Reader feedback prompted this follow-up to last week’s column.

The accused me of giving inaccurate information and poor advice. No hard feelings to the reader, I know he meant well, and thanks for clearly articulating his concerns, which I will address.

Those following this column might remember the one published March 31, 2024, about conflicts of interest. It addressed the elephant in the room when considering the advice of a lawyer columnist.

I am not just a columnist, I am also a lawyer running a law firm. I could choose to use my column in a self-interested way, persuading readers that particular legal services are necessary even if they are not. I genuinely intend to provide helpful legal opinions and information.

I get a kick out of helping people, which I believe is a universal human trait. I do my best to be vigilant and not to allow self-interest to get in the way. Maybe I was too vigilant last week.

I provided a cost-benefit analysis that pointed against a young person incurring the expense of a power of attorney. An easy sales pitch for a power of attorney is that it’s a choice between paying a small amount now or leaving it to your loved ones to pay a whole lot more........

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