The best gift you can give that family is Mary Anne Ehlert's new book, "The Gift I Was Given." Ehlert is a nationally respected financial planner who has developed a program to assist families with disabled children. Her book is partly the story of how she and her family dealt with the challenges of her sister Marcia, who was born with cerebral palsy. It is also the story of the anguish her parents faced as they grew older and realized the difficulty of planning for their daughter's care after they were gone.
I won't spoil the story -- except to say that Marcia is the gift, as I learned when I interviewed Mary Anne several years ago. Ehlert continues to more than repay that gift by creating financial plans -- and teaching her system to other planners. She has created strategies specifically designed for the millions of parents dealing with children who will likely live long lives with conditions ranging from autism to physical handicaps.
This book contains checklists moving you from assessments, to benefits, to transitions. It guides you through topics such as setting up trusts that will not preclude the family member from benefits offered by the government, to dealing with insurance, income taxes and investments designed to protect the family member now and in the future.
Ehlert's financial planning website is www.ProtectedTomorrows.com, where you can learn more about her programs and order the book for $11.66. It is a wonderful gift for a caregiver.
Fatherly advice
Finally, if you're looking for a belated Father's Day gift, I have the perfect book for sharing this holiday. Investment guru Jim Rogers (whose books include "Investment Biker," "Adventure Capitalist" and "A Bull in China") has written a small volume of pithy advice. The title is almost longer than the book: "A Gift to My Children: A Father's Lessons for Life and Investing" (Random House, $16).
Blending advice to his two young children with investment maxims, this book is a wonderful trip through the lessons Rogers wants to pass on to his family -- and to your family.
He explains why he and his wife are raising their daughters in Singapore -- and ensuring that they learn Mandarin. His tales of traveling around the world by motorcycle and car illustrate his investment advice. And his instructions range from "Beware of all politicians, everywhere!" to "Remember who you are, and stay with it."
This book is so unusual, and so blended with personal morality and investment wisdom, that each generation can safely give it to the other as a demonstration of respect and love. And that's The Savage Truth.