When Laura's mother came home after hip surgery, Laura used two weeks of vacation helping with therapy, meal prep, and travel to appointments. When the time ran out, she faced a dilemma: return to work and leave her mother alone, or take unpaid leave and fall behind on bills. Maine's new paid family medical leave program (PFML), which opened for applications recently, aims to eliminate such decisions. The law goes into effect on May 1st. Under the program, eligible employees and the self-employed may take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a loved one.

A recent Caring.com survey found that many people view estate planning as essential when they acquire valuable assets like a home or a substantial cash windfall. More than half of the respondents -- 56 percent -- said they don't have a will or trust because some feel they lack enough assets to leave anyone. But estate planning involves more than things -- it also involves people; your final wishes form the future for those you love. The best time to plan is when you're healthy and don’t face a crisis. Yet, as the survey showed, some age groups are more prepared than others, and certain factors influenced their choices.

An average of six out of every ten American adults lack an estate plan. Like a sandcastle washed away, without a plan, the lifetime legacy you’ve built could vanish. When your loved ones grieve, as medical bills mount and deeds gather dust, your final wishes can remain a mystery.