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MAY 2023
The Best Gift You Can Give Your Family Jennifer’s Advice for the Perfect Mother’s Day
A few months ago, my daughter came to me and asked, “Mom, is it okay if I sleep over at Grandma’s once a week?”
Mom clearly appreciated each present, but I always felt like the gift wasn’t truly the No. 1 thing on her wish list! Eventually, I recognized a secret gift option that surpassed all the rest: spending quality time with me.
is it one of my best memories, but it was also one of the best gifts I could have given her.
I raised my eyebrows. Noa and my mom are as close as two peas in a pod, but how many 9-year- olds ask to spend more time with Grandma?
It may have taken me ages to stop giving my mom physical things, but I’m proud Noa caught on quickly to the importance of spending time with the people we love. Ever since putting the pieces together myself, I’ve tried to emphasize making mother-daughter memories with her. I often repeat the saying, “Memories over possessions.” Giving time away to other people is easier said than done. My time is my most precious commodity. I protect it at all costs — and I’m sure you feel the same way! I’m so busy working and being a mom, partner, and stepmom that it’s hard to give my rare hours of alone time to my family and friends. Still, it’s the best gift I have to give. I genuinely believe that what all our children, siblings, and parents want from us most — even if they don’t say it — is more time together. So, that’s my advice for you this Mother’s Day! Instead of worrying about finding the perfect lavish gift, make a long phone call, schedule lunch, or plan another activity with your family. You can’t go wrong if you gift your time. –Jennifer Knight
That “aha!” moment changed the way I view gift-giving on Mother’s Day, birthdays, and Christmas. I thought back to my own childhood and realized that even though I received many wonderful
“Of course, My Baby,” I said.
“Thanks!” She flashed me a smile. “I think she’ll really like it.”
gifts, I only remember a few of them. Instead, my best memories
revolve around adventures with my
Noa scampered off to play, leaving me staring after her. I couldn’t believe it. At 9, Noa had figured out what it took me years to understand: Time together is the best gift she can give my mom. Like I said, it took me ages to get this. Gift- giving is one of my love languages, and I spent years buying expensive presents for my mom to show her how much I care. Once, I bought her a designer purse I knew she would love. Another year, I got her a new washer and dryer to replace her old set. But something strange happened each time I gave her a gift.
parents and grandparents.
My parents gave me the gift of picking blackberries at the base of Big Bear Mountain and plucking apricots in a sunny local orchard. As for my grandma, I’ll never forget our afternoons in the kitchen. Once, she wanted to show me how to make raspberry preserves. We started to boil our fruit, sugar, and lemon juice on the stove. Then, the two of us got to talking, and while our backs were turned, the preserves turned into molasses! They were completely inedible, but decades later, the memory of laughing and bonding with my grandma is still seared into my brain. Not only
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The Homeowner’s Exemption vs. The Homestead Exemption
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Dealing with important paperwork for your home and estate plan can feel like wading through alphabet
imagine you’re
involved in a car accident, and your insurance isn’t enough to cover the judgment
soup. So many forms have similar names that it seems impossible to tell them apart! Two of the worst offenders in this category are the California Homeowner’s Exemption and the California Homestead Exemption. Their names are almost identical, but they have very different functions. We put together this quick guide to help you understand the difference.
against you. When the other driver puts a lien on your home and forces you to sell, the Homestead Exemption kicks in and ensures that you still have money in the bank.
How much money? Well, that depends on the median home price in the county where you live. As of 2023, all Californians are guaranteed at least $339,000, but if you live in a county with higher home prices, the Homestead Exemption could protect as much as $678,000 of your equity. Claiming the protection of the Homestead Exemption is easy — you already have it! It’s automatically applied to every primary residence in California. There’s no paperwork to file or office to call. If you live in the Golden State, you’re protected. A Quick Recap The Homeowner’s Exemption is a property tax reduction, and to get it, you need to file an exemption claim form with your county assessor. You should contact the county assessor’s office if you have questions about the Homeowner’s Exemption. In contrast, the Homestead Exemption is a protective measure that safeguards some of the equity in your home from creditors. There’s no need to take action to get this exemption. As a California resident, you have it automatically.
The Homeowner’s Exemption The Homeowner’s Exemption is a property tax reduction on your primary residence. If you claim the exemption, the county assessor will reduce the taxable value of your property by $7,000. This means you’ll save about $70 per year in property taxes! To get this exemption, you must fill out the exemption claim form (Form BOE-266) and turn it in to your county assessor’s office. The good news is that you’ve likely already done this, even if you don’t remember it. When you move into a new home, the county assessor automatically mails you the exemption claim form. That means you probably completed and filed it during the closing process or shortly afterward. If you’re unsure whether you’ve filed your exemption claim form, check your property tax bill. You should see the $70 deduction there. If you don’t see the deduction, contact your county assessor’s office. They can confirm whether your exemption claim form is on file, send you a copy of the form if needed, and answer any other questions you might have. The Homestead Exemption The Homestead Exemption makes sure you won’t be left penniless if creditors come after your home to settle a debt. For example,
Hopefully, this guide helped you make sense of the alphabet soup!
–Jennifer Knight
2 PrestonEstatePlanning.com
Level Up Your Next Family Game Night
IMPRESS YOUR KIDS WITH THESE FRESH CHOICES
Solution on Pg. 4
If you’re tired of playing Catan every family board game night, we have good news: There are brand-new games in town! Consider adding these three options to your family’s stash. Wavelength Not only is this game perfect for playing with your whole family (ages 5 and up), but it also actively encourages conversation! Up to 12 players can split into teams and use hints from their peers to guess their teammates’ opinions on various topics. The issues can range from the merit of hit movies to “Where, on the scale of wet to dry, is spaghetti?” The New York Times’ Wirecutter ranked Wavelength among the best board games of 2022 and recommended it to fans of other interactive, team-based guessing games like Codenames. Steam Up: A Feast of Dim Sum Who doesn’t love a food-themed board game? This fun, fast-paced game for 2–5 players, ages 14 and up, comes with a Lazy Susan filled with dim sum ingredients. You play as a Zodiac animal and aim to collect more dim sum than any other players. Instead of fortune cookies, fortune cards help determine your luck! “If you’re looking for a fresh new party game in 2023, Steam Up looks like a real tabletop joy,” GamesHub reports. Steam Up was launched on Kickstarter and, as we write this, is available for preorder and expected to ship soon. Small World Kids ages 8 and up will love this board game, especially if they’re “Lord of the Rings” fans. As Wirecutter explains, “Imagine a game of Risk set in Middle- earth that didn’t take as long to play as rewatching all of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films would. That’s pretty much the experience of Small World, an area- control game filled with elves, dwarves, and halflings, among others.” When you sit down to play, you choose a band of magical creatures and a power, then set up your “empire” and battle the other players for land and gold. At the end of 60–80 minutes of strategizing, the richest player wins the game.
Salmon Croquettes With Dill Sauce Inspired by Epicurious.com
Ingredients
• • • • • • • • • •
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
6 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
2 14.75-oz cans salmon packed in water
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large white onion, finely chopped
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tbsp salt 1 tbsp pepper 2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, Dijon mustard, and dill to make the dill sauce. Set aside. 2. Drain the salmon, then remove and discard the bones and skin. In a large bowl, mix the salmon, celery, onion, eggs, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 8 patties. Coat a medium skillet with olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Cook the patties until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. 3. Put a dollop of the dill sauce on top of each patty and serve.
If any of these games catch your eye, head to your local game store and ask if they’re available, or jump online to snag them yourself!
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Inside 1
Jennifer’s Best Mother’s Day Advice
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The Homeowner’s and Homestead Exemptions, Explained
New Family Board Games Are Here!
Salmon Croquettes With Dill Sauce
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Want the Best Sleep of Your Life?
3 Hotels to Visit for a Great Night’s Sleep
Park Hyatt New York (NYC): This hotel features a “Sleep Suite” designed by Bryte, a company that uses AI to facilitate sleep. The room touts an intuitive “Restorative Bed,” which adjusts to relieve pressure points and controls climate
If you’ve ever planned a vacation, you’ve probably picked a few key places to visit, like a museum, restaurant, or historic site. However, a new vacation trend is becoming increasingly popular: sleep tourism, where a traveler plans their entire vacation to get the best quality sleep during their time away. Before, common goals for vacations were to eat delicious foods, stay up late to see the sights, and fit in as much activity as possible. However, this left travelers completely exhausted. And as our culture continues to understand how important sleep is to our health, more people are prioritizing rest even while they’re away. But being a sleep tourist is about more than going to bed early and ensuring you get your recommended eight hours of rest. It’s about building your vacation around sleep. Some hotels even offer rooms tailored to sleep tourists, with amenities so popular that their sleep options have become regular offerings.
temperature throughout the night, according to each person’s needs. This suite also includes an array of soothing essential oils, a diffuser, and books about sleep. The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel (London) : This hotel offers a “sleep concierge,” which boasts prerecorded sleep meditations and a pillow selection menu for every type of sleeper. Sleepers can even benefit from the hotel’s weighted blankets, scented pillow mist service, and their proprietary sleep tea. Zedwell (London): The first ever “sleep-centric” hotel, Zedwell uses recycled materials to insulate every door, wall, and floor from sound. This hotel also purifies the air within the hotel and fills every space with ambient lighting.
So, if sleep tourism sounds like something you’d be interested in, here are three hotels that help you catch those z’s.
4 PrestonEstatePlanning.com
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