Elliott Appel: Caring for My Father Put My Life on Pause for 7 Years. Here’s What I Learned
he financial planner’s family dealt with his dad’s cancer diagnosis, substance abuse, and cognitive impairment. Even if your situation is less fraught, he suggests getting help.
Our guest on the podcast today is Elliott Appel. He’s a financial planner and the founder of Kindness Financial Planning. He’s also an author. His latest book is called How to Help Your Parents As They Age: A Financial Planner’s Guide to Caregiving, which chronicles his father’s last years and the key lessons he learned along the way. He’s also co-host of his own podcast called the ME and Money Podcast. We really loved this conversation because Elliott provided so many tangible tips that people can use to help their parents, and his personal story really provides a lot of color.
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Episode Highlights
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:23 Financial Planning Through Life Transitions
00:03:22 Appel’s Journey Planning for His Father
00:08:45 How an Eldercare Consultant Can Help
00:13:03 Estate Planning and Choosing the Right Power of Attorney
00:17:05 Guardrails for Aging Parents’ Finances
00:24:43 Put Parents on Your Cellphone Plan
00:27:17 Navigating Healthcare, Housing, and Care Transitions
00:33:59 Managing Caregiver Stress and Burnout
00:43:31 Rethinking Aging and Death in the US
More From Morningstar
Beth Pinsker: Lessons From ‘My Mother’s Money’ https://www.morningstar.com/podcasts/the-long-view/beth-pinsker-lessons-my-mothers-money
Kathleen Rehl: Helping Widows and the Advisors Who Serve Them https://www.morningstar.com/podcasts/the-long-view/kathleen-rehl-helping-widows-advisors-who-serve-them
Sally Balch Hurme: Getting Your Affairs in Order as You Get Older https://www.morningstar.com/podcasts/the-long-view/sally-balch-hurme-getting-your-affairs-order-you-get-older
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This episode is sponsored by Vanguard: https://advisors.vanguard.com/engagement/fixed-income
