“What-if” Planning Blog
Don’t Poke the Care BEAR!
Don't poke the care bear! Being a caregiver to a loved one during a long-term illness was a life-changing, difficult, yet very meaningful experience. Turns out caregiving brings its own set of challenges while your person is also having life-changing, difficult and hopefully meaningful experiences.
Term versus Permanent
For most people, life insurance should be a key component of your end-of-life plans. It can play a huge role in easing the burden of death by allowing the surviving spouse to hire others to help with day-to-day tasks and/or replace lost income and keep paying the bills. The two main types of life insurance are described in this blog.
The Estate Planning Time
Just because we don’t have large and expensive kinds of assets, doesn’t mean we don’t have an estate and a need for estate planning. In this week’s blog, find out what an estate plan is and how you can get started.
Planning for a Funeral
Whether it’s called a funeral, memorial, or celebration of life, honoring the deceased is a custom upheld by most families and communities. Many decisions must be made to prepare for and carry out a service. What happens to the body? Where will the remains reside? What kind of casket or urn is desired? Though each of these components could be a blog all by themselves, this week’s blog addresses what may be the driving force behind how you answer each these questions -- cost.
Carrying Carts & Lightening Loads
Here’s a secret. You DON’T have to do everything on your own. You can if you want, but most people really are amazing in a crisis and truly want to help somehow. Like the pioneers pulling a handcart together– neighbors, friends, even perfect strangers will often want to ease those burdens with you. But, oh, the healing that can take place when you have even more join in. The secret is letting them do it.
Preparing for Single Parenthood
After I was thrust into the world of single parenthood when Kris died, it did not take long before my level of respect for all single parents, regardless of how or why they got into that position, rose through the roof.
Trying to be the mom AND the dad to three girls and one boy is crazy hard!
What is this mental fog?
One of the most important reasons for preparing for the death of a loved one is something called “grief brain or widow’s fog”.
How Everything Began...
Everyone’s got a story about how they arrived to where they’re at. Here’s mine…
One night in June 2015, I returned home late from a work trip to Orlando due to weather delays. When the plane finally touched down in Portland after midnight, I turned my phone on hoping to hear about my daughters’ experiences at an Imagine Dragons concert from that night. Instead, I found this text from my wife…
Spring Time Renewal all Around
While we appreciate how the rain and snow in Oregon sustains a diverse wildlife while keeping the grass green, the lakes and rivers filled, and the flowers blooming, we’re looking forward to this year’s spring and its symbolism of rebirth and renewal.
I Came. I Saw. I Conquered
This week we look at how we can apply one of Julius Caeser’s most famous quotes to end-of-life planning, “Veni. Vidi. Vici.” I came. I saw. I conquered.
“St. Patty’s Luck of the Irish”
While we celebrate the “luck of the Irish” on St. Patrick’s Day, luck is practically non-existent when it comes to getting your affairs in order.
Social Media Accounts
In this week’s tip, we discuss how different social media platforms deal with the accounts of those who have died and what you can do now to make it easier for you and your family to navigate that process when needed.