Finances

Woman in blue tee shirt standing by a table showing a book that looks like a picture album to a seated older man in a read flannel

Do Parents Really Want to Live with Their Adult Children?

It’s difficult to pinpoint how many aging parents live with their adult children, but there is certainly a lot more interest in...

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Medicare Open Enrollment starts October 15: Plans Changing, Premiums Increasing

Dear Readers: Medicare annual open enrollment begins Oct 15, 2025, for 2026 coverage. My usual advice stands. Ignore the calls, look over...

This outdoor image shows a background of trees with cement in view. the foreground we see a woman covering her face with her hands as if in tears. She has dark blonde hair pulled up, and is wearing a black tee shirt and a large watch with a black band.

Life As a Caregiver: How to Make Tough Care Decisions

Many of us feel honored to provide care for our aging parents or ill spouses, but this honor can also present serious...

Sibling Pressures Caregiver to Take Mom Home to Save Money on Care

Dear Carol: I’m a middle-aged single woman who only wants the best for her mom. Six months ago, she moved to assisted...

Thei indoor image shows an older man sitting at a table using a laptop. He has a brown coffee cup near one hand. The man is bald, wears glasses, and is wearing a dark blue button-up, long0sleeved shirt. He looks engrossed in what he sees on the screen.

Parent’s Death Left Family Unable to Access Vital Online Accounts

Dear Carol: I rarely see this problem addressed. My dad, a widower, was in excellent health for someone in their 70s. He...

The Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

The only certainty when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is that a senior’s condition will progressively worsen. The National Alzheimer’s Association has developed...

We view an older couple from the back as they look over a black railing onto a foaming body of water. They are standing on a red brik sidewalk or road. The man has a walking stipe in his hand with a strap over his shoulder. He's balking and wears a light colored sport coat and dark slacks. The woman has short gray hair and is wearing a black sweater and black pants. She holds onto the man's arm.

How to Approach Parents Who Appear to Need Help but Resist Your Efforts

Dear Carol: My parents are in their mid-eighties and live in the same home where they raised the family. They were doing...

This indoor office image shows gray walls and a widow in the background. A Black woman with curly hair has one hand on the wall by the window and with the other arm draped to her side. Shes' wearing a white buttoned up cartigan. We see two silver topped opened laptops on a table with arms of their users just visible. One has a hand, palm up, in front as if explaining something.

Should You Quit Your Job To Care for Your Elderly Parent?

As parents age and need more assistance, most adult children do what they can to help. For many, the first step is...

Having ‘The Talk’: How to Discuss End-of-Life Issues with Parents

Sex and death: It’s odd that these two topics of conversation should bring so much anxiety to parents and children. One addresses...

Having “The Talk”: Discussing End-of-Life Issues with Parents