Decisions About Long-Term Health Care

Making decisions about and planning for long-term health care can be a daunting task and tends to be put off again and again. To learn the answers to key questions, come to Bernardsville Public Library on Thursday, July 21 at 7:00 pm to hear financial planners Ray Hawkins and Jody D’Agostini speak on the topic and how important it is to plan ahead.

There is a significant strain on family members when caring for someone suffering from the effects of old age, and in many cases, it is not only a financial strain, but a physical strain as well to the healthy spouse or caretaker. Furthermore, costs of health care are a major expense for all of us as we age. Mr. Hawkins and Ms. D’Agostini will discuss how, with early planning, we can give ourselves choices on cost, place, and kind of care received. They will talk about long-term care planning and how Medicare and Social Security play along with this planning, specifically with regard to enrollment timing and costs. They will also describe long-term care insurance as a concept of planning.

Among the questions addressed will be: What is long-term care? Who needs long-term care? Should a financial program address long-term care? What are some options for paying long-term care costs? And what do we need to know about long-term care insurance?

Ray A Hawkins is a registered representative and investment advisor representative who offers securities and investment advisory services through AXA Advisors, LLC which he joined in 2009. He has 28 years of financial service experience including twelve years as a Managing Director of Equity Trading at JP Morgan and 16 years in much the same capacity at CS First Boston. He has lived in Basking Ridge for 27 years.

Jody D’Agostini, also a resident of Basking Ridge, is a certified financial planner with experience in both the medical and pharmaceutical industries. She focuses her practice in the areas of comprehensive financial planning for individuals and closely held businesses. She specializes in the area of retirement planning, having obtained a Certificate in Retirement Planning from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is requested. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link under Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.