Tuesday, November 19, 2013

When Your Aging Parents Come After Your Money

It's called "filial responsibility."  Apparently in 25 states your parents can come after you for your money if you don't help take care of them in their old age.  These states are:

Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia

But the money quote is this right here:

"As recently as the 1950s, 45 states and the federal government had them on the books. They began to erode during the New Deal, when the Social Security Act passed and the concept of government rather than familial responsibility started to take hold."

Ahhhh, replacing people with the loving and caring government.

This is why if you have liberal parents you should just tell them the government is there new children. The government is their all and everything. The government, the government, the government.

Oh well, you aging lefties who love government, you crazy cats try to enjoy that decline, ya hear?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank God I was raised by conservative parents who plan for the future and are now able to care for themselves, including long term home care!

Phil Galt said...

Here is a big 'finger' your direction Cappy. Not because you are wrong, but because you nailed it and rubbed it right on my face.

After a number of years my parents are calling it quits. While not being 100% certain of what is going on, I can safely say that a number of narratives discussed here appear to be playing out.

I can say this though: Together they would have been OK. Apart (and after the lawyers take their increasing cut) it's going to be close. Projections based on health and grandparents are pretty straightforward. Did I mention that mother is just now coming to terms with how much Dad did for her and how much he put into caring for her?

Where are those damn soylent green factories?

cdw said...

In Ontario this is also part of the law. Your only defense is to move out of province or country. A friend of mine had 4 siblings, they all fled the farm as soon as they were able. One to alberta, one to australia, another to the US. He being the baby, much younger than his brothers and sisters, was finally protected by his mother in a way his siblings were not from the dad. So if you were abused as a child, dont be surprised if you get abused by the courts as an adult.

sth_txs said...

Wow! This the first time I have ever heard of such a law.

But I could see greedy governments across the nation using it to extort money from the rest of us saps.

Anonymous said...

I made a point of never telling my parents my income or the amount I've saved and made clear I would not be providing funds for their retirement. They did not pay for my education, spent excessively on baubles and borrowed to the max, all despite my warnings to the contrary. And they received a significant amount over the years from their own parents. Never underestimate a Boomer's sense of entitlement.

Anonymous said...

The parents can't come after your money, the STATE can. And using your parents is just one excuse they use. They also use the "education of your neighbor's kids", "feeding the hungry", and "housing the poor in a manner to which they have become accustomed" (i.e. in your neighborhood).

Faithless Cynic said...

Have'nt you folks ever heard of the pillow in a plastic bag trick?

JUST KIDDING NSA!

Anonymous said...

Fix the link description Cappy, you used there instead of their.

Andrew said...

Faithless Cynic: What are you? Some sort of commie? This is 'Murica, we outsource that shit. Why do you think hospice care services exist?

Anonymous said...

I'm a big fan of the Smith & Wesson retirement plan.

heresolong said...

From the money quote "familial responsibility". Apparently this has been replaced by "sue the little bastards if they won't support us". Yup. That's quite the shift.

Enjoy the decline.

Dave said...

After Social Security and Medicare go insolvent, we'll need such laws in all 50 states. That's good, because it's a powerful incentive to have children AND raise them to be productive citizens.

Anonymous said...

I'm a boomer and expect nothing from anyone. Medicare, Medicaid and your kids should all be OFF the table. If you can't support yourself then too fucking bad, perish!!

Anonymous said...

Dave, ever thought that those children can free up money for other things such as their dreams if there wasn't an obligation what so ever to support their parents?