Even people who pay attorneys to draft their estate-plan documents often forget to include letters of instruction. These informal documents provide guidance to the executor...
Family
All Family Articles
Gout …and Its Link to Inflammation
For years, gout was considered a rich man’s illness, the result of overindulging in rich foods. But this painful form of inflammatory arthritis actually is...
Military Honors
My father recently passed away after a brief illness. He was 87 and lived a wonderful life…and my mother, sister and I were fortunate to...
Protect Your Best Friend
We came close to losing a beloved member of our family recently. My stepdaughter’s indoor cat, Healey, made a run for it one night, when...
Effective Ways to Handle Conflict
Do you run in the other direction when you see a certain neighbor approaching you on the street? Are you afraid that your anger will...
Spend Less on Your Pets…and Still Keep Them Happy and Healthy
You can give your beloved pets everything they need without going overboard. Here’s how… Health care. Most veterinarians are trained to offer the gold standard...
Help Your Elderly Parents with Their Finances
You just found out that your mother hasn’t paid her utility bill for months, and now her electricity has been turned off. You are not...
When Life Hands You Lemons…
As many of you know, my husband has had some health issues lately…and those issues have kept him out of work for months. His employer—a...
The Secret Behind Keeping Secrets
Quick…how many secrets are you keeping from the people in your life? The answer is 13, on average, says behavioral scientist Michael Slepian, PhD. Dr....
Oh, Brother (or Sister)
Siblings are often our first playmates, companions, and closest confidants. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of sibling relationships...
Retirement – Not My Plan Just Yet
When I first started working in the 1980s, I remember thinking that retirement was so far away. My practical-minded father would remind me regularly to...
How to Be a Better Gift Giver
Last holiday season, Americans dropped more than $8 billion on unwanted presents, according to one survey by Finder.com. And 52% of recipients admitted to getting...
