Each year, roughly 2 million U.S. workers apply for Social Security disability (SSD) benefits. Whether physical or mental, their impairment – which can range from arthritis and heart failure to cancer, depression and autism -- prevents them from working for at least a...
Many people do not understand what happens to a loved one's assets and debts after he or she dies. Between the issuing of the death certificate and the reading of the will is the probate process. Learning what to expect can help families to have realistic...
For many people, financial peril is only one small emergency away. Job loss, reduction in hours, divorce or medical bills can quickly upset a delicate financial balance. Most often, individuals will continue to fight against the mounting debt to work through their...
The pile of debt continues to mount and now overwhelms you. You have resorted to unwise actions such as paying off credit card bills with other credit cards. But now you are faced with another challenge: You have lost your job. How will you overcome debt? Where is the...
During the estate planning process, you will likely have concerns about how your assets will disburse. If you pass them on through your will, they must go through probate court before your beneficiaries can receive them. Due to the fees involved, probate can diminish...
Forces beyond your control stack the deck against your finances. Wage stagnation proves a problem for most people. But as a senior citizen, it may be difficult for you to find a steady job in the first place. Companies in Michigan and beyond are shifting from pension...
If someone in your family has a disability, he or she may be incapable of working. Fortunately, government assistance programs may provide medical care, basic income or other support. Public programs do not usually offer much else, unfortunately. Special needs trusts...
One of the most important decisions a person can ever make is naming an executor in his or her will. The executor is responsible for managing the estate after the death of the person who made the will, also known as the testator. The responsibility for managing the...
The Social Security Administration initially rejects a majority of the applications for benefits that it receives. This can be disheartening, but you should not give up. The SSA also has an appeals process in place, and your chances of approval often improve the...
You may have an elderly loved one whom you fear could be at risk for abuse. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, the prevalence of mistreatment of the elderly is approximately 10%, but researchers acknowledge that underreporting could be at play....
