How a daughter encouraged her father to face fears of dementia
“Dear Dad”
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The Estate Lady Blog
Don’t Let Parents Leave Without This!
I heard from Mary, a lovely lady who works as a nurse in an Alzheimer’s Assisted Living facility. She enjoyed my book of checklists, “How to Clean Out Your Parents’ Estate in 30 Days or Less,” and thought of a few more things to add to the book.
Guilt – The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Friends, this is what I call strategically applied guilt and I am offering you some helpful advice here with the hopes that you will read it, re-read it, and pass it along to those who need to read it!
Show Me the Money
I was lucky enough to find a motivated, successful dealer. I use the word “successful” because he gets it … you must negotiate to sell items, unless you have very rare pieces that will command top dollar. who do you think will find favor with more buyers? Who will get more business because they negotiate, and are pleasant and easy to work with?
Even the Devil Uses the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval®
Throughout the course of my career, I have worked my fanny off (like most of you) trying to accomplish my calling: make a positive contribution to the estate industry, educate, advocate and resolve difficult issues for my clients, earn an impeccable reputation, and...
David Vs. Goliath
It seems lately that the little guy is getting beat to a pulp. I can’t pretend to know all the issues out there that affect small business owners, but I know this much — If little David can slay his giant with one strategically placed stone, we just need to have a little faith and practice more strategic thinking.
Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave
I hate spiders. Recently however, I have changed my way of looking at these formidable creatures. We should take a lesson from the spider. All of life seems to be a web.
Thou Shalt Not Steal
It was quite a tense moment. No one really knew what to do because no one expected a sweet older woman to steal!
Ms. Faye
There it was in a nutshell — life according to Ms. Faye. She said it with gusto through her red Estee Lauder lips. It’s difficult to forget someone like Ms. Faye. Her words were so simple but powerful, and were her secret to longevity.
‘Til Death Do Us Part
From my perspective, however, I see people who have a very passionate relationship with their material possessions, sometimes more so than each other! If I didn’t know better, I would say they behave as if they can take their possessions with them when they leave this earth, but we know that we can’t take stuff with us.
When a Change in Health Prompts a Change in Your Will
Anytime there is a significant change in your life or a parent’s life, consider discussing it with an elder law or estate planning attorney. Being proactive isn’t always easy or pleasant, but it can head off gut-wrenching issues that will occur at some point.
The Yard Sale
Funny how the simplest things often have the biggest impact in our lives. I was only five years old, but I remember it well. Dad told mom he wanted to hit some of the yard sales in the neighborhood. She just rolled her eyes because she did not share in his...
The Violin
From the moment that bow met with the strings, I knew that this wooden instrument was more a part of him than his own arm. He had clearly dedicated his life to the pursuit of beautiful music and had a love affair with this violin, rarely seen. It was not a matter of commanding the violin to do what he wanted; it was a matter of letting his spirit invade it and the two becoming one.
Venturing Outside “The Box”
I decided it was time for a little adventure. Maybe it’s time to feel alive again. Maybe it’s just a mid-life crisis. Maybe it’s because I had a lovely, but very cautious upbringing and felt the need to break out of the mold just a little bit. So here’s what I did …
6 Practical Ways to Help Your Parents This Summer
Spending time visiting your parents this summer? Here are 6 practical ways that you can assist your elderly parents. Help your parents protect their assets. Know all the professionals they work with, i.e. CPA, financial planner, attorney, etc.
Getting Your Affairs in Order is Not Just for the Elderly
We all seem to be programmed that infirmity and death only occur in old age. Sadly, this is not the case. Perhaps it is wishful thinking on our part, or not wanting to think about it at all. But in my work, I am seeing more and more of my deceased clients are eerily close to my own age, and I never thought of myself as being old.
The Estate Medium
Give me a little while in an estate – any estate – and I will tell you more about that loved one’s life than most people who knew them. Walking into an estate, sight unseen for the first time, can be compared to an artist starting on a new canvas.
More Lessons for Fellow Entrepreneurs
I promised to share the most important lessons I have learned in building a successful business. May this guidance bring as much happiness and success to your life as it has for mine.
Entrepreneurs: If I Can Do It, You Can Too
What I wouldn’t have given back then to have the experience and valuable knowledge I possess today! People venture out as entrepreneurs for many different reason. Some receive a strong calling, perhaps an invention in their mind or a service which will bring relief to the consumer. Others feel they are better off building their own business; still others thrive on the satisfaction they receive on the road to success. For me, it was all of the above.
Voice of an Angel
If anyone could fall asleep standing up, it would be me at that moment. Unaware of much, I just wanted to get back into the car and go home. Then I heard something that pulled my attention away from the pain.
“Limited Edition” Often Seems UN-limited
The world is full of numbered prints. People bought them at high prices a decade, or two or three, ago, because they were led to believe the prints would go up in value over time since they are “limited editions.” What happened, as you will soon see, is the artists or their marketing directors got greedy. In theory, it all sounds so great, so what happened?
Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth is a Thankless Child
Shakespeare really understood human nature, tragic as it can be sometimes. From his King Lear in 1605, he writes about the pain of a thankless child. In an estate I was handling, I was privy to a situation that made my stomach turn. It still blows my mind! After all these years, certain situations still get to me … because I care.
The Reflection
Everyone needs to renew and restore their spirit every now and again, especially in such a hurried society. Some people go away to the country or the beach where they find solitude and solace as a remedy for feeling overwhelmed and worn out. But do we really journey inside ourselves and heal what’s in there?
“Truck Carrying Heirlooms Stolen”
Can you imagine dealing with a loved one’s passing, dividing the estate, renting a truck to bring heirlooms home, and on the way back … the truck gets stolen? This is a true story that happened last week. Apparently, the children packed up everything they wanted to keep and headed home with a truck full, including $100,000 worth of jewelry in the cab of the truck, $7,000 worth of furniture, and $4,000 worth of power tools in the trailer of the truck.