Grandparents can either put a basic loan agreement in writing or do it simply with a handshake.

WSJ: Grandparents Helping More with Family Expenses

But to collect her four weeks' severance pay, she would have to agree in writing to continue to be bound by the agreement.

WSJ: Firms That Get Stingy With Layoff Packages May Pay a High Price

And we've gone about as far as we can in doing that in an agreement that does not include the leaders of the tax writing committee and Secretary Rubin, who is our guardian on that, finally signed off and said, well, this is the best we are going to be able to do.

CNN: AllPolitics - FDCH Transcript