Wills and Trusts

Falls Are Rising Among Older Adults. Heres How to Lower Your Risk at HomeAccidental fall deaths in the U.S. have roughly tripled since 2000, according to CDC data analyzed by USAFacts. For adults 65 and older, falls are now the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injury, and the increase shows up in every older age group.Several factors seem to be adding up: more prescription medication use, more drinking among older adults, and higher obesity rates. Fear of falling plays a part too. People who worry about falling often move less, and over time that can weaken strength and balance. Know your riskCommon risk factors include limited mobility, chronic conditions such as diabetes or arthritis, certain medications, changes in vision or hearing, and home hazards. The National Council on Agings free Falls CheckUp is a quick way to see where you stand. Build everyday habitsWear glasses and hearing aids as prescribed and keep up with regular eye and hearing exams.Review your medications with your doctor or pharmacist.Use a sturdy step stool, not a chair, to reach high places.Take your time, especially when standing up or changing direction. Make your home work for youFor stairs and steps, a stairlift, wheelchair ramp, home elevator or platform lift can make it easier to move between levels.Install grab bars and consider a shower seat or an accessible walk-in shower.Clear clutter, secure or remove loose rugs, and keep cords out of walkways.Add brighter lighting and nightlights. A few small changes can help you stay active and comfortable at home. Adapted from Deaths from Falls Are Rising. How Can You Reduce Your Fall Risk at Home? by Lifeway Mobility.Contact Person: Eric Rubel | Marketing [email protected]:  847.403.0132

Social Security and the New Senior Tax DeductionBy Senior Tax Advisory GroupTax law changes may help retirees keep more of their income. However, headlines about no tax on Social Security can create confusion. We want seniors to understand what has changed and how the new rules fit their retirement plans.The One Big Beautiful Bill Act created a temporary additional deduction for people age 65 and older. For tax years 2025 through 2028, eligible individuals may deduct up to $6,000. Married couples filing jointly may deduct up to $12,000 when both spouses qualify. There could be a ROTH conversion opportunity at No Additional Tax Cost!This deduction is available whether you itemize or take the standard deduction. Married taxpayers must file jointly to claim it, and each person claiming the deduction must have a qualifying Social Security number.Income limits matter. The deduction begins phasing out when Modified Adjusted Gross Income exceeds $75,000 for an individual or $150,000 for a married couple filing jointly. Taxable IRA withdrawals, capital gains, or Roth conversions may reduce the deduction available.The law did not repeal federal taxation of Social Security benefits. Depending on your combined income, up to 85% of benefits may still be included in taxable income. The new deduction reduces taxable income; it does not change the formula determining how much Social Security is taxable. Eligibility also does not require receiving Social Security.For example, a qualifying couple with both spouses age 65 or older could receive the full $12,000 deduction. If that entire deduction offsets income otherwise taxed at 12%, their federal tax savings would be $1,440. Actual savings depend on their tax situation.Before making withdrawals or changing withholding, review your income and eligibility. Social Security claiming decisions still deserve coordination with taxes, savings, and survivor needs. We believe retirement planning begins with understanding people. Contact Senior Tax Advisory Group at 719-596-4844 or visit www.springstax.com for help evaluating these changes within your retirement plan.

A mobile notary can travel to a senior's home, hospital, rehabilitation center, or care facility to perform eligible notarizations. Learn how mobile notary services work, which estate planning and property documents may involve notarization, what identification may be needed, and why families should understand the difference between a notary and an attorney.You finally have the paperwork ready.Maybe it is a power of attorney your attorney prepared. Maybe you need signatures completed for a property transaction. Perhaps your parent is in a rehabilitation center and needs to sign documents before returning home.There is just one problem.Getting Mom or Dad to a bank, law office, shipping store, or other location with a notary may be harder than completing the paperwork itself.For an older adult who no longer drives, uses a wheelchair, is recovering from surgery, or lives in assisted living, arranging transportation for a short notarization can become a major task.That is one reason a mobile notary for seniors can be useful.Instead of requiring the senior to travel, a mobile notary travels to the signer. Depending on the notary's availability and local rules, appointments may take place in private homes, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, assisted living communities, offices, and other locations.Florida's official notary guidance, for example, specifically discusses notaries traveling to hospitals, nursing homes, offices, and private residences to perform notarial duties.For seniors and caregivers, that convenience can make an important administrative task much easier to complete.Why Mobile Notaries Can Be Helpful for Older AdultsFor many seniors, the advantage is simple.They do not have to go anywhere.That can matter more than it sounds.Transportation May Be DifficultA senior may: No longer drive Depend on an adult child for transportation Use a walker or wheelchair Have difficulty getting into a vehicle Become tired during outings Need oxygen or other medical equipment Have limited transportation options from a care community A mobile appointment can remove much of that logistical burden.A Senior May Be in the HospitalImportant paperwork sometimes comes up during a hospitalization or rehabilitation stay.Families may suddenly need to address documents connected with: Property Finances Insurance Existing estate planning Business matters Healthcare instructions Other time-sensitive personal affairs If the document is legally ready for execution and notarization is appropriate, a mobile notary may be able to come to the facility rather than requiring the patient to travel.Availability depends on the individual notary, facility policies, state law, and the circumstances of the signer.What Documents Might a Senior Need Notarized?This is where families need to be careful.Not every document requires notarization.Requirements can differ significantly depending on the document and the state. The person preparing the document, an attorney, government agency, financial institution, title company, or other appropriate professional should tell you whether notarization is required.A notary should not be expected to decide which legal document you need.Mobile Notaries and Powers of AttorneyA power of attorney, often called a POA, allows one person to grant certain authority to another person.The document can be extremely important because the authority granted may involve financial, property, healthcare, or other decisions depending on the document and applicable law.Execution requirements vary from state to state.Some powers of attorney require notarization. Others may have additional requirements, such as witnesses or specific statutory language.That is why families should have the document prepared or reviewed appropriately before calling the notary.What the Notary DoesWhen notarizing an eligible power of attorney, the notary's responsibilities may include verifying identity, completing the requested notarial act, and following state notary law.What the Notary Does Not DoA notary who is not also a licensed attorney should not be relied upon to: Write your power of attorney Tell you which powers to grant Decide who should serve as your agent Explain complicated legal consequences Tell you whether the document meets your estate planning goals Provide legal advice Colorado law, for example, expressly states that a notary commission does not authorize someone to draft legal records, provide legal advice, or practice law.Florida notary guidance similarly warns notaries who are not attorneys against advertising or providing unauthorized legal services.For the legal substance of a POA, speak with a qualified attorney.Do Wills Need a Mobile Notary?Sometimes the answer is not as straightforward as families expect.A common misconception is:"A will has to be notarized."That is not universally true.Will execution laws vary by state, and witness requirements can be more important than notarization itself.The American Bar Association explains that wills generally must follow specific signing and witnessing formalities and notes that in many states, a properly executed will may use notarization as part of making the will self-proving.A self-proving document or affidavit can help establish that the required execution formalities were followed, but the exact procedure depends on state law.Electronic will rules vary too. States have adopted different approaches to witnesses, notarization, electronic signatures, and self-proving affidavits.The Safe ApproachIf you are signing a will:Do not simply call a notary and ask them to make the will legal.Instead: Have the will properly prepared. Ask the attorney or document preparer exactly how it must be executed. Confirm how many witnesses are required. Determine whether notarization is required for any portion of the execution. Arrange the notary and witnesses accordingly. Following the correct signing procedure is important because errors in will execution can create problems later.What About Healthcare Directives?Healthcare directives can include documents that communicate healthcare preferences or designate someone to make healthcare decisions under certain circumstances.Names and requirements differ by state.You may encounter terms such as: Advance directive Healthcare power of attorney Medical power of attorney Healthcare proxy Living will Do not assume that every healthcare directive needs a notary.Some states use witnesses, some use notarization for particular documents, and some may provide alternative execution methods.If an attorney, healthcare organization, or official state form provided the document, follow the execution instructions included with it.A mobile notary can perform an appropriate notarization when required, but the notary should not choose which healthcare document the senior needs.Property Transactions Are Another Common Reason to CallOlder adults frequently handle real estate transactions during major life transitions. Certain real estate documents may require notarized signatures before they can be accepted or recorded.A mobile notary can be particularly useful if the senior has already moved to assisted living or cannot easily travel to a title company or other office.The attorney, title company, lender, recorder, or other professional handling the transaction should provide the documents and explain the execution requirements.What Happens When a Notary Visits a Hospital or Care Facility?Hospital and senior care appointments can require extra planning.A notary cannot simply arrive, stamp paperwork, and leave.The signer still must satisfy the legal requirements for the requested notarial act.The Senior Usually Needs to ParticipateA notarial act generally requires the appropriate form of personal appearance.For example, Colorado law defines personal appearance to include being physically present together or, where legally permitted, interacting through an approved real-time remote notarization process.A family member normally cannot simply tell a notary:"Mom wants this notarized."The person whose signature is being notarized generally needs to participate as required by law.Identification Still MattersA senior may need acceptable identification.This can become challenging if the person: No longer drives Has an expired license Does not have a passport Has difficulty locating identification documents Because acceptable forms of identification vary by state, discuss this with the notary before the appointment.Do not wait until the notary arrives at the hospital to discover that the available ID does not meet state requirements.What If the Senior Is Sedated, Confused, or Disoriented?This is an important issue for hospital and nursing facility notarizations.A notary cannot ignore obvious concerns about the signing situation.Florida's official guidance tells notaries that refusing a notarization may be appropriate when the signer appears to be coerced, does not understand the consequences of signing, or appears drunk, sedated, or disoriented.A mobile notary is not there to make a medical diagnosis or determine legal capacity.But the notary does have duties related to the notarial act and may decline to proceed when legal or procedural requirements cannot be satisfied.This is why families should not wait until a serious medical crisis to address important estate planning documents whenever advance planning is possible.Can a Family Member Answer for the Senior?Do not assume so.Even when adult children are helping arrange the appointment, the notary may need to communicate directly with the signer.This can be important when confirming issues such as: Identity Willing participation The requested notarial act Acknowledgment of a signature Other requirements under state law Family involvement may be helpful for scheduling and logistics, but it should not substitute for the signer's participation when the law requires it.What a Notary Is Actually CertifyingAnother common misunderstanding is that notarization means:"The notary checked this document and says it is legally correct."That is generally not what notarization means.A notary performs a specific notarial act.Depending on the document, that might involve an acknowledgment, oath, affirmation, or another act recognized under state law.The notary's role can include identity verification and completing the required notarial certificate. That distinction becomes especially important with wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and property documents.Mobile Notary vs. Attorney: Who Do You Need?Sometimes you need both.Call an Attorney When You Need: A will drafted A power of attorney created Estate planning advice Trust advice Guidance on legal authority Advice about Medicaid planning Advice about property ownership Help resolving family disputes An explanation of legal consequences Call a Mobile Notary When: Your document is already prepared You know which notarial act is required The document is ready to be signed or acknowledged The signer cannot conveniently travel You need an authorized notary to come to the location If you are unsure what the document requires, ask the attorney, title company, government agency, financial institution, or other organization that prepared or will receive it.Mobile Notary or Remote Online Notarization?These are not the same service.Mobile NotaryThe notary travels to the signer's physical location.Remote Online NotarizationWhere permitted, the notary and signer may interact using approved audio-video technology and electronic documents.Remote notarization rules vary considerably by state and by document.Colorado, for example, permits certain remote notarizations but imposes specific system, identity verification, and real-time communication requirements. It also has special restrictions involving wills and related documents.So if someone tells you:"We can notarize everything online now,"verify that statement for your state and your specific document.Prepare Before the Mobile Notary ArrivesThe best mobile notary appointment is usually one that has been organized in advance.Have the Document ReadyMake sure you have the correct and complete document.Do not leave important sections blank unless the document preparer has specifically told you they should remain blank until the signing appointment.Confirm the Signing InstructionsKnow whether you need: A notary Witnesses Both A particular type of notarial act The person or organization that prepared the document should provide this information.Find the Senior's IdentificationConfirm with the notary what forms of identification are acceptable before the appointment.Check Facility RulesHospitals, rehabilitation facilities, assisted living communities, and nursing homes may have their own visitor, security, parking, scheduling, or infection-control procedures.Check ahead.Sometimes the Most Valuable Service Is ConvenienceFor a healthy adult with a car, getting something notarized might take 20 minutes.For an 82-year-old recovering from a hip fracture, the same errand could involve arranging transportation, navigating a wheelchair, coordinating medication schedules, and spending several exhausting hours away from home.That is why mobile notary services for seniors can be useful.The notary brings the service to the person.For seniors handling powers of attorney, healthcare documents, property matters, and other important paperwork, that can remove one practical barrier from an already complicated process.But convenience should not replace careful planning.Know which document you need.Make sure it has been prepared correctly.Understand whether witnesses are required.Confirm the notary's role.Have identification ready.And involve an attorney whenever you need legal advice rather than simply a notarization.Help Seniors Find Your Mobile Notary Services Through Seniors Blue BookWhen older adults and caregivers need help with estate planning, relocation, property transactions, senior care, or important documents, they often begin by searching for professionals who can come to them.If you provide mobile notary services, senior legal services, estate planning, senior relocation, financial services, home care, senior living, or another service designed for older adults, being visible where seniors and caregivers search matters.Seniors Blue Book helps connect seniors, families, and caregivers with senior-focused businesses and resources in their communities.Your business can begin with a free Seniors Blue Book listing, giving potential clients another way to discover your services. Providers that want increased exposure can also explore upgraded visibility and marketing opportunities.Want more seniors and caregivers to find your services? Contact Seniors Blue Book today.Email: [email protected] Phone: 800-201-9989