LIVE WELL and BE REMEMBERED as the HERO you already are.

  In my Estate Planning, the topic of "planning for Medicaid" often comes up. I don't know why we, in the U.S., have gotten so oriented toward thinking we'll need "Medicaid" when we are one of the richest countries in the world.   I believe that planning for Medicaid is akin to planning for FAILURE. Why do I believe this?   As a teen, I worked in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Centers. The staff always knew which beds were "Medicaid Beds". Those beds were always limited. Did they receive essentially the same care? Sure, but it was still known that the spot was "Medicaid".   Medicaid has limited options. Medicaid is subject to change at lawmakers' whims. Medicaid is designed for the truly poor. Why would triggering Medicaid be your goal?  Have you ever been in a Medicaid predominant  (only) facility and liked it?  Would you want to live that way?   I prefer to see people have more options as they age. I prefer to see people take mor...

The Probate process in Tennessee is quite simple.  COVID has made it even simpler with electronic filing and no appearance dockets.  "Death Taxes" and that sort of thing are really not much of an issue either for the average person. For most individuals, or couples, I encounter, complex planning is really unnecessary.  For those with vast, multi million dollar estates, more complex planning makes sense.  But for the average individual, it jut doesn't. A Will, a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, a Living Will, a Durable Power of Attorney for Financial matters often do the trick.  If you have minor children, I also recommend a Durable Power of Attorney for Childcare.  These documents will cover the vast majority of what the average individual needs.  What are your thoughts?