Kennedy Law Associates' Blog

A living will is an important document that details your wishes regarding:

• Life support
• Artificial hydration
• Tube feeding
• Pain medication

By creating this document, you express your desire for or refusal of certain medical treatment if you find yourself unable to make your own decisions due to an injury, terminal illness or unconsciousness. If you do not have a living will yet, you may be on the fence about writing one. However, you should not wait too long to create one. Here are a few factors you should consider to help you determine if you want a living will: 

Older spouses in North Carolina considering divorce may be concerned about the financial impacts of ending a marriage. More Americans are divorcing at older ages than in the past. While the divorce rate has flattened out or even declined across all demographic groups, the opposite is true for people age 50 and older. Their divorce rate has doubled since the 1990s, a trend that shows no sign of stopping. While people in second or third marriages or those who have been married for a shorter period are at a higher risk of divorce, the "gray divorce" trend has also affected couples who have been married for decades.

A long marriage often means tightly combined financial assets and a view toward retirement based on joint funds. Of course, it is always more costly to support two households out of the same funds that were meant to support one. In addition, when people divorce later in life, they may have less time to compensate for the substantial difference in their retirement funds. With close attention to financial planning, however, older Americans can emerge successfully from this difficult period.

A life insurance policy can be tremendously helpful for whomever you designate as a beneficiary. You may already know whom you want to name – perhaps a child or your spouse. However, naming a life insurance beneficiary should not be something you do without proper consideration.

If you make mistakes when designating someone as the recipient of your life insurance proceeds, your wishes may not pan out as you want. This may cause issues for your family after you pass away. Here are some mistakes to avoid when naming an heir to your life insurance policy.

When parents in North Carolina decide to divorce, the transition to co-parenting can be challenging yet also rewarding. Divorced parents may clash over parenting styles and issues that come with step-parents and blended families. Some parents may find it difficult to communicate after the split while others prepare for regular family meetings. However co-parenting works best for a specific family, there are some guidelines that people can keep in mind to improve their relationship for the benefit of their children.

While the parents have decided to separate, neither has signed up to divorce their children. Both parents have a responsibility to think first of the kids rather than of their problems with one another. This means that each parent has a responsibility to avoid gossiping or complaining about the other parent in front of the children. People should feel free to consult their friends or a therapist, but the children should not feel as if they need to choose between their parents. Arguing harshly with an ex is never a good idea.