🎵 "If I Had $1,000,000” – EOA Protecting What You’ve Built (Barenaked Ladies)
- jessica97150
- Mar 2, 2025
- 3 min read
Money.
Not the fun part of this journey…but one of the most important.
Because here’s the reality:
👉 Cognitive decline and finances do not mix well
👉 And mistakes can happen fast
So if your spouse or loved one is still in a place where they can understand and participate—
👉 Start the conversations now
👉 In small doses
Not all at once.
Not overwhelming.
Just… start.
💬 Start With the Basics (While You Still Can)
These are not easy conversations.
But they are necessary.
Talk about:
Accounts
Access
Responsibilities
Future planning
👉 Do it together, while they can still be part of the decisions
That matters—for both of you.
FREE CHECKLIST HERE-
🏦 Beneficiaries & Account Setup
This is one of the easiest—and most overlooked—steps.
✔️ Check all beneficiaries:
Bank accounts
Retirement accounts
Life insurance
✔️ Update if needed
💡 Limit Exposure in Joint Accounts
Keep lower balances in:
Joint checking
Joint savings
Why?
👉 Reduces risk of:
Accidental spending
Scams
Unauthorized transfers
You can keep larger funds in accounts with more control/oversight.
💳 Credit Cards – Lock It Down Early
This is a big one.
From what I’ve seen (and heard from support groups):
👉 Spending behavior can change
👉 Inhibitions can drop
👉 Judgment can shift quickly
That can lead to:
Overspending
Online purchases
Falling for scams
✔️ What We Did
Limited the number of cards he can access
Lowered spending limits
Set up real-time alerts (text/email)
👉 Every purchase = notification
It gives you visibility before things spiral.
🚨 Protect Against Scams & New Accounts
This is one of the BEST things you can do early:
👉 Freeze credit files
This prevents:
New credit cards being opened
Loans taken out in their name
Identity fraud
🔒 How to Freeze Credit
You’ll need to do this with all three bureaus:
👉 It’s free
👉 You can temporarily “unfreeze” if needed
⚖️ Other Financial “To-Do’s” (Do these early)
If you haven’t already, start thinking about:
Elder Attorney in your area- not all of the below need it, but if your assets are considerable, it is recommended.
📄 Legal Protections
Durable Power of Attorney (financial)
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Living Will
Revocable Living Trust for Assets
📊 Account Visibility
Make sure YOU can:
Access accounts
Pay bills
Monitor activity
📉 Simplify Everything
Consolidate accounts if possible
Reduce complexity
Automate bills where it makes sense
👉 Less confusion = fewer mistakes
💡 Real Talk
This is hard.
Because it can feel like:
Taking away independence
Taking control
Crossing a line
But the truth is:
👉 You are protecting them
👉 You are protecting your future
👉 You are protecting everything you’ve built together
🎵 Final Thought
We all think:
“If I had a million dollars…”
But this isn’t about how much you have.
It’s about protecting what you do have—from a disease that doesn’t understand consequences.
💬 Disclaimer
I’m not a medical professional—just a caregiver sharing our personal journey with Early Onset Alzheimer’s. Every situation is different, so please use what works for your family and consult medical, legal, or mental health professionals when needed.
This blog combines my real-life experiences with research, shared caregiver insight, and AI-assisted editing to help organize information and make these difficult topics easier to read and navigate. We’re all just trying to survive and help each other through it.
"If I had a million dollars" by Barenaked Ladies
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