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A woman in a township called Hanover was arrested for withdrawing money from a deceased person’s account. Debora Longfoot, 63, stole over $7,000 from a bank account belonging to  Gary Moser. Moser is deceased. Moser’s children reported the theft. Longfoot was the caregiver. There have been similar stories of people affected by dementia who have been financially abused by caregivers in nursing homes. Sadly, this is all-too common. What is worse is that Moser didn’t have a Last Will and Testament. 

Debra told Moser that a Power of Attorney was drawn up, leaving her in charge of the finances, but this supposed document was never shown to his children. The Moser family swiftly blocked access to the account after several thousand had already been withdrawn. Moser’s eldest daughter, Bobbie Jo Bindics, was sworn in as the Executor of his estate. 

 When a caregiver, whether a family member or a professional, steals from a deceased person, it can cause harm to already stressed out family members, but what makes this worse is the fact that Longfoot was the girlfriend of Moser. 

What further complicates things is the fact that Moser died intestate (without a Will). Everything would have gone smoother if there was a Will, appointing an individual to look after his finances, assets and estate. 

You can read more by clicking on the following link: Stealing thousands from a loved one.

If you are in a similar situation and suspect that a caregiver has stolen money or assets from a deceased loved one, there are several steps you can take:

1. Report the theft to the authorities: this is what Moser’s family did. 
2. Review financial records: Review the deceased person’s financial records, including bank statements and credit card statements, to identify any suspicious activity. Look for large or unusual transactions, withdrawals or transfers, and missing funds. This is what Moser’s daughter did when she was appointed as Executor of her late father’s estate. 
3. Contact an attorney: If you believe that the caregiver was acting under a power of attorney or other legal authority, contact an lawyer. 
4. Take preventive measures: If you are currently caring for an elderly or disabled loved one, take preventive measures to protect them from theft. This may include setting up safeguards such as limiting access to bank accounts or hiring a professional caregiver through a reputable agency. A lot of this could have simply been avoided by having a Will in place. 

An aunt is pondering on whether or not she should leave a substantial inheritance to a rather “ungrateful” niece. The aunt and her niece unfortunately differ on every subject under the sun, including their political views. The aunt is unsure if she wants to disperse any of her inheritance to her “ungrateful” niece, who she feels doesn’t deserve any inheritance from her at all! You can read more by clicking on the link below: 

A Dickens of a problem!

Whether or not an aunt should leave an inheritance to an ungrateful niece is a personal decision that depends on many factors. This is a Dickens of a problem! Here are a few things to consider:

1. Family ties: Family relationships are complicated, and sometimes they can be strained or difficult. It’s important to consider the relationship between the aunt and the ungrateful niece. Is the relationship irreparably damaged, or is there a chance for reconciliation? If there is a chance for reconciliation, leaving an inheritance may be a way to extend an olive branch.
2. Values: Some people feel strongly that inheritance should be reserved only for those who have earned it or who are appreciative. Others believe that family should support each other no matter what. It’s important for the aunt to consider her own values and beliefs in making this decision.
3. Financial considerations: An aunt may have financial obligations to other family members or dependents that take priority over leaving an inheritance to an ungrateful niece. It’s important to consider the aunt’s financial situation and make decisions that are in her best interest.

It’s worth mentioning that the niece, Patsy, isn’t destitute and has an inheritance from her father. If you don’t get along with someone, why would you want to leave an inheritance to that person?

It’s 2023. People are still fighting about whether or not the virus is a hoax or not. Even at the point where people were dying in the hospital, others still proclaimed that the Covid-19 pandemic was a “plandemic.” This is inspite of the fact that humanity has gone through several periods of widespread disease before: influenza and the black plague are just a few examples.  Teachers who were still teaching in class at this time were insulted and berated for panicking and drawing up their Wills. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many people to confront their own mortality and take steps to prepare for the worst. For teachers, the pandemic brought a unique set of challenges, including the risk of exposure to the virus in schools and the uncertainty of what would happen to their students if they became ill or died.

As a result, many teachers found themselves making wills for the first time. In some cases, they did so out of a sense of responsibility to their students and their own families. They wanted to ensure that their wishes were clear and that their loved ones would be taken care of if the worst happened.

In other cases, teachers made wills because they were worried about the legal and financial implications of becoming ill or dying during the pandemic. They wanted to make sure that their assets were distributed according to their wishes and that their loved ones would not be burdened with legal or financial issues in their absence.

The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of having a clear and comprehensive estate plan. This includes not only a will but also other documents such as a power of attorney and a living will. These documents can ensure that a person’s wishes are respected if they become incapacitated or unable to make decisions for themselves.

While it’s understandable that many teachers felt a sense of urgency to make wills during the pandemic, it’s important to remember that estate planning is an ongoing process. As life circumstances change, it’s important to update and revise one’s estate plan to reflect new priorities and needs.

Overall, the pandemic has reminded us all of the importance of being prepared for the unexpected. Making a will is one way to ensure that our wishes are respected and our loved ones are taken care of if the worst happens.

You can read more about this here:  Teachers creating their Wills

Have you looked into the process of creating your own Will yet? If so, you may have looked at the various options of creating your Will through online software. Have you looked into “free” vs paid Will software? Have you noticed a difference? A “free” Will website may offer you the chance to do a Will for free, but at what cost? The type of Wills created through “free” websites may be very basic and not offer enough flexibility and comprehensiveness for your Will. These types of Wills may not cover all of the situations you want covered in your Will. 

When going through websites which offer “free” Wills, they may try to have you subscribe to a monthly subscription to access a “free” Will, or have you fill out information on the basis that the Will is free, but block you from seeing the end result with a paywall (i.e. you are made to think that your Will is free because you can start typing right away, but it really is not). Additionally, how do you know that by going through a “free” Will website, that the finished product is good quality? You do not only want a free fill-in-the-blank Will template, but you  most likely want guidance while going through your Will (i.e. an explanation of what certain words mean, and instructions of what is supposed to happen once you complete your Will). 

If you do not want to go through a lawyer and need an inexpensive option, then why not try a paid option through Will software? With a paid software option, you are more likely to get a better quality Will, with the thought, time and effort that goes into creating a genuine product. Moreover, there is most likely a guide which shows you how to go through the questions and how to answer the questions. If you are creating a Will, and you decide to use a paid, rather than a “free” version, you may want to look out for the following: an online Will software which guides you through the process of creating a Will, explains the order of questions you need to follow to complete your Will, explains everything clearly, and explains what you need to do when you have completed your Will. The average person has a home, a spouse, children, a few bank accounts, a vehicle, investments, and valuable personal property. Therefore, writing a Will doesn’t have to be complicated through online will software, and you can create a Will suitable for where you live. Unless your situation is extremely complex, you can write your Will online. You may want to look at  FormalWill as a possible option to create your Will.