it. You, the American middle-class, saved the world before, you can do it again. From Kaiser Bill to Hitler, Tojo, and Mussolini. You did it. Time to do it again. Not with B-17 Flying Fortresses, M4 Sherman tanks, or M-1 rifles. By reinforcing good, old-fashioned American values. Trustworthy. Loyal. Helpful. Friendly. Courteous. Kind. Cheerful. Thrifty. Brave. Clean. Reverent. The work starts at home, with each of us. Time to get to it!

The Only Answer: Middle Class Values
Life-Plan™ Salvation for the Middle-Class

Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.
 
—Thomas Paine

The rich do not need me. The poor I cannot directly help. That leave the middle-class. It is the middle-class savers, workers, builders that I can help. You get that bill: your guts turn to water, you are about to puke and you are desperately searching for a place to sit down. Relax! Your LifePlan™ will take care of it. You saw the signs: 70% need long-term care services. One in Five need long-term care services for more than five years. You rejected 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. You opened your eyes when faced with long-term care costs. Accepted reality. Refused to allow your lifesavings evaporate like a snowflake on a hot griddle. Recognized the reality of the caregiver spouse dying first, almost half the time and fixed it. Rejected nursing home poverty.

Never Too Late

Sitting there with the nursing home bill in your hand, you say, “Coulda, shoulda, woulda… And now it is too late! Maybe that LifePlan™ Workshop or Webinar would have been a good idea.”

It is never too late. There is nothing inevitable about losing your home, cottage, business, lifesavings, independence. Planning is the best route, but not the only one. Even if the dementia diagnosis was your wake-up call. Even if your attention was finally focused by the slip and fall broken hip. Do not give up the ship! It is never too late for you to be the hero… to fight and win!

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

Oh No! Charts and Graphs…AUGH!

But I Was Promised There Would Be No Math

Truth, Facts, Reality

Most people like the truth. Don’t you find it helpful to know what is really going on? Truth, facts, reality. These are the cornerstones of middle-class life. If you fail to hammer your kids to do their homework, you get dumb kids. Sluff off on the job, get fired. Skip the mortgage payments, lose the house. Eat too much, get fat. Act like a jerk, live alone.

Truth and consequences. Most of us do not ping-pong between extremes of hope and fear. Steady on course. One brick at a time, we build security for ourselves and our families. Truth, facts, reality. We swim in a sea of action/reaction. Do immoral stuff, get corrupt fallout. Take virtuous actions, get wholesome goodness.

Fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith. Pour your life into meaningful deeds. Your kids will be OK. Loved ones will surround you. You will not be alone. Or broke. Christian folks are also assured that: “[T]here is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8 KJB So you’ve got that going for you, which is nice.

If you are like me, you understand: “different strokes for different folks”. We are everyday people. We don’t all see things the same. “Sometimes I’m right and I can be wrong.” Opinion, belief, attitude, outlook. “We got to live together.” Respect, conversation, acceptance. “And so on and so on and scooby dooby dooby.” (1)

Dedication to Truth. Respect for Each Other. That is how we got here. The most prosperous nation in the history of the world. The most accepting. The most generous. The most loving.

If you are like me, doesn’t it drive you nuts when somebody starts insisting on “their” truth? This truth, that truth? As if truth were blob of jello. Why can’t they just admit they have opinions? Perceptions? Points of view? Same as me. Same as you. Is their arrogance driven by insecurity? Some deep-seated emotional disturbance? Who knows? Who can know? I sure don’t.

What I do know is that facts are stubborn things. Get all the fancy degrees you want. Make impassioned arguments. Smoke a whole lot of weed, er, I mean “recreational cannabis.” Desperately convince yourself of “your truth.” But take away cops and bad guys come out to play. And steal. And murder.

New York (40%+). Chicago (55%+). Los Angeles (30%+). Tucson (38%+). Austin (55%+). Milwaukee (95%+). Minneapolis (72%+). Portland (52%+). Seattle (74%+).2 And so on and so on and scooby dooby dooby. (2)

Just The Facts, Ma’am, Just The Facts

We all have our opinions. Sometimes our opinions blind us to truth. So whenever possible, I like to use research from people whose politics and perspectives are different than mine. Use the other guy’s version of the facts. Approved by Harvard University and Brown University. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Liberal enough for you? And what did those folks find? (3)

Rich Folks Did Great, Middle Class Folks Got Hurt, Poor Folks Got Hammered

covid wages recovery

Everybody got whacked at the beginning of the pandemic. But low- and middle-income workers got it worst. And now, a year and a half later, turns out that high income people actually got more jobs. Up 2.4%. Middle-income folks are on the path to recovery. Down 4.5%. And the poor folks got screwed. Still down 24%.

How did that happen? Was it the inevitable, unchangeable Laws of the Universe? Bad luck? Random chance? Or do you suppose the magical creation of money by government wizards, coupled with unemployment payments exceeding normal take-home pay might have had an effect? If you do, you are most definitely a terrible person. Even worse if you wonder why there are three unfilled jobs for every unemployed person. What does it mean that a Boyne City sandwich shop pays $18 per hour and still cannot find “sandwich artists”? Makes you wonder, eh?

The More They Help, The Worse It Gets

small businesses open

Some governors like to protect us. Protect us from our own poor choices. (Except when it comes to weed, er, I still mean “recreational cannabis”.) What happens when government controls us? Uses a natural (or perhaps unnatural) disease pandemic to impose unprecedented, unconstitutional (according to the Michigan Supreme Court) executive orders? When government tells you to shut up, do this, do that. and don’t worry your pretty little head, is that a superhighway to success?

You could take a look at this Harvard-approved, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded chart. Government controls lead to deeper small business depression. And when the controls come off, squashed small businesses do not recover as quickly or as well. Did not see that coming!

Who runs small businesses? Middle-class folks making middle range money. Who works for small businesses? Lower-wage workers.

Why it is almost as if all these consequences were connected!

And They Sacrificed The Future

Education is the path to freedom. You know this. That is why you spent more to buy a home in a “good” school district. That is why you put up with the rolling eyes, the protests, the whining and everything else to get your kids to do their homework.

But now it is the teachers who do not want to go back to school. With disastrous consequences. Once again we see the same pattern. Rich folks kids… drop off and recovery. Middle-class kids… much steeper drop off and much less recovery. Lower-wage family kids… bottomless pit!

Who can see this without compassion? Who can claim that it has to be this way? Who lacks the guts to stare reality in the face?

The Only Answer: Middle Class Values

Do you feel, as I do, that this could be the “best of times” for the middle class? For the truth that nothing good comes without hard work, dedication, and perseverance?

Do you see the consequences of today’s path? The dizzy disaster of multiple “truths”. The moral bankruptcy of cancel culture and pitting Americans against each other. The bloody, murderous, drugged-out despair in our cities, large and small.

Life-Plan™ Salvation for the Middle-Class

How do we convince the kids that our values are the best? Going broke in old age for long-term care may not be the best strategy. Middle-class savers, workers, builders can live well and leave a legacy of values. You get the nursing home bill: your guts turn to water, you are about to puke and you are desperately searching for a place to sit down. Relax! You took care of it… you have a LifePlan™. Be the hero… fight and win!

Not Chance, Your Choice

You know there is nothing inevitable about nursing home poverty. You worked for and deserve peace of mind and security. It is a choice. People tell me, “I never heard of this before! Why doesn’t everyone do it?”

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

(1) Sly & The Family Stone, Everyday People
(2) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Z9b5mIwztAwmEHJW7Q5DHMjS14-Rs7XIXOt33Al_rDw/edit#gid=1757262194
(3) https://opportunityinsights.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/tracker_paper.pdf

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