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THE LEGAL NAVIGATOR JANUARY 2020
FROM THE DESK OF
Mike Bryan
Happy NewYear! I hope you’ve enjoyed spending time with friends and family during the 2019 holiday season. Hopefully, during that busy time of year, you had a chance to take a break, pause, and be thankful for all of the many things that have blessed your life. Well, we have an exciting year planned ahead! My interview of local care facilities will continue to provide more valuable information for clients. I’ve introduced additional tiers to my client care program to provide further services and programming as well. If you have any questions about the programs, please feel free to call. Lastly, we are proud to announce that Carter A. Brown has joined our office as a new attorney. He will be working in the field of civil, criminal, and appellate litigation. For more information on Carter, please visit our website. This month, I’m featuring my interview with Continuing Healthcare at Willow Haven. I interviewed Amy Drake, Director of Admissions / Marketing, and Holly Tilton, Director of Social Services. Continuing Healthcare at Willow Haven is available for skilled nursing and rehabilitation services, hospice / palliative care, long-term care, and respite stays. Please go to the link below to watch our interview.
Back in 2011, the Harvard Business Review published an article called “First, Let’s Fire All the Managers.” It listed the cons of management, like inefficiency, costliness, an increase in “calamitous” decision making, slower response time, and the disempowerment of lower-level employees. Then, it advocated for an entirely new kind of company: one without titles and promotions, where “no one has a boss.” During the 2008 recession, many companies had fired all of their managers — or at least a big chunk of them. But, while some soldiered on with the new structure when the economy bounced back, many others returned to the old way of doing things, replacing the managers they’d lost. So, if the brilliant minds at Harvard were so against the idea, why did they do it? Well, just like anything else, management positions have pros as well as cons. A good manager can inspire and motivate their team to greater heights, model good behavior patterns, and groom the next generation of leaders. Not every manager is a good manager, but anyone who has secured a skilled manager can tell you they’re invaluable. Whether you’re worried your current management is ineffective or are on the hunt for a new department head, it pays to know the traits of an effective manager. Below, we’ve gathered a few characteristics to watch out for as summed up by experts in the field. MANAGING THE MANAGERS Is Your Business’s Management Effective?
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If you have any further questions for Amy or Holly, please contact them at 740-454-9747. Have a great month!
–Mike
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If you’re in the appropriate age bracket, Social Security may play a major role in your finances. So, it’s important to know how Social Security will be changing in 2020. Trust Fund Unless Congress takes some drastic actions in the coming months, the current excess trust fund revenue will be depleted by the year 2034. If that happens, Social Security will only be able to pay 79% of the promised benefits from ongoing payroll taxes. You may need to think about what your financial plan would be like with 21% less income. Retirement Age If you haven’t reached retirement yet, this one is important to consider. If you were born after 1959, the full retirement age is now 67 for you. You’ll still be able to start taking some benefits at age 62, but they’ll be at reduced monthly payments. SOCIAL SECURITY IN 2020 Know What’s Changing “A GOOD MANAGER IS A MAN WHO ISN’T WORRIED ABOUT HIS OWN CAREER, BUT RATHER THE CAREERS OF THOSE WHO WORK FOR HIM.” –H.S.M. BURNS In other words, a good manager is one who is loyal not only to their company but also to their team. They care deeply about the people they work with, including their issues outside the office — like how their family is doing, whether they’re in good mental health, and how they’re coping financially. When employees feel like their managers view them as individuals rather than numbers, they’re more engaged, more productive, and happier. The opposite feeling has the opposite effect. Forbes reports that, according to a Gallup poll, “Among employees who strongly agree that they can approach their manager with any type of question, 54% are engaged. When employees strongly disagree, only 2% are engaged, while 65% are actively disengaged.” “IF YOUR ACTIONS INSPIRE OTHERS TO DREAM MORE, LEARN MORE, DO MORE, AND BECOME MORE, YOU ARE A LEADER.” –JOHN QUINCY ADAMS Loyalty is a close cousin to this second managerial necessity: motivation. A manager needs to motivate and inspire the people they manage. According to CareerBuilder, a good manager who’s adept at motivating others can boost morale and increase productivity. “The best managers have a keen eye for areas that could be improved and know how to
approach these issues diplomatically so workers feel encouraged to make productive changes, rather than discouraged by their shortcomings,” CareerBuilder reports.
“THE ART OF COMMUNICATION IS THE LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP.” –JAMES HUME
More than perhaps anyone else in the company, a manager needs to have top-notch communication skills. Not only are managers the ones assigned to handle the most difficult clients with grace but they also act as mediators in employee disputes. Managers are also tasked with communicating the company’s goals to employees, a charge that can either fall flat or spur action. As Victor Lipman wrote for Forbes, “Simple communication one can count on goes a long way toward building manager-employee rapport. And rapport builds trust ... trust builds engagement ... and engagement yields productivity.”
Cost of Living Low inflation means that Social Security benefits will only see a minor cost of living increase. This year, it’s expected to be around 1.6%. It’s not major, but if you’re living off Social Security alone, every penny is important. Maximum Benefits Those near the top of the Social Security income scale in 2019 will see an increase in their maximum payout in 2020. The maximum payout for an individual will be capped at $2,861 per month. That translates to $34,332 per year, so consider how that may impact your finances. Taxes How much your benefits are taxed depends on your household income levels. For example, 50% of your benefits will be taxed if you make between $25,000–$34,000 individually or $32,000–$44,000 for married couples. If you’re above that income bracket, then 85% of your benefits will be taxable.
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Help Your Kids Achieve MoreThis Year
With Simple and Actionable Goals
try to help more around the house” incorporate good values but don’t include any actionable steps. Help your kids think of tangible ways to act on those goals. For example, if they want to be tidier, a good resolution might be for them to clean their room once a week or take responsibility for one household chore every day. Don’t do all the work for them. While it’s important for you to help your kids formulate their goals, be sure that you aren’t taking over. If they’re ultimately responsible for their resolutions, they’ll feel more compelled to keep them. Instead, suggest different goal areas they could improve, such as home, school, or sports, and let them elaborate. When it comes to creating habits, nobody is perfect, so even if your kids falter on their goals in the middle of February, don’t worry. The important thing is that you continue to encourage them every step of the way.
With every new year comes an opportunity to reinvent ourselves or start down a new path toward self-improvement. Making resolutions is a big part of many families’ New Year’s traditions, and parents often have a desire for their kids to take part in that tradition when they’re old enough. Following through on resolutions is tough, especially for young children, but with your help, they can achieve their goals. Practice what you preach. You are your children’s role model for almost everything, including following through on New Year’s resolutions. So, ask yourself if you follow through on your own resolutions. When you proclaim that you will read more books or finally get a gym membership, do you actually try to do it? Your kids will assign as much importance to New Year’s resolutions as you do, so by sticking to your own commitments, you can help them stay on track, too. Keep things simple and achievable. When your kids are forming their resolutions, their first attempts will probably be very broad. Statements like “I want to be more kind” or “I will
Take a Break!
HOPPIN’ JOHN
A traditional New Year’s favorite in the South, Hoppin’ John includes black- eyed peas that are said to represent coins, a sign of prosperity for the coming year. It’s usually served alongside collard greens, which represent cash.
Ingredients
• • •
1 smoked ham hock 1 medium onion, diced 1 cup long-grain white rice
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1 cup dried black-eyed peas
5–6 cups water
1 dried hot pepper, optional (arbol and Calabrian are great options)
Directions
should have about 2 cups of liquid remaining. 4. Add rice, cover, drop heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, undisturbed. 5. Remove from heat and let steam for an additional 10 minutes, still covered. 6. Remove lid, fluff with a fork, and serve.
1. Wash and sort peas. 2. In a saucepan, cover peas with water, discarding any that float. 3. Add pepper, ham hock, and onion. Gently boil and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peas are just tender, about 90 minutes. At this point, you
NEW YEAR RESOLUTION TOAST WINTER
GOALS JANUARY JANUS MIDNIGHT
CELEBRATE CHAMPAGNE CONFETTI COUNTDOWN
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Mike PAGE 1 Managing the Managers PAGE 1 Changes to Social Security in 2020 PAGE 2 Helping Your Kids Make New Year’s Resolutions PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Hoppin’ John PAGE 3 Real Winter Wonderlands PAGE 4
ESCAPE TO A WINTER WONDERLAND Chill Out in These Frosty Destinations
Snow is magical and gorgeous — unless you have to commute in it. If you want to enjoy all the wonder that winter has to offer without the hassle, why not turn it into a vacation? Here are a few breathtaking, snow-covered destinations that any winter lover can enjoy. Bulguksa Temple, South Korea Above the city of Gyeongju, this ancient Buddhist temple has stood on the slopes of Tohamsan Mountain since the eighth century. Bulguksa, or “Temple of the Buddha Land,” is South Korea’s No. 1 UNESCOWorld Heritage Site, making it a popular attraction for domestic and international tourism. The crowds and school tours die down during the winter, however, which also happens to be when Bulguksa is at its most pristine. The iced-over lotus ponds and snow-dusted pagodas add to the sense of tranquility this site naturally exudes.
The Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy If you want the feel of a ski trip to the Alps without the packed slopes and ritzy resorts, the Dolomites are just for you. Located in northeastern Italy, this stunning mountain range is home to some of the best skiing in Europe, as well as many historical sites. The secluded villages that dot the mountain valleys are an attraction in their own right, especially for the rustic cuisine you’ll find there. Don’t expect pasta though. This region is a melting pot of flavors from Austria, northern Italy, and the local Ladin people. Ricotta and sauerkraut pancakes, anyone?
The Antarctic This is the one entry on this list that is best enjoyed during the summer months, which is December–February in the Southern Hemisphere, because that’s when the freezing temperatures of the southernmost continent are at their most hospitable. The Antarctic has become an increasingly popular tourist destination, with cruises taking adventure seekers through the vast, untouched beauty of this far-flung destination. Some tourists even enjoy kayaking or cross-country skiing through this icy paradise.
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