Reverse Mortgage Facts from the FTC

If you’re 62 or older you may be considering a reverse mortgage to pay off your current mortgage, supplement your retirement income, or pay for healthcare expenses. A reverse mortgage allows you to convert part of the equity in your home into cash without having to sell your home or pay additional monthly bills.

For more information about how a reverse mortgage works, here is a link to the Federal Trade Commission's online publication: Reverse Mortgages: Get the Facts Before Cashing in on Your Home’s Equity.

National Do Not Call Registry

Did you know that telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will now remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008? More than 157 million phone numbers are on the National Do Not Call Registry.

TO REGISTER YOUR NUMBER:

Online: www.donotcall.gov

Phone: 1-888-382-1222

Social Security Representative Payee

Are you considering serving as the Representative Payee for someone who is receiving Social Security or SSI benefits? Be sure to visit the Social Security Administration website regarding the Representative Payee Program at www.ssa.gov/payee/faqrep.htm.

April is Donate Life Month

National Donate Life Month was established in 2003. Every day in April, people across the U.S. make a special effort to celebrate the tremendous generosity of those who have saved lives by becoming organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donors and to encourage more Americans to follow their fine example.

A list of State organ donor and tissue donor registries is available at this OrganDonor.gov site

Planning for the Blended Family

Download and listen to this podcast of my recent Tuesdays with Tom teleseminar "Planning for the Blended Family".

Tuesdays with Tom

Join me for one or more of my weekly teleseminars in which I will discuss a number of topics including estate planning, wills and trust, probate and estate administration, trust administration, taxes, business succession planning, medicaid planning, private foundations, special needs planning, and more.

Now, with a simple telephone call, you can participate in one of my renowned educational teleseminars from the comfort of your home.

Simply click HERE for a schedule of upcoming teleseminars (including topics and featured guests) and for registration information.

Michigan Medicaid Estate Recovery

Download and listen to this podcast of my recent Tuesdays with Tom teleseminar "Michigan Medicaid Estate Recovery".

Responsibilities of a Successor Trustee

Download and listen to this podcast of my recent Tuesdays with Tom teleseminar "Responsibilities of a Successor Trustee".

A Will Does Not Avoid Probate!

Many clients indicate to us that their estate planning goals include avoiding probate. If that is your goal, you need to recognize that having a Will is not a probate avoidance mechanism. That is, having a will does not avoid probate. Rather, your Will is only effect if your estate goes through probate. Thus, if your estate planning goals include avoiding probate, you need to consider other alternatives such as a living trust.