Shoup Legal - November 2021

Take a look at our November newsletter!

Plan today for peace of mind tomorrow. NOVEMBER 2021

My Personal Experience With the Marines Pride and Service for Our Country

November is one of the most important months in America because it plays host to Veterans Day. We celebrate Veterans Day every year to honor our veterans for their patriotism and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the good of the nation. As a veteran and someone who continues to fight for the rights of veterans, this day holds even more significance for me. After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, our country was filled with an American pride that was unseen since the days of World War II. Like so many others during that time, I felt like it was my patriotic duty to fight for our freedoms and defend them from would-be threats. I was in college at the time and enlisted with the Marines a week after 9/11. I knew enlisting in the Marines would be physically demanding, but I was determined to be the best that I could possibly be. I knew that I could do great things with the Marines, and I never looked back.

When I met with my recruiter, I informed him that I wanted to fight in Iraq as an infantryman. He quickly responded with “roger that,” and within four months, I was in Iraq. This was a monumental change for me. I had never been a physically active person before joining the military. I didn’t play varsity sports; I was a member of the high school band. Joining the Marines was a way for me to show my gratitude for our country. I was deployed with the most heavily armed battalion in the Marines and the U.S. military. We were certainly the most battle-hardened group as we had fought all throughout Iraq. One of our greatest challenges while in Iraq was our time in the Al Anbar Province. This area had been decimated by combat, and it was our job to safeguard the area while reestablishing the government and military. We were deployed in a mobilized Humvee squad, and we patrolled the Syrian border, which was laced with explosives, while defending the area from any al-Qaida insurgents. There were definitely some scary moments during this intense time. During my eight-year tenure with the Marines, I experienced some amazing opportunities while defending our freedom. I was deployed to Iraq twice before joining an amphibious raid unit that was deployed to the Philippines and participated in various amphibious operations. After that, I entered into an instructor role in which I taught the next generation of Marines to take over. I was a black belt martial arts and marksman instructor and taught Marines how to be riflemen.

When you take a step back from our day-to- day lives, you realize how much in life we take for granted. There are so many people in the world and even our own country who are not as privileged as we are. From our basic freedoms to our communities, we should never stop showing appreciation for the things we have been gifted. People in Iraq are not so lucky. Only a very small percentage of the people in Iraq are the bad guys. Everyone else is just trying to live their lives in a war-torn country. Military service means the world to me. I can sleep peacefully at night, enjoy my life, and live in safety thanks to the service and sacrifice of our men and women in the military. I am extremely proud of my service and would not hesitate to do it again. To this day, I continue to support our veterans by working with many veterans groups to give back. Not all wounds are visible. Many of our veterans return home and struggle with their mental health. I’ve made it my goal to bring awareness to this crucial topic that affects so many men and women who have served our country.

Even though I’m no longer enlisted, I am still fighting to make our veterans’ lives better. –David Shoup

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OVERCOMING THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK Improving Your Mental Health One Step at a Time Almost everyone at some point has encountered a task that is seemingly simple, but no matter what they do, they can’t complete it. These tasks can be as straightforward as making the bed or something bigger, like cleaning an entire room. For many, this is an obstacle that they may want to do but can’t, which weighs heavily on them and becomes detrimental to their mental health. It’s important to understand that the impossible task is not a sign of laziness; depression and anxiety can make any task feel much bigger and more difficult than it actually is. If you find yourself unable to do the things you need or want to do, try these techniques to help overcome your obstacles. Break up the task. When the overarching task feels daunting, breaking it up into smaller segments can help you manage it. If you’re cleaning the kitchen, clean for only a few minutes at a time before taking a break. It might take longer, but the space will be clean at the end of the day.

Make the task more enjoyable. Play music or involve your pet in some way to make the task fun or create a reward system for yourself. For example, tidying a specific area of the house or folding a basket of laundry may earn you time to play video games or watch TV. Alternating tasks and rewards is a great way to overcome any task, big or small. It can help to consider why the task feels so impossible, especially if you used to enjoy it. Try to remember what made it enjoyable and see if you can return to that state of mind. If the objective is not so urgent, determine its importance and if the task can be saved for another day. When all else fails, you can always ask someone for support or even pay someone else to do the task for you. No matter what you decide, there are ways to defeat the impossible task.

Giving to Charities Through Estate Planning TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE

Major holidays like Thanksgiving and Veterans Day have made November into a month for remembrance, gratitude, and giving back. These are not the only holidays in November that pertain to these ideals though. Nov. 15 is National Philanthropy Day and Nov. 30 is Giving Tuesday. Making charitable donations is a noble cause and one you can even consider when planning your estate. Philanthropy is often referred to as gifts of time, talent, and treasure. For many of us, we don’t possess the time or the talent to give back to the many charitable organizations fighting for great causes, but through careful estate planning, it is possible to leave some of our treasures to them. At first, it might seem strange to leave some of your financial resources to a charity rather than your children, but there are quite a few benefits. For many of these groups, giving a little usually goes a long way. You don’t have to leave it all to charity to make a difference.

If you’re worried about the money or resources truly going to the right cause, you can leave specific instructions. It’s best to check with the organization prior to making this decision to confirm that they can meet your requests or they may reject your donation. The organization may use the funds as they see fit if you fail to leave a specific reason. It’s also great to leave a legacy for your children. In most cases, your heirs will not take a huge hit if you decide to leave some money for charity. They are usually not dependent on receiving an inheritance, so these individuals should not feel burdened if you decide to leave some of your assets to a charity. As we enter the season of giving and you begin to reflect on all of the things you’re thankful for, try not to forget the individuals who are able to dedicate their time and talents to these philanthropic organizations.

Plan today for peace

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Roasted Turkey Impress your Thanksgiving guests with this perfectly roasted — and easy — turkey!

Inspired by TheKitchn.com

Ingredients

At Shoup Legal, we pride ourselves on cultivating the greatest talent so we can provide the best possible service to our clients. Some of you may have noticed that one of our team members, Jennifer, was out of the office for parts of the summer and fall for a very exciting reason. In late August, Jennifer welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Evarose, into her home — and we’re sure that Jennifer’s son, Maddy, is extremely excited to be an older brother. Over the past four and a half years, Jennifer has become an invaluable member of our team. She came to Shoup Legal with a dedication to estate planning that is unmatched. While in law school at the California Western School of Law, Jennifer served as the president of the Estate Planning Society. Her passion for estate planning has only increased since joining our team. Jennifer uses compassion, experience, and sincerity to help her clients navigate their estate plans. She will be running the estate planning, trust administration, and probate division as the lead attorney when she returns to the office. It’s not just her estate planning expertise that makes her invaluable to our team — she also goes the extra mile when creating a team environment for everyone. We are always finding new ways to inspire camaraderie among our team members, and Jennifer has taken the reins as our office event coordinator. She has organized Christmas parties, an escape room, scavenger hunt activities, and so much more. And Jennifer doesn’t slow down when she’s away from work. She is an active member of the community and her church. She volunteers when she can and has participated in programs for the Wills for Heroes Foundation and other organizations. Jennifer, the Estate Planning Pro

• 1 whole turkey, thawed • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. 2. Remove packaging and giblets from inside of the turkey. 3. Place the turkey in a broiling pan breast-side up and rub it with salt and pepper. Pour the broth around the turkey. 4. Place the pan in the oven and turn the temperature down

to 350 F. Turkey should cook for 12–15 minutes per pound, typically 3–4 hours. 5. Remove the turkey from the oven every 45 minutes and baste it with the broth. 6. Once finished, let the turkey rest for 15–20 minutes before carving and serving.

What many may not know is that Jennifer is an avid board game enthusiast. Her family has hundreds of board games in their house and even has a room reserved for playing them. Evarose will certainly enjoy her time there! We greatly missed Jennifer during her leave and hope that she continues to create everlasting memories with her new daughter.

TAKE A BREAK

e of mind tomorrow.

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Plan today for peace of mind tomorrow. 39755 Date St., Ste. 203 | Murrieta, CA 92563 (951) 445-4114 | www.shouplegal.com

The holidays are right around the corner, and while many people can’t wait to eat turkey and swap presents, others only see stress on the horizon. Especially for those hosting parties, between decorations, big dinners, excited kids, and visiting family, it can all feel overwhelming. If celebrations are happening at your house this year, here are three tips to lessen the strain and keep up the holiday cheer. Recharge First Ensure you’re rested and recharged before the holidays by taking time to relax, getting enough sleep, and engaging in activities that make you feel good. When you’re rushing to get everything done, it can be tempting to skip self-care routines, but that will cost you in the long run. Your daily exercise and other health activities keep you balanced and ready to face challenges head-on. Get Started Early Holidays always arrive faster than we expect, so begin preparing early. If shopping for presents

is a pain point, don’t wait until the last minute. Decorate earlier than you need to — or better yet, get the kids to do it for you. There’s only so much cooking you can do ahead of time, but ensuring you have all of the equipment and nonperishable ingredients you need a few weeks in advance will reduce both your workload and anxiety. Don’t Expect Perfection The sooner you let go of the idea of a “perfect” holiday, the sooner you’ll be able to have a happy one. Face it: Something will go wrong. Whether it’s an overcooked dish, a child throwing a temper tantrum, or your uncle talking politics at the dinner table, nothing will ever go just how you planned. So, embrace the imperfections. Whether you’re celebrating this year with a group of two or 20, holidays can be a stressful time — but they don’t have to be. With these tips, your festivities may not be picture-perfect, but they will be a lot of fun.

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