Have you ever wondered why doctors and other healthcare providers ask you to sign a receipt for their “Notice of Privacy Practices?” It was essentially intended to protect your personal information from identity theft or public disclosure of your medical records.

We are all here on Earth for a relatively short period of time and many of us would like to think we made a difference during our lives. We may even want to leave something behind for our loved ones or others as a remembrance of our existence.

Having an estate plan is an essential tool in your “Family Toolbox” to help ensure your loved ones will be taken care after you’re gone. Many people believe an estate plan is a static document and, once in place, will fully and accurately express your desires. The only problem is that things change and your plan should be adjusted to properly represent and protect your interests and those of your heirs.

When tax time rolls around, if you happen to be a caregiver for a parent suffering from some form of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, you may be able to claim your parent as a dependent for tax purposes, itemizing and claiming their qualified, unreimbursed medical costs.