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MARCH 2023 Kunkel Case Files 888-228-9680 • www.KunkelLawFirm.com • GKunkel@KunkelLawFirm.com
FROM THE DESK OF
Gregory Kunkel, Esq.
Life Is Dynamic 6 Reasons to Update Your Estate Plan
What Are the Approval Rates for SSA Disability Benefits? The most recent data on approval rates from the SSA continues to show that getting approved for disability benefits is an uphill battle. The most recent data from SSA shows that only 36% of applications were granted after the first-step initial review while just 13% were granted at Reconsideration level. The data, however, shows that about 51% of claims were granted the hearing level of review, but the Appeals Council denied 85% of the appeals. For the claims that were appealed to federal court, 59% were remanded for a new hearing. The lesson learned from these numbers is to appeal your case if you get denied. Given SSA’s low allowance rates, it is more important than ever to hire an experienced social security disability lawyer if you or a loved one is pursuing a claim for social security disability benefits. Further, SSA denies many deserving claims at the initial and reconsideration levels because of a lack of medical evidence that your attorney can help obtain from your treating healthcare providers.
If you already have an estate plan, you are on the right track. It’s estimated that 67% of people in the U.S. don’t have a will or plans if something happens to them. Without a will or directions, family members (or sometimes the state) are left to determine what to do with their assets in the event of death. However, even if you took the first step and had a plan drawn up, it doesn’t mean you’re done. You need to update your estate plan regularly, especially after you’ve experienced any significant life changes. According to professionals, you should review your estate plan annually or every few years to ensure nothing has changed. Are the correct people included? Did you undergo a major life change recently? Have you acquired more assets? Are your intentions still the same?
As always, our firm is standing by to answer your questions and to guide you through the disability process.
Life is fluid and ever-changing, and here are some of the most important life changes that warrant an update to your estate plan.
–Greg Kunkel
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Children An estate plan will likely include your kids, both biological and adopted. It should be noted that stepchildren are not usually included unless they are specifically mentioned. Thus, any time a new child joins the family, your estate plan will need to reflect this, along with their chosen guardian. Marriage and Divorce If you’ve been recently married or divorced, this change in family dynamics is an essential update — especially after a divorce, to ensure your assets do not wind up in the hands of your ex-spouse, update your estate plan immediately! A Move to a New State Estate planning laws change across state borders; thus, a review of your estate plan is necessary if you have recently moved to a new state. You want to keep your estate plan compliant with all state laws. Even when laws change, an estate plan attorney can assist you in keeping your plan current. Beneficiaries Has one of your beneficiaries recently passed away? Did you have a falling out with a beneficiary? Are you interested in adding someone to your plan? If you want to update your beneficiaries, do this right away. To care for your loved ones
the way you prefer after you are gone, frequently check that your list of beneficiaries is current!
Executors and Trustees If those whom you initially trusted to implement your plan after you passed away are no longer willing or able to carry out this job for you, it’s time for an update. You want to be sure everything is taken care of the way you want it to be.
Assets Has the value of your estate vastly changed since you last reviewed it? Did you recently purchase a new vacation home? Have you sold your boat and/or motorhome? Any significant change to your assets will require a plan reassessment to review how your property will be distributed. Your estate plan is an essential document that takes care of your loved ones when you can no longer. Keep it up to date to be sure you are doing your best for your family and friends after you are gone.
‘IRISH I KNEW THAT SOONER!’
6 Fun Facts About St. Patrick’s Day
That’s not his name. As mentioned earlier, St. Patrick is not his real name! When he became a bishop, Maewyn Succat changed his name to Patrick. He didn’t banish snakes. Legend has it that St. Patrick banished all of the snakes from Ireland. In fact, even some portraits depict him doing so. However, fossil records show that snakes were never present in Ireland around his lifetime. Corned beef and cabbage originated in America. On March 17, everyone loads up on corned beef and cabbage in celebration, but did you know that in Ireland, they ate ham and cabbage, and the corned beef tradition actually began in America? In the 19th century, Irish Americans bought leftover corned beef from ships returning from China. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade happened in America. Many believe that St. Patrick’s Day was first celebrated in Ireland, but in 1737, the first St. Patrick’s Day parades actually took place in Boston and New York City.
Year after year, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with green shamrocks, leprechauns, pots of gold, and Lucky Charms, but did you know that St. Patrick was actually British? Even more surprising, St. Patrick isn’t even his real name! Get ready to celebrate the luck of the Irish while impressing others with some fun St. Patrick’s Day trivia. The man’s British roots run deep.
St. Patrick isn’t Irish — he was born in Britain around the end of the fourth century. Legend has it that at 16 years old, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery by Irish raiders. After six years, he was able to escape back to Britain and returned to Ireland much later as a Christian missionary. Ireland named him the country’s patron saint after he passed away. March 17 isn’t St. Patrick’s birthday. Many believe that we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on his birthday, but it’s actually the day he died in 461 A.D.
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Schnautzie Saves the Day Facing a Gas Leak, She Thought Fast
Until the 1940s, alarm clocks were a luxury few people in the English working class could afford. Unfortunately, some of these devices could be unreliable and caused people to miss appointments or oversleep. This ultimately gave birth to “knocker-ups,” the human alarm clocks people hired to wake them up. Being a knocker-up became popular during the Industrial Revolution, especially in cities where technical innovation boomed, and many citizens were due at factory jobs before the sun came up. In some towns, residents set slate boards against their outside walls to write their weekly work schedule; this way, any knocker- up would know when to wake them. These boards became so common that people referred to them as “knocky-up boards” or “wake-up slates.” Knocker-ups were paid a few pence each week to wake their clients before work, and each knocker-up generally had a route full of clients to wake at different times. The thing is, they didn’t just stand at the door and knock.
Knocker-ups became famous for using poles to tap on clients’ second-story bedroom windows. Some even attached soft hammers or rattles to the ends of the rods to create a more startling sound when they tapped. Typically, this job was taken on by older men who were past their working age or women who needed income to support their families. Police officers also considered this a good side job to earn extra money. Many of them simply completed their morning patrol, then stopped by to wake clients living along their regular routes. However, the most famous knocker-up, and allegedly the last to exist, is Mrs. Molly Moore. Her mother was a knocker-up, and Molly continued her legacy after she passed. This mother-daughter duo became known for their unique knocking methods; instead of long poles, the two used a rubber tube as a make-shift pea shooter and pelted clients’ windows with dried peas. Whatever the method, a knocker-up wouldn’t leave until their client came out the door and headed on their way to work. While history may have long forgotten about these early-morning heroes, their reliability and commitment are what ultimately allowed thousands of employees to make it to work on time.
BAKED BEANS WITH GROUND MEAT
Have a Laugh
Inspired by EatingWell.com
If you’re looking for a hearty comfort food this month, this recipe is for you! Use a lean meat of your choice to create this healthy dinner that will have your family begging for more.
Ingredients
• 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil • 1 medium onion, chopped • 1 lb lean ground beef, turkey, or chicken • 2 15-oz cans navy beans, rinsed • 1 cup water • 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup molasses • 1 tsp Dijon mustard • 1/2 tsp garlic powder • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives for garnish
Directions
1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add oil, onion, and ground meat. Cook, stirring and crumbling meat with a wooden spoon until the onion has softened and the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. 2. Add beans, water, ketchup, molasses, mustard, garlic powder, and salt, then bring to a simmer. 3. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring until bubbling and slightly thickened, 5–8 minutes. Garnish with chives.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Gregory Kunkel, Esq. PAGE 1 Why It’s Important to Update Your Estate Plan PAGE 1 6 St. Patrick’s Day Fun Facts PAGE 2 How a Cat Saved Her Humans’ Lives PAGE 3 Have a Laugh PAGE 3 Baked Beans With Ground Meat PAGE 3 The Great Mac and Cheese Lawsuit of 2022 PAGE 4
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
The Mac and Cheese Legal Debacle Can This Lawsuit Elbow Its Way to a Courtroom Win?
mac and cheese cups during the applicable statute of limitations period.” Over 100 people fall into that category, maybe including you!
Here’s a fun fact for you: In the fall of 2022, a woman in Florida sued food giant Kraft Heinz — all because it took her a few extra minutes to prepare her mac and cheese. This may sound like a made-up plot straight out of “The Onion,” but it’s true! The woman’s name is Amanda Ramirez, and according to National Public Radio, she’s suing Kraft Heinz for $5 million over its “misleading advertising.” What exactly misled her? Well, Kraft’s cup of Velveeta Shells & Cheese claims it will be “ready in 3 1/2 minutes” — when in fact, that’s just the microwave time. Apparently, Ramirez felt betrayed when it took her slightly more than 3 1/2 minutes to peel the lid off the container and add water to the noodles. Her outrage only climbed as she waited for her pasta’s cheese sauce to thicken after 3 1/2 minutes of staring at the microwave window. Before long, she was steaming over the notion that she’d been ripped off by a greedy manufacturer intent on selling false convenience. NPR reports that Ramirez’s lawsuit reaches beyond her kitchen and even beyond the state of Florida. It “looks to cover consumers in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, New Mexico, Alaska, Iowa, Tennessee, and Virginia who purchased the
Does Ramirez stand a chance? It’s hard to say. NPR reports that her legal team expects Kraft to try to get the case
dismissed, but the U.S. does have a history of successful lawsuits against misleading advertising by food companies. According to NBC News, a class-action lawsuit filed over a non-GMO advertising campaign cost Chipotle $6.5 million in 2020. And just last spring, a Florida attorney went to bat against Burger King, claiming its Whoppers were smaller than advertised. As we write this, the mac and cheese fiasco is still unresolved — but you can bet we’ll be watching the news. We may even chow down on a bowl of Velveeta Shells while we do it!
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