As with side dishes in a well-prepared meal, side letters can add a solution to loose ends not addressed in a well-crafted will.

Side Letters (Beyond the Will Part 2)

Karen CaccavoDaily Money Managers, Estate Planning, Possessions, Working with Seniors

Way back when (July 2022 to be exact), I wrote a blog / newsletter “Beyond the Will”.  I called it “Part 1”, knowing that there was a lot more to say than I could include there.  I planned to write a “Part II” including even more estate planning tasks that Personal Money Manager™ does with older adult clients.   For …

What are the misconceptions that part of the public have about Daily Money Managers, and what are the facts?

4 Myth-Conceptions About Daily Money Managers

Karen CaccavoDaily Money Managers, Owner's Manual, paper organizing, Working with Seniors

When it comes to my profession–daily money manager–there are several myths* (or, rather, myth-conceptions) ripe for busting. Unfortunately, these misunderstandings sometimes confuse colleagues, clients, and their families. And might stand in the way of their reaching out for assistance from a daily money manager. Let’s set the record straight on 4 misconceptions I encounter: 1) DMMs are money managers. The …

Filling out an election ballot

Voting While Gray (Haired)

Karen CaccavoAging in place, Working with Seniors

Early in my career at Personal Money Manager™, I had the pleasure of signing, as a witness, a client’s ballot.  She was determined to vote, as she had her whole adult life, but disability prevented her from voting in person–or signing her absentee ballot with anything other than an “X”.  Together, we made sure her ballot was correctly completed and …

There are 1-2-3 flowerpots in this photo

As Easy as 1-2-3

Karen CaccavoGetting organized, paper organizing, Working with Clients, Working with Seniors

It’s a simple technique.  Even easy.  Maybe you learned it in kindergarten, or, from your Mom.  It’s a strategy that stands the test of time.  And works for me and my clients of all ages in my 16 years as Personal Money Manager™.  (And while I work exclusively with clients’ paperwork (no attics or garage organizing for me), this technique …

Karen was interviewed on the radio.

Karen on the Radio

Karen CaccavoGetting organized, paper organizing, Working with Clients, Working with Seniors

Did you hear me on the radio?  If not, press the “play” button above, and then read on . . . It was a treat to sit down with Mark Brownstein, Director of Medicare at Emerald Medicare.  He’s the voice behind “Medicare on the Air with Mark” from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. the first Friday of the month on WRCR …

Getting started early learning the basics of working with papers

Back to (Paper Organizing) Basics

Karen CaccavoGetting organized, paper organizing, Working with Clients, Working with Seniors

It’s that time of year.  Back to school for the kids and back to organizing basics for us grown-ups! Much of what I do as a financial organizer / daily money manager with or for senior clients is what I call “basics.”  Some are tasks they could do themselves IF they had the time, interest, attention, or bandwidth.  But that …

Thinking about planning for the future

Beyond the Will — Part 1

Karen CaccavoFinancial Organizing, Important Documents, Organize my finances, Personal Owner's Manual, Working with Seniors

It’s challenging to get people to sit down and create a will (no surprise that over half the adult population is without one). Lack of time and focus, fear, even superstition get in the way. I am not an attorney:  I clearly leave will-writing (and all other legal work) to those professionals. As a financial organizer / daily money manager …

Springtime Paper-Organizing Timesavers

Karen CaccavoDoing Paperwork, Financial Organizing, Organize my finances, Working with Seniors

Want to make up for that lost Daylight Savings hour?  Here are four simple Personal Money Manager™ paper-organizing timesavers to the rescue! Choose one or more to keep papers under control.  Rest assured that all have been field-tested with my senior clients.  Some tips are “one and done” (like #1), while others take maintenance.  I encourage clients who are so …