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HANDY, INDEPENDENT, KIND, WONDERFUL A Tribute to My Wife
My son, Ryan, recently competed in the Pinewood Derby. His car, designed to look like a checkered flag, performed pretty impressively. It made it to the end of every race, and we were able to take it home in one piece. Most importantly, it gave Ryan a lot of joy. Ryan isn’t quite old enough to use power tools on his own, so you might think that I spent a few weekend days helping him make his car. In fact, it wasn’t me who provided the most assistance. It was my wife, Rochelle. Ryan should be thankful for that, as Rochelle is way handier than I am. She’s built a kitty door for our house and takes on projects all the time. The only thing I do is change out lightbulbs, which is maybe the only task where height matters more than skill.
Watching Ryan enjoy the Pinewood Derby was just another reminder among many of how lucky I am to be married to Rochelle. Given that Valentine’s Day is this month, I figured it would be fitting to take some time to pay tribute to my wife. She’s the glue that holds our family together, an incredible mother, and has the best attitude of anyone I’ve ever met. From the moment I met her, I knew that we had a very bright future together. I still vividly remember walking through the door at Bar Louie. I spotted Rochelle and was immediately taken aback. She was even more beautiful than I had expected! We sat down, ordered a couple of drinks, and got to talking. I had to be up at 4 a.m. the next day, so I planned for an early night. Well, we stayed out until 11. The thought of having to get up early disappeared from my mind. In addition to her skills with power tools, Rochelle is quite the artist. She regularly paints, and her work never fails to impress me. We’re both fitness nuts — she provides me that little extra motivation when I feel like skipping a jiu-jitsu class. Her independence, kindness, and creativity inspire me to do my best in all aspects of my life. Our life together has been amazing from our first date, and I’m excited to see what our future holds. This year, we’ll be taking a trip to Santa Monica together, something we’ve always wanted to do. Once we cross California off of our destination bucket list, our next goal will be taking a vacation to Hungary. Rochelle’s family is 100 percent Hungarian, so it’s a country she’s always wanted to visit. Here’s hoping we can make that dream a reality soon.
Our spouses are one of the primary reasons to develop a comprehensive estate plan. If something were ever to happen to me, I’d want Rochelle to take care of me, and vice versa. There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t think about how grateful I am to Rochelle. She’s made me a better person, and we’ve had more than our fair share of incredible moments. Best of all, I have a feeling that we’re just getting started. – Christopher J. Berry
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BE SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY AND STAY CONNECTED
It’s time to break the bad news to your grandkids: Social media isn’t just for them. A study from the Pew Research Center found that 47 percent of baby boomers are using social media. Facebook in particular proves to be an excellent resource for adults moving through the later stages of life. This social media platform helps keep you in touch with friends, family members who live far away, and workplace acquaintances who you don’t see during retirement. Social media can help you gather the people you want to keep in contact with in one centralized location. Here are a few things to remember for keeping your digital friendships enjoyable. SOCIAL MEDIA ISN’T A DIARY No one wants to see a feed clogged with posts from the same person. Your friends might like reading about exciting vacations or days with the grandkids, but they don’t need updates about your wait in line at the grocery store. Sharing TMI (too much information) will put you on the fast track to losing friends. IT’S OKAY TO HIT UNFRIEND Likewise, if you find yourself sick of Judy’s moment-by-moment updates of her dog’s kidney stone, feel free to cut ties. That might entail unfollowing (you remain
friends, but no longer see their posts in your feed), unfriending, or blocking a person entirely. There’s no reason to keep in touch with someone whose very profile picture makes you angry. CHECK A SOURCE BEFORE SHARING Just because something is online, that doesn’t make it true. It’s just as easy for someone to post a lie about a celebrity or politician as it is for Judy to post about her dog. If you read a news story that gets a rise out of you, double check the facts before you hit share. Googling the article’s claims and main points will bring up similar articles — if those claims are true. This will help you determine if it’s breaking news or a big hoax. Just 10 years ago, snail mail and expensive long-distance calls were the only way to keep in touch with the people we couldn’t see every day. Thanks to social media, we can stay connected to our loved ones around the world. Now that’s something that deserves a like.
INVEST IN YOUR GRANDCHILD’S EDUCATION
Are 529 Plans Right for You?
There are many strategies out there for folks who want to invest in their grandchildren’s education. Different options may be more attractive than others depending on your income bracket and the needs of your family. Traditional strategies, like life insurance policies or paying for your grandchild’s schooling directly, only work if you have the capital. Furthermore, those methods can often negatively affect how much financial aid your grandchild qualifies for. Before you commit yourself to one of these paths, it’s worth exploring a third option: 529 saving plans.
to select from a menu of portfolio options that best fit your goals and risk tolerance. Many college savings plans start aggressive and then become more conservative as your beneficiary approaches college age. The downside with these sorts of plans is that there will always be risk involved; there’s no guarantee on investment returns. PREPAID TUITION PLANS States and some private institutions have 529 plans available that let you pay for your grandchild’s tuition up front, well-before they are ready to head off to college. Some plans guarantee to cover a set amount of future tuition expenses in exchange for a lump sum or payment plan. Other plans allow you to buy “units” or “credits,” which translate to a fixed percentage of an institution’s tuition. Essentially, you pay the cost of tuition today rather than what it will cost by the time your grandchild goes to college. Prepaid plans are far less risky than savings plans, but they aren’t as flexible. They often limit options to state schools or select institutions, though most plans offer some form of reimbursement option if your beneficiary decides to attend another school. College just isn’t as affordable as it used to be. Knowing your options and finding a savings strategy early in your grandchild’s life can help ensure the avenues of higher education stay open for them.
These plans are income-tax-free savings plans specially designed to help you invest in a child’s higher education. In general, these are treated favorably by financial aid assessors, meaning you won’t hurt your grandchild’s chances of receiving government grants. There are two broad types of 529 plans: college savings plans and prepaid tuition plans. SAVINGS PLANS College savings plans use one or more investment portfolios to grow your grandchild’s tuition fund. Each portfolio contains a diversified mix of investments curated by the plan’s money manager. Most plans allow you
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ARE YOU READY TO TACKLE THE NEW GOP TAX BILL?
Like it or loathe it, the new GOP tax bill represents a substantial overhaul of our tax system and implements major changes we haven’t seen in over three decades. On one side, supporters of the new tax bill claim the revisions to the tax system will accomplish several goals: What the Supporters and Critics of the Bill Are Saying
• Many middle-class families will see a tax hike, while the richest individuals benefit from a huge tax cut.
• The deficit will balloon substantially, because the tax cut fails to pay for itself.
• Simplifying the tax code, the bill makes it easier for businesses and individuals to file tax returns.
to the U.S. will invest in our economy.
Regardless of which side of the debate you are on, it is obvious the new bill will cause a great deal of confusion as individuals and businesses digest the changes and incorporate the new tax rules, determining how the changes will impact their income and tax liability. Michael Kitces, writing for the Nerd’s Eye View, provides a detailed analysis of the major provisions of the tax bill in his article “Individual Tax Planning Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.” In the piece, which you can find on his website, kitces.com, he reviews many provisions as well as how the provisions might impact individuals and businesses. A big takeaway in Michael’s analysis is the need for many individuals to seek assistance from professional tax, retirement, and estate planning advisers. For many people, the tax changes will change how they plan for retirement. It may also change how they structure their estate plan, including trusts and Medicaid planning strategies.
• Encouraging businesses to create new jobs and raise salaries will be perks of the bill’s substantial tax cuts.
• Decreasing taxes on all tax
brackets will provide substantial tax relief for the middle class.
• Allowing corporations and
• Eliminating the Obamacare
businesses to bring money back
penalty will be a relief for those who do not have health insurance.
Critics of the bill say otherwise:
• Individual tax cuts will expire after 2025, but tax cuts for businesses will continue.
• Eliminating the health insurance mandate will likely cause premiums to increase for those who continue to purchase health insurance through the marketplace.
If you have questions about the tax bill, the article is a great place to start. But if you need help navigating the changes in the tax code, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Chris’ Paleo Corner:
CITRUS GRILLED SHRIMP
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DIRECTIONS
Course: Dinner Cuisine: Paleo Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4
1. Whisk the oil, lime, lemon, honey, coriander, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well-combined. Add the shrimp and veggies to the bowl and toss to coat. 2. Thread the shrimp and vegetables onto skewers. 3. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Grill until shrimp turn pink and vegetables are charred. 4. Serve immediately.
Thank you to the following people for your support!
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup olive oil • Juice and zest of 1 lime • Juice and zest of 1 lemon • 1 teaspoon raw honey • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Sue Anne Addy Jean Hanka Richard Paul
• 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined • 4 cups mixed, cubed vegetables of your choice (squash zucchini, bell peppers, onions, etc.)
https://ultimatepaleoguide.com/citrus-grilled-shrimp/
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INSIDE This Issue
My Amazing Spouse PAGE 1
Are You Committing a Facebook Faux Pas? PAGE 2
Protect Your Grandchild’s Future PAGE 2
Are You Ready for the New GOP Tax Bill? PAGE 3
Citrus Grilled Shrimp PAGE 3
Presidents Day or Washington’s Birthday PAGE 4
THE TANGLED HISTORY OF PRESIDENTS DAY How the Holiday Came to Be
On the third Monday in February, the entire nation celebrates Presidents Day … sort
years later, it was expanded to include all federal offices nationwide. And for the next century or so, nothing changed.
of. While the holiday is known colloquially as Presidents Day, its official federal name is still Washington’s Birthday. If that wasn’t confusing enough, different states officially know it as “Presidents Day,” “Lincoln/ Washington/Presidents
However, in 1971, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This bill officially moved holidays that were once celebrated on specific dates, like Memorial Day and Columbus Day, to a particular Monday in a given month. This allowed for three-day weekends and, hopefully, encouraged retail sales with an extra day of shopping. But this, unintentionally, moved Washington’s birthday celebration to a day between his actual birthday and the birthday of another venerated president, Abraham Lincoln. By the late 20th century, Lincoln’s reputation and legacy were as titanic as Washington’s. Because Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, many states found it appropriate to make the day a commemoration of two great presidents rather than just one. By the 1980s, “Presidents Day” was the more widely acknowledged name, if not the official designation. Why it hasn’t received a uniform federal name is anyone’s guess, but at least when you say “Presidents Day,” everyone knows what you’re talking about. No matter what you call it, the day is a chance to celebrate some of the people who’ve made lasting contributions to our nation’s history. If you look at any presidential ranking, Washington and Lincoln are probably No. 1 and No. 2. It’s fitting, then, that we celebrate their birthdays in tandem.
Day,” “Washington-Lincoln Day,” “George Washington Day,” and more. Let’s untangle how all these variant names came about and delve into the fascinating
history of the holiday.
Washington was born on February 22, 1731. Given his incredible contribution to the founding of the United States, it’s understandable that a national holiday would be established to commemorate his legacy. The holiday was first established in 1879 for employees in Washington, D.C. Six
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