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The Works Everything you need to know for greater peace of mind.
913-214-1884
www.kcestateworks.com
July 2018
How I Hung My Shingle And How I Plan on Keeping It There
The mindset was all about security. To be effective, this type of planning must be implemented well in advance of troubled times. Unfortunately, for many people, when the ressession hit, it was already too late to do any meaningful planning. Like all of you, I eventually weathered the storm. Partnering with Kennedy Berkley in 2011 allowed me to take on additonal finance-related work, and over the last nine years, my practice has grown into the corporate and estate-planning niche I originally envisioned. Business is once again good for my clients. It is fantastic to see many of you flourshing and growing your businesses and retirement accounts. While I love seeing newfound expansion, it’s also important to remember where we started. We are now seven years into a bull market, and it may continue for another 10 years or it may end tomorrow. No one truly knows when the next recession will hit. But if you want to do any type of preventive planning, the time to do so is now. The Great Recession wasn’t just a defining point for starting my business — it also taught me to never forget how important a safety net is. That goes beyond my practice; it holds true for you as well. Do you have a stable retirement plan? If you’re a business owner, have you diversified your structure? Do you know your risks? Where are your assets? Will your estate plan hold up if another recession hits? These are the questions I love to help people answer.
In 2009, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had fallen roughly 50 percent from its high in 2007. I am sure most of you remember it quite well, but with the Dow now currently above 25,000 (practically double its high from 2007), I feel it is important to revisit where we were just nine short years ago. 2009 also happened to be the year that I first hung my shingle. I was 27 at the time, and in my infinite wisdom, I thought why not start a business when the country was knee-deep in a financial meltdown? Truth be told, this was a decision of necessity above all else. Like many Americans at the time, I had no idea where my next mortgage payment was going to come from. When I started practicing law, law firms were shedding associates left and right. The few firms that were hiring certainly weren’t looking to beef up their corporate finance or
estate planning divisions. I had a law license and I had a degree, but there was nowhere for me to go with them. The only choice left was to start my firm, and while the pundits may claim that a recession is the best time to start a business, let me tell you … it ain’t all that fun. Starting off was bare bones. Sharon Weaver at Mission Financial Planning (bless her soul) let me use part of her office space, and all I needed to do next was build a client base. How hard could it be, right? My original plan went out the window. With my finance background, I wanted to focus the firm on estate and corporate planning, but the environment of the time meant that clients needed help with bankruptcy, asset protection, Medicaid, Medicare, and other preventive measures the law provides. No one was talking about business growth.
-John Thompson 913-214-1884 1
Choosing a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.
COOKIE DOUGH:
Is It Really Bad for You?
We all do it. You make a batch of chocolate chip cookies and spoon yourself a sample of the dough. Then the kids clamor for a taste. By the time the first batch of cookies comes out of the oven, everyone’s had their fill.
have confirmed the dangers present in flour. Both organizations have investigated illnesses across the country that have been traced to raw flour. What makes flour problematic? The flour you buy in the supermarket is minimally treated from the moment the grain is harvested to the moment you add it to your favorite cookie recipe. Bacteria in the wheat field can travel all the way to your home.
But is eating raw cookie dough, or even cake batter, a bad idea?
We’ve all heard about the dangers of eating raw cookie dough, but how many of us actually know someone who has gotten sick after eating it? Years ago, conventional wisdom suggested that the raw eggs in cookie dough harbored bacteria that would make you sick. Everyone seemed to worry about anything that had to do with raw eggs. As it turns out, raw eggs are surprisingly safe. If the eggs are properly handled and stored, chances are they won’t make you sick, even if consumed raw. The danger of salmonella poisoning is negligible. The danger, instead, comes from raw flour. Dry flour, as it sits in your kitchen cabinet, can harbor harmful bacteria, including E. coli. Research by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The FDA recommends you avoid eating raw dough or batter and use proper kitchen hygiene — wash your hands, utensils, and work surfaces before and after contact with raw flour. Wait until the cookies are fully baked and cooled before enjoying their amazingness. If you or your kids really love cookie dough — never fear! There are many recipes available online for flourless (as well as eggless) cookie dough. These recipes are great for anyone with food allergies and anyone who loves to indulge in raw cookie dough but doesn’t want the risk. Check them out!
TESTIMONIALS
At KC Estate Works, we are dedicated to your estate, tax, and business succession plans. We’re here to help you achieve peace of mind by getting your affairs in order and minimizing the burden placed on your loved ones. That’s why every referral you send our way makes a difference. We get to help even more people. Thank you for your referrals, and thank you for placing your trust in us — not only to help you but to help the people you care about. Your Referrals Make a Difference
“Absolutely amazing service! Everyone should have estate documents, and I know we all stress about the hassle of getting it all done. John and his team could not have made it easier for my husband and me. They listened and created documents that take care of everything. He even came out to my office on a Saturday to notarize the paperwork for us. Thank you so much!”
–Dr. Christina Carter, Adjust Your Health Chiropractic
“John is the best. He took the time to make the process very simple for us and explained things in an easy-to-understand manner. I would recommend John to anyone looking into estate planning.”
–Matt and Annette Redhair
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www.kcestateworks.com
Refer a Friend and Win! KC ESTATE WORKS’ REFERRAL PROGRAM
We’re not going to pretend the Royals are any good this year,
barbecue sauce, and maple pepper bacon is worth the price of admission. Especially when admission is free through our new referral program! For every client you refer to us, your name will be entered into a drawing to win four dugout box Royals tickets plus parking pass for the August 31 night game against the Baltimore Orioles. Your referral doesn’t even have to be a paying customer. To enter the contest, all your
A referral isn’t just an excellent opportunity for you to win; you’ll be helping us learn. Every new client has specific needs and unique
but that doesn’t make a day at Kauffman Stadium any less of a summer tradition. If you’re anything like us, you’ll spend most of your time in awe of the fantastic food items, so you won’t have
requests. By referring business to us, you are
making our firm more well-rounded. We love a challenge, but most importantly, we thrive on the opportunity to serve. If you have any questions about our referral program, reach out to us today. Drawings will be collected through August 15, and we can’t wait to announce the winner at the beginning of fall. In the meantime, contact us for any of your needs. And of course, go Royals!
time to watch Jorge Soler
strike out or Danny Duffy get taken yard, anyway. If you don’t believe me, you haven’t tried Kansas City CHZ Steak in section 250 or DogFather’s hot dog grill by Gate D. I think most would agree that a dog with mac and cheese, sweet
referral has to do is attend a free initial consult. They are under no obligation to do business with us.
Every potential client increases your odds of winning. Just tell your friends and family
to mention your name, and we’ll make sure to document your entry.
Laugh Out Loud
BLUE CHEESE BUFFALO DOGS AND CELERY SLAW
Ingredients
For Celery Slaw: • 4 celery stalks, very thinly sliced • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice • 1 teaspoon olive oil • Celery salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 package of your favorite hot dogs • 1 package hot dog buns • 1 bottle Frank’s RedHot sauce • 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
Directions
1. For slaw, toss all ingredients together and season with celery salt and pepper. 2. Grill hot dogs and toast buns. 3. Assemble hot dogs, douse with hot sauce, and top with celery slaw. 4. Top with blue cheese, add another splash of hot sauce if you’re feeling extra spicy, and serve.
Inspired by Bon Appetit magazine
913-214-1884 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
5350 College Blvd Overland Park, Kansas 66211
I nside T his I ssue
1
Born From the Ashes of the Great Recession
2
Should You Stop Eating Raw Cookie Dough Right Now? Testimonials
3 How to Win With Our Referral Program
Blue Cheese Buffalo Dogs and Celery Slaw
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Common Misconceptions
Lies You’ve Been Told Fiction That Holds Too Much Weight
You Eat Spiders While You Sleep
Fallacies are fed to us on a daily basis, and some are more believable than others. Here are a few popular misconceptions.
You may have heard this chilling myth before, but it’s simply not true. Spiders are very sensitive to vibrations — they won’t willingly approach a breathing or snoring human. It isn’t in our eight-legged friends’ nature to crawl into a person’s mouth.
Cracking Your Knuckles Will Cause Arthritis
Studies show that there aren’t any dangers to cracking your knuckles, besides annoying someone with the noise. For a long time, many speculated that the cause of the cracking or popping noise was either the resetting of joints and tendons or the formation of fluid that lubricates the joints. Dr. Donald Unger was the first person to conduct an experiment with the hypothesis that cracking your knuckles doesn’t lead to arthritis. He cracked only the knuckles in his left hand for over 50 years. Later in life, both hands were arthritis-free.
The Great Wall of China Is Visible From Space
You Use Only 10 Percent of Your Brain
Your brain is constantly in use. Every single action you perform, including digestion, coughing, speaking, thinking, and breathing, are all carried out by processes in the brain. There are levels of consciousness that cause parts of your brain to be less active than others, but there isn’t one singular area that ceases to work for any long period of time.
While the size of the Great Wall is truly spectacular, that doesn’t mean it can be seen from outer space. It’s not at all visible from the moon, and even from low orbit, it’s difficult to spot the wall with an unaided eye. According to NASA, the theory was first shaken by Yang Liwei, a Chinese astronaut, who said he was unable to see the Great Wall from space. Later, a camera with a 180 mm lens and a 400 mm lens captured the wall from a low orbit.
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www.kcestateworks.com
Choosing a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.
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