Take a look at our newsletter this month!
SWERDLOFF In The Know
www.lawwithasmile.com • 310-577-9104
OCTOBER 2017
I’M HERE TO LISTEN, ON AND OFF THE BOAT
Within the span of a deep-sea fishing trip, there’s a lot of adventure. Your line is resting in the water when suddenly you feel a tug, and you realize there’s a big something on the other end. In our southern coastal waters, you’re probably going to find a tuna waiting for you at the end of the line. But it’s not exactly like an episode of “Deadliest Catch.” In reality, deep-sea fishing involves a whole lot of waiting. I’ve been going deep-sea fishing with my sons since they were young. There’s nothing quite like going out onto the water and spending two days on a boat, immersed in the ocean air, putting in line after line to make a catch. While you’re waiting, there’s plenty of conversation that happens on the boat. These trips have become a way to reconnect with my sons and take part in deeper conversations with them — all while we’re waiting for the next catch. When someone comes in to talk about estate planning, the skills I’ve honed on my fishing trips actually come into play. No, not my skills as a fisherman — my listening skills. When you come in to talk to me about planning for yourself or a loved one, you are trusting me to hear what you say. And I do. In fact, what I’ve heard while listening to you has led me to the area of law I practice today. In conversations with my clients, I’ve been asked many questions about law. After careful listening, I realized most people were concerned about what would happen to
their loved ones after they passed and how they would be taken care of.
Realizing that this was a common thread in people's legal concerns shifted my whole practice. It’s the reason I began to focus on special needs and estate planning. At the time, it was a deliberate decision to concentrate on what people needed. It’s also the reason I decided to write a book on the topic. After many years spent working to give you the answers and finding no other in-depth place to find them, my book is coming out. It goes back over 20 years of experience answering questions from you about estate planning and special needs. If you’ve ever wondered “Why do I need a trust?” or “How do I pick proper trustees and guardians for my children?” my book will have answers for you. It covers complex topics about choosing an estate planning attorney and whether involving your CPA or financial advisor in estate planning makes sense for you. My book digs into the tough questions that you might not know or be afraid to ask, and it gives you straight answers. You’ll also find answers to questions relating to special needs. In fact, there’s an entire chapter dedicated to families with children who have learning challenges or physical limitations. Our resource guide for special needs families, which is available to download for free at ca.familieswithspecialneeds.com, is also a good accompaniment to this chapter.
Along with my book, we’re welcoming a new face to Swerdloff Law. On page 3, we have more to share about Nikki Jaro, our new client services director. Recently, my youngest son asked when we’re going fishing. To show him I’m listening, I’m planning a trip for us this month. It’s a great time of year to catch some tuna. If you are interested in learning more about estate planning (particularly when special needs are involved) look for more information in upcoming newsletters about my book. I’ll be making this resource available to answer your questions about estate planning — maybe ones you don't even know you have yet. And if you want to have a conversation in the meantime, well, on and off the boat, I’m here to listen.
–Arthur J. Swerdloff
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www.lawwithasmile.com • 310-577-9104
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4 WAYS YouMay Be Able to Prevent Dementia Before It Starts
bide our time until there’s a cure, but recent research by the Alzheimer’s Research Center paints a different picture. A set of simple lifestyle changes may be the key to staving off cognitive decline as we get older. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 50 percent, according to Help Guide, and it can even slow the onset of already-present cognitive decline. Walk or swim for about 150 minutes each week, along with two to three sessions of moderate resistance training, as well as balance and coordination exercises. Check out eldergym.com for more info on staying active as you age. Heart-healthy eating may also protect the brain. Limit your intake of sugar and saturated fats and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Replace
butter and margarine with olive or canola oil. Two diets that have been linked to heart health are the DASH diet (dashdiet.org) and the Mediterranean diet. Frequent social engagement may help keep your brain sharp. Make efforts to speak face to face with someone you’re close to as often as you can. Try to make new friends, volunteer, join a club or social group, get to know your neighbors, or connect with people over social media. Mental stimulation may also be important to brain health as we age. Study something new to you, such as a foreign language or a musical instrument. Make reading books and newspapers part of your regular routine. Try doing crossword or sudoku puzzles. It’s not difficult to find an activity you enjoy that will also help keep your brain active.
From the moment you wake up in the morning, it feels like a dense fog fills your head. When you drag yourself out of bed and go to make yourself a plate of eggs and toast, it suddenly seems like a much more complicated task than before. You lose track of time, and the smell of smoke enters your nostrils. Frantically turning the burner off, it occurs to you that you can’t remember the day of the week. According to Time Magazine, 47 million people around the world live with some type of dementia. Typically, as we age, we’re told that all we can do is hope for the best and
SELF-CARE IS NOT SELFISH
Why Taking Care of Yourself Is Crucial to Taking Care of Others
When you’re part of a caretaking team for individuals with special needs, it is a 24/7 job. Even when you’re not on the clock, the people you care for are on your mind. That’s part of the reason you chose this job. You are passionate about helping people and providing them with the best care possible. Especially if your are a parent or family member of someone with special needs, their well-being is a huge part of your life. The problem is, this might mean you are neglecting your own care. And as airline attendants always remind us, in the event of an emergency, put on your oxygen mask first. Don’t wait for an emergency. Make taking care of yourself a priority today. I know this might sound impossible. You already have so much on your plate. And you are doing an amazing job! But the
caretaker needs to be cared for, too. You might not realize it, but those depending on you are also depending on your well-being. What happens if you get sick or aren’t mentally available? Practicing self-care ensures they can depend on you. Enlist a support group for yourself and use resources to make sure you are well.
• Remembering your personal goals and dedicating time to them.
By committing to your own care, you’re actually benefiting those you care for. For more resources for special needs caretakers, visit familieswithspecialneeds. com for a free resource guide and other suggestions on how you can practice self-care.
See to your self-care by:
• Getting annual checkups.
• Making time for yourself, whether
it’s five minutes drinking your cup of coffee and watching the sunrise or 20 minutes lifting weights and improving your strength.
• Finding a counselor to support you.
•
Carving out time for your social life. Your friends are part of your support group.
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www.lawwithasmile.com • 310-577-9104
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Tips for Buying a Car
DURING RETIREMENT
Maybe your decades-old car finally bit the dust. Maybe your ride got totaled by a teenager on a smartphone. Or maybe you just want a new set of wheels. There are a lot of reasons why you may find yourself
looking to buy a car, and there are a lot of questions to answer before you do.
Third, could you just pay cash? Most of us don’t have buckets of the stuff lying around, but you can always tap into an IRA or other account for the money to buy a car. Try to do half in December and half in January to split the tax penalty between two years. You could also sell off two cars and use the money they generate to buy one, which will cut down on other car- related expenses as well. The last question is, what are the hidden costs? Maintenance and repairs are just par for the course, but they don’t tell you that as you age, your insurance premiums could go up, especially after that texting teenager T-boned you. Your retirement planner should have a big-picture idea of what you should plan and watch out for when you buy a car.
The first question is, did you plan for this expense? The average American buys a new car every seven to 10 years, so if you plan on 20 years of retirement, you need to factor in at least two car purchases during that time — and possibly more. The second question is the biggest one: Where’s the money going to come from? Most people, including most retired people, will finance their new car and trade in the old one. This is a good option for people with steady retirement income, such as those drawing a pension. But it might be harder to get a loan if your income is less consistent, say, if you liquidate investment assets every month to pay the bills.
SAUSAGE AND BARLEY SOUP
WELCOME NIKKI It's been a busy year at Swerdloff Law, and there's more exciting news to share with you this month. In addition to the release of my book, we’ve recently welcomed a new team
member. I’d like to introduce you to Nikki Jaro, our new client services director.
It’s a great time of year to warm up with a cup of soup, and this comforting, guilt-free dish comes together in a flash.
Before coming to Swerdloff Law, Nikki worked as a paralegal and office administrator in estate planning and is passionate about the work she does with families. In her own words, “What I’d really like to do is bring awareness to families when setting up a family trust.” As you can tell, her goal is to bring families peace of mind when it comes to estate planning, which is what she's spent most of her adult life pursuing. Outside of work, Nikki calls herself a “complete outdoors person” and has a recommendation for you on everything outdoorsy, from hiking to parasailing (which she tried for the first time last month). With 15 years of legal experience, Nikki brings a wealth of knowledge to our office, and we are very pleased that she is joining us.
Ingredients
• Cooking spray • 6 ounces turkey breakfast sausage • 2½ cups frozen bell pepper stir-fry • 2 cups water
• 1 (14½-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped • ¼ cup uncooked quick-cooking barley • 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
Instructions
1. Heat a large saucepan over medium- high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat. 2. While sausage cooks, place stir- fry and 2 cups water in a blender; process until smooth.
3. Add stir-fry puree, tomatoes, and
barley to sausage in pan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.
Recipe courtesy of CookingLight.com.
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www.lawwithasmile.com • 310-577-9104
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INSIDE
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Deep-Sea Fishing Has Made Me a Better Listener
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Can You Prevent Dementia Before It Starts? Self-Care Is Not Selfish
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Buying a Car During Retirement Sausage and Barley Soup
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Forklifts and cranes may be used mainly for construction work, but every fall, thousands of backyard gardeners use them as gardening tools — or rather, harvesting tools — for their largest single crop. Massive pumpkins aren’t practical, but they can become a minor tourist attraction in your hometown and even win a few thousand bucks if they’re really huge. However, with the time and effort it takes to get them that big, farmers aren’t in it for the money. They’re in it for the glory. Growing these monstrous fruits (yes, they are technically fruits) is kind of like breeding a racehorse. It takes practice, cultivation, and even good genes. Competitive growers will often purchase the seeds of the previous year’s How Farmers Grow Giant Pumpkins GIANT How Farmers Grow Those Pumpkins
champions for their plant. After preparing the soil to make it extra fertile, they’ll plant the pumpkin in late winter or early spring. Before the gourd starts growing, flowers on the plant need to be pollinated. Farmers will usually take it upon themselves to pollinate, using pollen from plants with proven genetic lines. Winning pumpkins usually claim their “father” plant and “mother” seed, like racehorses. Growing a great pumpkin is practically a full-time job, with some farmers reporting spending 40 hours a week on it. Using
heated soil, installing fences to reduce wind, adding sand, and other specific cultivation techniques gives the pumpkin a fighting chance to grow into a monster. But, in the end, there’s an element of luck. The competitive growing industry is getting bigger (pun intended). In 1979, the largest pumpkin on record was 438 pounds. Since 2008, the world record has been broken every year. The reigning heavyweight champion, grown in Germany last year, weighed in at 2,623 pounds. That’s as much as a 2018 Toyota Yaris or 1,748 standard pumpkin pies.
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