Comments on: Taking on KING/KONG…

By: Reba Haas

Reba Haas — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:08:51 +0000

an article I wrote about durable power of attorney for RCG is posted here: http://www.raincityguide.com/2007/03/29/do-you-have-a-durable-power-of-attorney/

By: Reba Haas

Reba Haas — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:06:37 +0000

LTCi has to be purchased usually WELL in advance of anyone needing it. Typically people start buying it in their 40’s or 50’s so that it is available for the “later years”. If my parents were to try and buy it now my dad wouldn’t qualify. Thankfully about 7-8 years ago they did buy LTCi and we are waiting for the payments to kick in (mom says they won’t pay anything till the lawsuit is settled but I don’t think that’s true if we push it). Care for the facility my dad is in costs $5500 per month not including medications, adult diapers, etc. When the LTCi policy kicks in it will only cover about 2/3 of the monthly cost. We’re lucky that mom thought this far ahead and that we’ll get that 3 years of coverage (once it starts) but it’s very likely dad will survive well past 3 years from now. This is why I write articles like this all the time: http://www.teamreba.com/blog/?p=189

By: David Young, #510-LO-34429

David Young, #510-LO-34429 — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:53:14 +0000

This may be really ignorant here, but the intention’s sure good. Can you get long-term care insurance? Again, it might be ignorant…just curious.

By: Reba Haas

Reba Haas — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:48:58 +0000

In this guy’s case even if a financial settlement is awarded he won’t be able to pay it. His insurance policy capped out at $25k because he had SR-22 insurance because of all his former DUI’s.

By: Kary L. Krismer

Kary L. Krismer — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:29:25 +0000

I think you have to pay it back here to, if you get anything from the criminal. But that’s not a reason to not take advantage of it. In fact, the same thing would be true if insurance was paying this, and might be true of the plan he was on before. It’s called subrogation, and it’s very common. Basically when a third party pays for something that another person is responsible for, they step into the shoes of the injured party, to the extent of their payments.

The fact that the criminal can’t pay timely is a reason to look into the government program.

By: Reba Haas

Reba Haas — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:20:52 +0000

tj, thanks for the comments, they are much appreciated.

Kary, the accident happened in Kansas which is another reason for my downsizing – I have to fly there every month. They have a similar type of program there but you have to pay it back if a civil suit gets any payment to the victim, which in this case doesn’t make sense because my dad’s care will far outlast anything this multi-DUI offender will be able to pay.

By: Kary L. Krismer

Kary L. Krismer — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:15:53 +0000

Reba, would your dad qualify for Washington’s Crime Victim Compensation program? I don’t know much about it, but it really helped a friend out once (but it was a more major crime–he was shot after walking into a store during a holdup.)

Anyway, drunk driving is criminal, so maybe they could help.

By: tj

tj — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:46:03 +0000

Reba, i’m sorry to hear about your dad. Health and family really is what matters most. I wish the best for you and your dad.

By: Reba Haas

Reba Haas — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:09:50 +0000

Hi tj, I can’t speak for Rhonda’s situation but I can tell you that based on my family situation right now I am about to embark on a new purchase of a home and will sell my home in Seattle. I wrote about it specifically here: http://www.teamreba.com/blog/?p=190 but part of the background has to do with the fact that Medicare cut off physical therapy to my dad. He is coming back from a traumatic and severe brain injury sustained as part of a drunk driver hitting my parent’s car back in March.

Because I’ve always said that I would help my parents out financially should the time or situation ever arise, I am about to “put my money where my mouth is” and cut back on my personal expenses about 30% per month to allow myself the capability to hire the professionals that our health care system is now denying my hard working father. I’ve started out by hiring a massage therapist that will offer massage and reflexology therapy to my dad once a week. I also travel for 5 days to 2 weeks per month to provide additional physical, occupational and speech therapy to my dad when I am there, and I will hire (if necessary) a PT, OT, and speech therapist for him.

We’re also looking at options within my parent’s home to possibly get him out of the nursing home environment and either have home care and/or get a new home with universal design features that we can also retrofit to have lifts and pulleys to help with caring for my father’s daily needs.

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!

By: tj

tj — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:53:23 +0000

I also suspect that your sub-conscious business gene is doing some talking. Obviously it’s very benefitial for mortgage brokers and realtors if people buy starter homes and move up the chain compared to if they rent and save until the buy a home they stay in for a long time. The first scenario creates several transactions per buyer feeding your pockets every time. I don’t think it’s neccessarily intentional but just an industry coloring.