Americans’ Approach to Funerals Is Changing, and Planning Ahead Can Be Key

An open-casket viewing, a religious service, and burial in a cemetery, all followed by ham sandwiches in a church basement. For decades, this was the formula for a Wisconsin funeral ...

$1 Billion, You Say?

common tax mistakes leaves $1 billion on the table each year

Each year, the IRS reports it has roughly $1 billion in unclaimed refunds just from people who didn’t file a return. That is an expensive mistake. Many people don’t realize that they may be able to claim refunds ...

Life Insurance 101: The Best Way to Protect Your Loved Ones

Life insurance is not exactly the most uplifting topic to discuss, but it is an important one. For this piece, I sat down with an expert in the matter: my husband, Dan Ekblad. Dan has been a licensed insurance ...

Palliative Care & Medicare: Seniors Should Consider End-Of-Life Options

An important aspect of end-of-life planning is end-of-life health care. Great advances in medical technology have made it possible to extend life, and at the same time, have created philosophical quandaries ...

It’s Only Natural: Altoona Man Working to Establish ‘Green’ Cemetery

People have come up with some creative answers to the question: “What do I want done with my remains after I die?” Some want their ashes blasted into space. Others want to be scattered to the wind ...

Planning Ahead: An Advance Directive Can Be a Gift to Your Family

Years before Jay Lyons learned he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer, he made proactive decisions that helped guide his caretakers and family the last 18 months of his life ...

Creating Priorities & Other Things Young People Should Know About Financial Planning

“Do you have a financial plan?” The question surprises some, frightens others, and creates a certain amount of apprehension in almost everyone who hears it ...

Thinking in Advance

even a hospice nurse can learn more about advance directives

I was fortunate enough to have my parents visit from out of state over the holidays a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, my dad had a serious health event, ended up in the emergency room, and was hospitalized for four days ...

Free Tax Help

volunteer income tax assistance open to qualifying taxpayers

It’s tax season! Time to gather up your income statement and other tax documents for VITA ...

In Times of Transition

healing place offers support services for those experiencing grief, much more

If someone you knew was dealing with loss, like the death of a partner, a divorce, or chronic illness, how would you comfort them? You’d probably lend an ear if they needed someone to talk to, or a shoulder ...