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VanDyckLawGroup
QUARTER 4, 2022
VANDYCKFIRM.COM
A Journey 53 Years in the Making
Excited to Be Part of the Team at Van Dyck Law
A few years back, I decided to close my firm and join the fantastic team here at Van Dyck Law. For those of you I haven’t met yet, my name is Allen Porter, and I’m an attorney who joined the Van Dyck team in January 2021. For 53 years, I operated my own firm in downtown Princeton with some of the most amazing clients imaginable. I’m happy I can continue to help them with their estate planning needs while offering new services my previous firm did not provide. I have had quite the journey to reach this stage in my career. When I graduated with my undergraduate degree, I was unsure if I wanted to pursue law or business school. I decided to give law school a shot and quickly learned I had made the correct decision. I attended the University of Virginia School of Law, where I got an excellent law education and made terrific friends. Shortly after graduating, I joined the team at an established estate planning practice. A man named William Miller gave me a chance at his practice in Princeton; I couldn’t have been more grateful. He passed away in 1977, and I continued to run the firm independently until a friend became a partner and joined the team. Over the next 40 years, we ran a successful firm, but in the last couple of years, I realized I was doing more administrative work than focusing my time on helping clients. I decided to make a change and talked with a few different firms before joining the team at Van Dyck Law. One of my biggest motivations for joining this team was to provide continuity to my clients. When I closed my firm, I had no interest in retiring. I wanted to go somewhere that I could continue helping new and existing clients to the best of my ability. I’ve brought over my
files. My phone number carried over, so you can still reach me at the same number. And if I’m unavailable, the team here will go above and beyond to assist anyone trying to contact me. I even brought my long- term assistant, Renee, along! I’ve always enjoyed assisting my clients and helping them with whatever they need. Many of them have become close friends. I know many lawyers complain about their clients, but I’ve never felt the need to do that. My clients have always been spectacular! Continuing to work with so many amazing people is why I keep practicing law. I don’t expect anything to change for my current clients getting this newsletter and just discovering this news. You will still be assisted whenever you need help. Since I joined Van Dyck Law, the team and I can now assist you with areas of law I couldn’t at my old firm. One such area is elder law. If you or a loved one want to protect your assets from long-term care costs, we can help. That said, I don’t spend all of my time at work. You can usually find me at the gym or the tennis court. My wife and I are actively involved in the Princeton community and regularly serve on various boards while finding other ways to help the community. I also love spending time with my two daughters and my grandson. I look forward to working with you, and for those I already know, I hope to continue helping you with your legal needs for as long as possible. -Allen Porter
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Thought Back on Track
It ’s Never Too Late to Plan Your Retirement
Get Started Now!
SAVING FOR RETIREMENT Whether you plan to retire early, late, or never, having an adequate amount of savings can make all the difference. The last decade or so before you plan to reach retirement can be especially crucial. By then, you may have a good idea of when (or if) you want to retire, and still have time to make adjustments, if needed, or even boost your savings before you retire. You will need to think about how much everything will cost, and though we don’t know what prices will be like in the future, it’s important to plan for higher prices in the years ahead. This can include the following: • Housing costs — rent, mortgage, heating, water, and maintenance • Health care costs • Day-to-day living expenses — food, clothing, transportation • Entertainment — restaurants, movies, plays, and personal hobbies. There are few things that are more nerve-wracking than the thought of outliving your resources, and if your retirement savings are not managed properly, it can be inadequate for your needs. But this is fully within your control, and you can decide what is best for you for a successful retirement.
The way people retire nowadays is a bit different than what it used to be. On the surface, retirement planning has not changed too much — you work, you save, and then you retire. While the mechanics may be the same, retirement planning now comes with a whole new set of complex factors. It can be overwhelming for some, but if you focus on what you can control and develop a comprehensive plan, you can be just as successful. KICKSTARTING YOUR PLAN While starting to save early is a great idea, it is okay to set money aside for more immediate needs and focus on saving when you’re older. Some things to keep in mind when starting your plan include the following:
• •
Create a budget.
Set automatic transfers between checking and retirement accounts.
• Create an emergency account that allows you to cover any unexpected expenses, such as a broken water heater, without throwing your retirement plans out the window. • Pay down debt so you can be debt-free in your non-earning years.
UPCOMING EDUCATION CENTER EVENTS
Taking Our Programs on the Road
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA CARE SEMINAR When: Wednesday, Dec 7, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Spring Hills Assisted Living of Princeton, 1000 Windrows Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540 This seminar is required for health care workers who want to obtain their Certified Dementia Practitioner designation. Attendance will count as CE hours for Nurses, Social Workers, Licensed Nursing Home Administrators, and Certified Assisted Living Administrators. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Please call us at 609-580-1044 to register. The cost to attend this seminar is $200. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA CARE SEMINAR When: Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Care One East Brunswick Assisted Living, 664 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 This seminar is required for health care workers who want to obtain their Certified Dementia Practitioner designation. Attendance will count as CE hours for social workers, nurses, CALA, and LNHA. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Please call us at 609-580-1044 to register. The cost to attend this seminar is $200.
Our goal at the Education Center at Van Dyck Law is to provide individuals from our community with useful resources and information regarding dementia, estate planning, and healthy aging. We have some exciting and informative events planned over the next few months that will be quite beneficial to those who attend. Normally, we hold our programs at the Education Center, but we’ve decided to take our programs on the road for the rest of 2022. Below you’ll find our events for November and December, where they’re located, and how to register. We hope to see you there! ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Where: Care One Cherry Hill, 1240 Brace Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 This seminar is required for health care workers who want to obtain their Certified Dementia Practitioner designation. Attendance will count as CE hours for Nurses, Social Workers, Licensed Nursing Home Administrators, and Certified Assisted Living Administrators. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Please call us at 609-580-1044 to register. The cost to attend this seminar is $200. AND DEMENTIA CARE SEMINAR When: Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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PREPARING TO AGE IN PLACE?
What do you plan to do after you retire? Many people want to use this time to do the things they most enjoy with the people they love, but where do you want to live as you age? Will you age in place at home or live in an assisted living facility? According to AARP’s Home and Community Preferences Survey, 77% of adults over 50 plan to age in their own homes for the long term. This percentage has remained consistent for over a decade now. Understanding the positives and negatives is vital before you allocate funds or make a decision if you want to age in place through your retirement and into your twilight years. The positives of aging in place are reasonably straightforward. You get to remain in the home where you’ve lived and developed memories. You’re still close to your neighbors, family, and friends who live nearby. And you don’t have to worry about the emotional and physical stress of moving to a new location. The negatives of aging in place are mainly focused on your financial means and if you can afford certain “what if” scenarios. If you experience a sudden decline in your health or well-being, do you have the means to pay for 24/7 care in your home, or will you depend on your family to take care of you? Can you afford home repairs in case something happens? If you’re married and your spouse passes away before you, do you have someone nearby who can help take care of Here’s What You Need to Know
you? If you become homebound, will your mental and emotional well- being suffer due to a lack of social interaction?
You must also be proactive and consider a few things about your home and community. Does your home have stairs, and if so, could you live on the first floor if you can no longer climb your stairs? Do you have contractors in the area to help make necessary safety changes to your home? Do you have access to community-based services to provide home-delivered meals or transportation?
There’s much to consider before making plans for your senior years. If you have any questions or need advice, we’re available to help.
Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto
Van Dyck Education Center’s Upcoming Events The Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Seminars for the rest of 2022 will not take place at the Education Center at Van Dyck Law. We’re taking these programs on the road. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. This event is open to health care professionals only and costs $200 to attend. Please call 609-580-1044 to register. Nov. 2, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. at Care One Cherry Hill, located at 1240 Brace Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 Dec. 7, 8 a.m.–5 p.m at Spring Hills Assisted Living of Princeton, located at 1000 Windrows Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540 Dec. 14, 8 a.m.–5 p.m at Care One East Brunswick Assisted Living, located at 664 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 For more information about these events, please see Page 2 of the newsletter!
INGREDIENTS • 5 cups of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth • 2 cups Arborio rice • 2 cups of pumpkin, diced • 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin purée • 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• Salt, to taste • Pepper, to taste • 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese • 2 tbsp olive oil
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 400 F and arrange a rack in the middle. 2. In a 3-quart baking dish, combine broth, rice, diced and puréed pumpkin, and onion. 3. Season with salt and pepper, then stir until evenly combined. 4. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until water has been absorbed and rice granules are puffed. 5. Remove from the oven and stir in basil, grated Parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese, and olive oil.
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707 State Road, Suite 102 Princeton, NJ 08540 VANDYCKFIRM.COM | 609-580-1044 Inside 1 2
Welcoming Allen Porter to Our Team
Retirement Plans Are Evolving Education Center Events You Don’t Want to Miss The Pros and Cons of Aging in Place Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto Upcoming Events
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4 Tips for Being More Mindful
Embracing the Power of Now 4 Tips for Practicing Mindfulness
SLOW DOWN. Try savoring the process of a task, even if it isn’t your favorite thing to do. Paying deliberate attention to your daily actions and activities, like doing the dishes or even folding laundry, promotes healthy focus and reduces feelings of being overwhelmed.
Have you ever sat down to eat a bowl of ice cream, then looked down a minute or two later to notice you only have one bite left? What about reaching your destination in the car and not recalling one thing about the entire trip? With the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it’s tough to be present 100% of the time, but we shouldn’t let our minds go on autopilot. Not only can this be a safety hazard, but it may also impact important relationships and reduce our enjoyment and satisfaction.
GET MOVING. Incorporating exercise and movement into your daily routine helps you to become aware of your body’s sensations. You’ll be more appreciative of how your body responds to different stimuli and movements, and this trains you to be more aware of yourself.
With busy schedules and long to-do lists, how can we be more mindful? Here are four tips to help you embrace the power of now! USE THE POWER OF MEDITATION. You don’t need to meditate for a long time, and it certainly doesn’t require special poses or guidance. But taking just five minutes out of your day to focus on your breathing and clear your mind counts as meditation. It can help you to be more aware, present, and productive, especially in times of stress.
PRACTICE MINDFUL EATING. Do you always eat in front of the television or computer? Try eating without distractions, dine in good company, or pay closer attention to flavors and textures of the meal — it’s good for both your body and soul!
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