Stacey Miller

Comments:

• Seeing your travel plans made my heart sing! We're aiming for Ireland in the spring for my 60th! Perhaps our paths will cross at a pub! Currently we're in Italy, spurring on their economy, & looking at the fashion choices I have not and will not make. 😀 Be well and get that next trip on the books!

  Post: Turned Upside Down

  Link to comment from October 5, 2024

• Thank you for your Saturday morning gift. I encourage you to work on #5, and create more memories with your children on an adventure. A Viking Cruise could be low stress...I know I have trouble resisting those gorgeous commercials! Perhaps for a future trip... but next for us is two glorious weeks in Italy. We booked our tickets yesterday! Fortunately I had accumulated enough points on my credit card for one roundtrip. Prices have finally decreased a bit, but are still eye-popping. My "anchor" pricing is still from the 90s 🤣 PS #8 is the best. Bless your wonderful Elaine as much as you can.

  Post: No Regrets

  Link to comment from September 7, 2024

• Thank you. My sister swears by Costco and their hearing aides are much less expensive than other sources' offerings. I hope in mom's case these Phillips-branded aides are Goldilocks "just right". They self adjust and are chargeable, thus no pesky batteries with which to fumble. ALL of my fingers are crossed!

  Post: No Slowing Down

  Link to comment from July 28, 2024

• Thank you. It's a necessary step, unfortunately. They did ok in retirement for a long time, but nursing home care at 9k/month breaks the bank.

  Post: No Slowing Down

  Link to comment from July 28, 2024

• Once I emerge from the other side of the application process & dad is accepted with flying colors I will then be ready to celebrate with a post. Remember, I'm not a lawyer, I just hire them. 😀 For starters, simplify your accounts (quantity) sooner rather than later, as you will be asked for 5 years of statements. 60 months of misery for every account-- checking, savings, Roth, IRA Rollover, 401k, Rev Trust, other brokerage, Treasury Direct, etc. And that is the easy part. Credit card statements will likely come into play...

  Post: No Slowing Down

  Link to comment from July 27, 2024

• It is a task not to be delayed, for one's brain, socialization, and the family's well-being.

  Post: No Slowing Down

  Link to comment from July 27, 2024

• Fortunately he still feeds himself. It's his body that is aching! He has endured lots of wear & tear during his 9 decades.

  Post: No Slowing Down

  Link to comment from July 27, 2024

• Banks allow pay on death (pod) or transfer on death (tod) designations. All should periodically review that the recipients are still the desired choices.

  Post: No Slowing Down

  Link to comment from July 27, 2024

• Thanks, Jonathan. I failed to mention I've been going through Medicaid application paperwork for Dad. I had thoughts of doing a post on it, but with our well-heeled crowd, it may not find the proper audience. I agree that in the midst of misery, sadness, and stress pleasant diversion time is warranted and needed. I hope you are pedaling in your basement! My mom raises my blood pressure several times a week. Yesterday I enjoyed some swimming time (& clandestine beers) at our neighborhood pool. That was my reward for getting her to finally agree to her hearing aid purchase Thursday! Enjoy this beautiful weekend and put aside the paperwork.

  Post: No Slowing Down

  Link to comment from July 27, 2024

• Thank you for the gift of waking up to your writings! No one yearns for death genre articles, but it is a necessary walk we all must endure. I've been somewhat quiet here lately due to similar preparation for my parents. We have prepaid their funerals, including picking out burial vaults and caskets. My sister and I (& Mom) moved Dad into a new nursing home from an assisted living home, which is a tough ask of any senior. As my parents' POA I have culled financial accounts. I had to chuckle (& grimace!) about your paper tax return collection. My parents had a complete set back to 1958. It was fun looking at Dad's Army Reserve paystubs from the 50s. I knew they had been solidly middle class, but those early years of marriage with my older sister must have been really tight. We were fortunate to grow and thrive in our suburban tight-knit neighborhood, parochial school, etc. I never did without, but I did earn my own money to have the extras. One tip on the tax returns: My parents had made non-deductible contributions to their IRAs a few times and I would not have known that if I hadn't skimmed each return before scanning and shredding them. Similarly, if anyone needs to reconstruct stock or rental property basis or depreciation etc don't delete your best clues! Please keep Dad in your thoughts on August 1, he turns 90! Every day is a gift, please continue to do your fine work!

  Post: No Slowing Down

  Link to comment from July 27, 2024