October 19, 2016 The Skanner Page 9
Advice: Ask Carla
Reader asks if she should disclose pregnancy while job-hunting
By Carla Lane
Special to the NNPA News Wire from
the Houston Forward Times
Q: I’m pregnant! My husband and I
are overjoyed but, I was planning on
changing jobs in the very near future.
With the new addition to our family it’s
going to be even more important that I
get a new job. Should I tell new poten-
tial employers that I am pregnant?
A: Congratulations! With all the
changes going on in your life (like your
growing belly and the ever-expanding
responsibilities that come with it), it
may seem insane to want to add another
to your list. But there are dozens of valid
reasons why an expectant mom might
consider a job change. Maybe your em-
ployer isn’t family friendly and you’re
concerned about balancing career and
motherhood upon your return. Maybe
the commute is too long, the hours in-
lexible, or the grind all-consuming. It
could be that you’re bored (and hey —
change is in the air, so why not make
the most of it!). Or perhaps you’re wor-
ried that your workplace is hazardous
to you and your baby. Whatever your
reason, it’s important to weigh the pros
and cons thoroughly before you make a
job move. Here’s a few to consider.
Beware of the grass-is-greener
syndrome.
It may seem as though other work-
places have better beneits and perks
that are far more generous than yours.
And that may indeed be the case: Some
companies are more lexible and fami-
ly friendly than others, and it’s in your
best interest to know your options and
ind the best ones for you. But make
Long-Term Care
Planning
By Aimee Griin, Esq.,
The Griin Firm
S
pecial to the NNPA
News Wire from
The Washington In-
former
With about 10,000
Americans turning 65
each day, many families
are making decisions
about elder care. Due
to the complexity and
importance of these
decisions,
elder-care
planning should include
working with inancial
and estate-planning pro-
fessionals who are ex-
perts at protecting assets
and paying for care, if
needed.
“
position your assets in a
way to be useful to you
and your family, you
should take the opportu-
nity. Make the commit-
ment to do it.
I, like many others, am
amazed that I am no lon-
ger in my 20s and that
the aging process does
not comply with how I
feel. Still, planning is
imperative. Seventy per-
cent of people turning
65 can be expected to use
some form of long-term
care in their lifetime. We
oten look to our own
knowledge of the past
for the information on
how to insure our fu-
ture. But our knowledge
To meet Medicaid require-
ments, many families are
forced to exhaust their as-
sets, and less wealth is passed
to future generations
Several avenues ex-
ist to pay for elder care
needs. Traditional ave-
nues, such as Medicaid,
have strict requirements
for eligibility. To meet
Medicaid requirements,
many families are forced
to exhaust their assets,
and less wealth is passed
to future generations.
Families are being let
impoverished. Most of
us know folks who have
lost family homes and
prospective inheritance
due to the inancial bur-
den of long-term elder
care. This substantial
loss is due to the lack of
professional planning.
Long-term elder care
planning is not limited
to Medicaid impoverish-
ment creation. Spending
down does not have to
be the only option. If you
have the opportunity to
is limited. We are not
all aware of the various
veterans’ beneits or the
use of irrevocable trusts
and qualiied annuities.
Working with the right
team of professionals on
your legal, inancial and
tax decisions can be the
diference between leav-
ing your family empow-
ered and leaving them
impoverished. Because
so much is at stake, the
experts must be updated
about our circumstanc-
es as the law and inan-
cial-planning
vehicles
are ever-changing.
Contact your estate
planning professional
and position yourself to
take advantage of your
options while they re-
main abundant.
Aimee Griin is an at-
torney with the Griin
Firm in Washington, D.C.
PHOTO BY FLAZINGO PHOTOS (CC BY-SA 2.0) VIA FLICKR
Financial Literacy
sure you understand
the total picture before
seek out another job op-
portunity. Does the com-
pany you’re interested
in ofer twice as much
vacation time, but also
charge double for health
insurance? Do they al-
low people to work from Career advice Carla Fine says that some companies are more lexible
home, yet expect them to and family friendly than others, and it’s in your best interest to know
be on call morning, noon, your options and ind the best ones for you.
and night? If the grass is
ing a healthy pregnancy. Typically,
truly greener on the other side of the you’ll be asked to come in for several
job hunt and if working elsewhere will interviews and meetings before an of-
make your pregnancy, maternity leave, fer is made. Starting a new job also de-
and return more manageable), go for it. mands a great deal of concentration (all
eyes are on you, so you have to be extra
Be realistic.
Looking for work takes time and en- careful not to make mistakes), and you
ergy, two things you may be lacking should be certain you have the stamina
these days as you concentrate on hav- and commitment to take these steps.