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The Cary Connection JUNE 2024
Cary • Raleigh • Wake • Forest • Chapel Hill
Blended families are uniquely structured, full of shared love and traditions, and are common now compared to the past. They bring together individuals from different backgrounds to create an exciting family dynamic that breaks the norm in the best ways possible. But while blended families are safe and loving environments for many, it is essential to note all the aspects that come with it, including what happens when a parent passes. At Cary Estate Planning, our experienced attorneys have seen it all, and that is why we are here to help you navigate the many different situations that can arise within a blended family. Many other events can occur within blended family units, making it imperative to ensure all your bases are covered. One way to start this process is by creating a trust fund for you and your family to ensure your assets are taken care of. As dynamics change throughout the years, updating this information as needed is essential. You can discuss this with your spouse firsthand to decide if your changes fit your family dynamic. We are here to help you navigate the complexities of estate planning and strive to make this process as smooth as possible. There are four main steps to help you dodge potential question marks and check in with your situation. • Update beneficiaries’ designations and check what might need to be reviewed within your estate plan as life unfolds. • Keep an inventory of your assets and consider the different policies you may have. Consider assets such as funds, real estate, vehicles, etc. Figuring out who will receive which assets should be the main priority. • Creating a trust is one of the most effective estate plan methods and protects your assets when someone passes away. You can Blended and Brilliant Protect Your Blended Family’s Estate
also make a living trust during your lifetime, which will arrange your assets effectively if there is an expected shift in your family. Scheduling an appointment with us is crucial to helping you remain on the right track. We offer in-person meetings, virtual meetings, or even phone calls. We will help you discuss and review your plan to make sure it is the perfect fit for you and your family. It is also important to schedule regular meetings to ensure all information is current. Every phase of life brings new challenges and opportunities, from the arrival of new family members to the passing of loved ones. Adapting to these changes requires flexibility, open communication, and a willingness to embrace the unknown. This highlights the importance of creating an estate plan that works for you and your family; you will not want the court to decide what happens to your assets. Protecting yourself from probate will make all the difference in the world and take the burden off your shoulders. We want you to know you have a voice that should be heard.
At Cary Estate Planning, we strive to ensure all our clients are happy and confident on their journey through life. We understand that life is ever-changing and unpredictable, so we are here to simplify it. It is our pleasure to discuss the different avenues and plans that fit your needs. Thank you for trusting us.
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-Paul Yokabitus
CaryEstatePlanning.com • 1
HERO HUSKY SAVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD
On Dec. 15, 2023, pet owner Chanell Bell of Philadelphia was taken aback when she noticed that Kobe, her 4-year-old miniature Alaskan husky, had dug a hole in her home’s front yard. This was a stark departure from Kobe’s usual behavior, which Bell initially dismissed as boredom and promptly refilled the hole. However, when Kobe began to dig again in the same spot, Chanell realized something was amiss. “We’ve been here at our home for a while now, and he never digs holes,” Bell told USA Today. “So, I knew something was up.” She investigated further, reviewing footage from the family home’s security camera overlooking Kobe’s newfound digspot. Then, she witnessed Kobe sniff the air around the area before digging the hole in the same spot again.
Thinking something Kobe smelled must have alarmed him, Bell phoned Philadelphia Gas Works, which sent a crew out to investigate. The engineers discovered that the gas lines beneath the Bell household were old, dilapidated, and beginning to leak. After fixing the issue, the company told Bell that if Kobe had not discovered the leak, the line would have posed significant health and safety concerns for the whole neighborhood. “They told me something as simple as a light switch turning on could’ve caused an explosion,” Bell told USA Today. After Bell shared Kobe’s story on social media, it caught the attention of PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who awarded the young husky the Heroic Dog Award. Inspired by Kobe’s efforts, Bell wrote a children’s book dedicated to him called “The Dog That Saved the Block Before Christmas.”
Maximize Your Legacy With a Living Trust A Pathway to Financial Security and Peace
Estate planning empowers individuals to maintain control over their legacy and provide for their families, offering peace of mind and a sense of security for the future. It ensures you control how you want your assets handled during your lifetime and after you pass. A revocable living trust is one of the most influential aspects of an estate plan. If you do not already have an estate plan, it’s time to create one, as it is never too early to start! A trust is like a bucket — you can put property into it and control everything while you are still alive. A trust involves three important
players: the grantor, the trustee, and the beneficiary. The grantor creates the trust, the trustee controls everything inside the trust, and the beneficiaries will receive allocations from the trust according to the wishes of the grantor (you). As the grantor and living trustee, you have control over everything you put into the trust, such as your home, cars, household items, life insurance policies, etc. After you pass away, the trust still exists, but the person you named as the successor trustee will control and distribute its contents to the beneficiaries you specify. Probate is a timely and costly public process no one wants; however, by establishing a trust, you can avoid it entirely and keep your affairs private. Start by creating a will and then, with the help of a properly trained attorney, transition to creating a trust. An attorney can ensure you fund the trust correctly, retitling property and other assets so the trust (and you, as the grantor and trustee) owns them. This is a crucial part of creating a trust: You must fund it, which is a separate process. Because a trust allows you to bypass probate, your heirs will enjoy an efficient, private, and straightforward path to honoring your wishes instead of slogging through a lengthy and potentially contentious probate process while grieving. It’s one of the most generous and magnanimous gifts you can give them — and the best way to secure your wealth for the next generation.
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DINING SOLO
TAKE A BREAK
A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO EAT ALONE
ADVENTURE CAMPING FATHER GEMINI HIKING JUNETEENTH PARK PICNIC PRIDE SANDALS SUNBURN SWIMMING
Did you know that a little over a century ago, women could not eat alone in restaurants? If they did, people would assume the woman was, let’s say, “looking for work,” and she would be disgraced, and so would the restaurant. So, women who wanted to dine alone or with other women would be turned away. Women needed to be accompanied by a man to eat out in public. How did this finally change? After being denied a ticket to a dinner event because of her gender, a journalist named Jane Cunningham Croly took action. Croly was an English- born American journalist who wrote and advocated for equal rights and economic independence for women. Croly also founded and was the first president of the Women’s Press Club of New York. One of Croly’s biggest advocacy groups was a women’s dinner club named Sororis. The women of Sororis held their first official meeting in April 1868 at a New York restaurant called Delmonico’s to protest the ban on women’s solo dining. They demanded service, and Delmonico’s agreed, making it the first establishment in U.S. history to allow women to dine without a male chaperone. When World War I began, more women entered the workforce, earning them increased independence. New restaurants and lunch counters started to open that would serve working women, and gradually, dining without a man became commonplace. Progress was slow, though; even as recently as 1970, some restaurants still barred solo women from entering. Thankfully, in today’s society, this would never fly!
SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD
Ingredients
Inspired by Foodnetwork.com
Dressing • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese • 1/2 cup half and half • 1/4 cup mayonnaise • 1/4 cup sour cream • 1 tsp sugar • Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts • Salt and pepper • 4 ears of corn, shucked • 3 tbsp minced dill
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced • 1 red onion, finely diced • 1 1/2 cups blueberries • 1 head of butter lettuce
Directions 1. Place chicken in a large plastic bag and pound with a mallet to flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 2. Heat grill, then grill chicken on both sides for about 4 minutes per side; set aside to cool before slicing. 3. Grill corn until the kernels begin browning, turning regularly for even cooking. Use a knife to shave the kernels off. 4. In a bowl, mix all dressing ingredients until combined. 5. In a large bowl, combine corn, dill, celery, and onions, then stir in chicken and top with dressing and blueberries as desired. 6. Separate the head of butter lettuce into “cups” to fill with salad and enjoy!
CaryEstatePlanning.com • 3
Ask about our Financial Planning services at your next review meeting, or call Cary Financial Planning at 919-694-6945 to learn more!
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1 Estate Plan Strategies to Preserve Family Unity Inside This Issue Cary • Raleigh • Wake • Forest • Chapel Hill - new location! 1255 Crescent Green, Suite 200, Cary, NC 27518 919-726-0896 • www.caryestateplanning.com
How a Pet Husky Prevented Disaster
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Using a Trust for Wealth Preservation
Summer Chicken Salad
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The History Behind Women Eating Alone in Restaurants
Steiner’s Emotional Road to Olympic Glory
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Olympian Steiner Overcame Adversity to Win Gold FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH
In June 2007, just one year before the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, an SUV traveling on the wrong side of the road hit 22-year- old Susann Steiner — wife of German Olympic weightlifter Matthias Steiner — while she was driving. She was rushed to the hospital, and it was there that Matthias promised her he would win a gold medal in her honor. Tragically, Susann died as a result of her injuries, but Matthias’ promise to his late love lived on. Wanting to make his wife proud, Matthias trained harder than ever before. He had been lifting weights since he was just a teenager, and though he had won medals and championships before, he had never claimed the ultimate prize: an Olympic medal. Matthias also had to compete in the super heavyweight category against the strongest weightlifters in the world. Among his competitors were the formidable Russian
Evgeny Chigishev, an Olympic veteran and champion, and the Latvian Viktors Scerbaiths, who won the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. “Weightlifting is a sport without mercy [and] it is very tough to make progress,” Matthias said in an interview with the Olympic Channel. “Every time you touch the bar, you realize that you are always alone in weightlifting, the weights are getting heavier and heavier, everything hurts.” But Matthias was not alone. His memory and dedication to Susann inspired him to attain strength he never imagined possible. As it turned out, he needed every ounce of his strength to claim victory. The competition was incredibly close. Matthias’ victory was not secure until the last lift; he needed to clean and jerk an astounding 569 pounds — more than he had ever lifted before — to fulfill his promise.
Photo: Dacoucou
Incredibly, he succeeded. He edged out Chigishev by 1 kilogram, winning the gold medal with a score of 461 against Chigishev’s 460. After he had completed his lift, he fell to his knees in tears. At the podium, he held his gold medal and a bouquet of roses in his right hand and clutched a picture of Susann in his left. Matthias honored Susann’s memory with his gold medal victory, exactly as he promised.
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