A new book co-authored by a professor at The University of Arizona guides baby boomers and their families through the often overwhelming legal and financial issues facing new retirees.

UA Professor of Law Kenney Hegland and Tucson attorney Robert Fleming penned Alive and Kicking: Legal Advice for Boomers with the lofty goals to ease the angst of retirement, help boomers avoid common legal pitfalls and encourage families to openly discuss retirement issues.

This book addresses a long-felt need, Hegland said. The need for aging individuals to feel educated and empowered about how to address the predicable and unpredictable concerns of retirement.

There are few inexpensive resources available that cover the entire range of legal issues facing baby boomers, including retirement income, housing, health care, estate planning, elder abuse, living wills and age discrimination. We want people to know their issues and options, rather than having these explained while a lawyers meter is running, Hegland said

According to Hegland, some of the top priorities for baby boomers planning to retire are to:

• create a health care power of attorney that communicates his or her wishes in case of severe illness or injury.
• create a will and perhaps a living trust.
• locate and list all important possessions and documents

The retirement landscape is changing, Hegland said. Many boomers dont just want to retire and play golf. They want to be engaged in their community and to actively manage their legal and financial affairs. Alive and Kicking is a departure from most legal prose, which is rarely fun to read, as its accessible to the layperson with no legal background.

Hegland believes that family members, especially children of baby boomers, also have a responsibility to initiate conversations about sensitive issues relating to health, finances and legal affairs. Sometimes
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Contact: Johnny Cruz
cruzj@email.arizona.edu
520-621-1879
University of Arizona
19-Jul-2007