CAREGIVER • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2020 • 15
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MONEY MATTERS
Here are several ways to navigate these
often tricky waters:
Discuss plans in advance
Have conversations even before an aging
loved one needs caregiving.
Talking through difficult topics when
parents are healthy can simplify decisions
later on.
Open a joint account
Joint back accounts make it easier for
caregivers to manage loved ones’ money if
the person becomes physically or mentally
incapacitated.
When necessary, you can step in as a
money manager to pay bills, make deposits
and withdrawals and monitor account
balances.
Make legal fiduciary changes
AARP suggests drawing up legal documents
to manage all financial accounts.
A power of attorney is a legal document
in which one person assigns another the
power to make financial decisions on his
or her behalf. This also protects family
interests, so that another relative, such as a
sibling who might want his or her share of
a loved one’s money, will not have access.
Documenting fiduciary changes in the
letter of the law can serve as a measure of
protection against potential problems.
Put your priorities first
You might end up running yourself emotionally
and financially ragged catering to a
loved one’s needs.
According to a 2015 study from the
National Alliance for Caregiving, an
estimated 43.4 million American adults
provide unpaid care to an adult or child.
Taking repeated time off work or paying
for loved ones’ needs out of your own pocket
can take its financial toll. Do not take on
unmanageable debt.
Ask for help
Speak with a financial adviser and/or
elder care attorney about the best ways to
manage a loved one’s money to ensure an
aging parent or child will be provided for.
Arranging assets in certain ways can make
individuals eligible for certain benefits.
Managing money is just one of the many
tasks associated with being a caregiver.
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