Who this is for
For Older Adults Who Want Help With Their Own Bills
This page is written to you rather than to your children. You may be managing perfectly well and simply tired of the paperwork. You may have noticed a missed bill or two and would rather sort it out yourself than have your family discover it. Either way, asking for help with the bills is a practical decision, like hiring someone to do your taxes, and it keeps the decisions with you.
What help looks like
You decide what to hand over. Some people want every bill handled and a short report each month. Some want to keep paying their own bills and have someone check the statements for mistakes and anything suspicious. Some want help for a few months after a hospital stay and then want to take it back. All of those are ordinary.
Your bookkeeper works for you, from your own accounts, on your instructions. You keep your checkbook and your say over where your money goes.
Why people arrange it themselves
- The paperwork has become more tiresome than it is worth
- Your eyesight makes small print and screens harder than they were
- You would like a second pair of eyes on the accounts after a scam attempt
- You want your affairs tidy so your children are not left to sort them
- You would rather decide now who helps, than have it decided for you later
Your family, on your terms
You choose whether your children see anything. Some people want a son or daughter copied on the monthly report so they stop worrying; others prefer to keep their finances private and simply know the bills are handled. If you want to put a power of attorney or other plans in place while you are making these decisions, an elder law or estate attorney can do that. Your bookkeeper can tell the attorney what accounts you have so the documents cover them.
A plan for later
Many people use this as a chance to write down what someone would need if they had to step in: which accounts exist, where the important papers are, which bills are on autopay and who to call. Your bookkeeper can help you put that list together and keep it current, and you decide who gets a copy.
Older Adults Who Want Help With Their Own Bills: common questions
Will my children be told?
Only if you want them to be. You are the client, and you decide who sees what.
Can I stop at any time?
Yes. The engagement is monthly, and you can scale it back or end it.
Do I need to use a computer?
No. Paper bills and paper statements work fine; your bookkeeper adapts to how you prefer to do things.
What your bookkeeper can take on
- Daily Money Manager Services
- Bill Paying Services for Elderly Parents
- Caregiver Payroll Service
- Organizing a Parent's Paperwork
- Online Accounts and Passwords for a Parent
- Monthly Money Reports for the Family
Also written for Adult Children Managing a Parent's Bills, Long-Distance Caregivers, Siblings Sharing the Job, After a Spouse Dies, A Parent Moving to Assisted Living, Executors and Trustees Who Need the Records in Order and Families Recovering From a Scam.
Tell us what would help
A few lines is enough: who needs the help, what is piling up, and whether anything is urgent. A person replies within one business day to set up a short, free call. Requests answered within one business day · Calls Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm Eastern Or call (888) 833-9039 if you would rather talk first.