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QUARTER 1, 2026
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Estate Planning Belongs at the Top of Your Resolution List SECURE YOUR FUTURE IN THE NEW YEAR
YOU DREAD DISCOMFORT. Many people procrastinate in pursuing New Year’s goals because they expect reaching them will involve a lot of discomfort. Reaching out for support from knowledgeable advisors can immediately reduce that feeling of stress and uncertainty! Placing your trust in an experienced estate planning and elder care attorney with whom you enjoy working can make the estate-planning process far easier than you expect.
The arrival of the New Year can spark a burst of energy, inspiring nearly one-third of Americans to make resolutions to improve their lives. Most set goals in the areas of personal finance or health. Few consider setting what might be the most consequential New Year’s resolution of all: creating or updating their estate plan. Your estate plan has major implications for your future finances and healthcare choices. It enables you to plan for long-term care before you need it. It can help protect your assets from a government lien in the event that you need long-term nursing-home care. It safeguards your heirs from the costs and delays of probate, and may help shelter your loved ones’ inheritance from divorce, lawsuits, or creditors. Having clear plans for the future has psychological benefits as well. Taking control of your affairs in a positive way frees you mentally to focus on enjoyable pursuits. A comprehensive estate plan protects you and your loved ones from some of the biggest worries of growing older, including losing control of your finances, your healthcare decisions, and the savings you have worked so hard to build. Dying without a plan can expose families to unnecessary stress, expense, and loss of control — and should be avoided whenever possible. Yet only 1 in 3 Americans has an estate plan. Why do so many of us avoid this critically important process? Many of the obstacles are the same ones that prevent us from keeping our New Year’s resolutions.
YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START. Making decisions about all the issues contained in a well-executed estate plan can feel overwhelming. An experienced estate planning attorney can simplify the process and support you every step of the way. To get started, see our helpful book, “Yes, You Need an Estate Plan!” A free preview is available on our website at attorneyoffice.com/ book, or you can receive a complimentary copy at one of our free Living Trust seminars. YOU FEAR FALLING SHORT. Others worry they will not create a “perfect” estate plan that satisfies everyone involved, or they assume the government will simply take care of matters for them. In California, if you die without a valid estate plan or lose the capacity to manage your affairs, the court may become involved through probate or a conservatorship. This can require formal filings, court oversight, and ongoing
approvals to manage finances, pay expenses, or distribute property. These proceedings are time- consuming, can be costly, and are generally a matter of public record. In addition, the absence of proper planning may result in avoidable taxes, delays, and outcomes that do not reflect your wishes. By comparison, a well-designed estate plan allows you to choose who will make decisions for you, streamline the transfer of assets, and reduce unnecessary court involvement. If you need to create a new estate plan, or update your existing plan, our team will provide the guidance, legal work, and personal service required to make the process as smooth and effortless as possible. And you will reap the psychological rewards of knowing your future plans are in place and your legacy is protected. Contact us today to take one of the most proactive steps you can take for the New Year!
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As we enter another new year, there is no better time to adjust your daily habits to help you become the healthiest version of yourself mentally and physically. Here are three strategies you can incorporate into your New Year’s expectations and resolutions that will help ensure 2026 is your healthiest year yet! START EVERY DAY STRONG. Many Americans fall into the same routines year after year, and most are dangerous for their overall well-being. They stay up too late, wake up to an alarm a few hours later, scramble to get ready, and jump in the car as soon as possible to get to work. Your morning routine sets the tone for your day. If you are in a hurry every morning, you will feel rushed and exhausted. Give yourself ample time in the morning to take care of yourself and some simple chores. Make your bed, have a glass of water, take good care of your hygiene, eat something, and incorporate some movement into your mornings. It will be hard initially, but you will feel the benefits within a few weeks. DIET AND EXERCISE MATTER. This is probably not news to you, but we cannot downplay the importance of diet and exercise. Listen to your body; it will tell you what it needs. Many people fall into the trap of overeating without realizing it or starving themselves when they want to lose weight, but this will not make them feel good. Eat when your body tells you to, stick to a healthy diet, and find time for exercise. You need to find ways to motivate yourself, especially when you want to stay in bed and stick to comfort foods. Your body will thank you. DRINK MORE WATER. How much water do you drink each day? The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that men should drink about 15.5 cups of fluids daily and women should drink 11.5 cups. If you are not hitting these numbers, it is time to adjust. Start and finish each day with a glass of water. Walk around with a refillable bottle. Staying hydrated will help your body function much better.
WHERE COMMUNICATION MEETS COMPASSION
Meet Barbara Doyle
People who call our offices are often overwhelmed by changes in their own or a loved one’s health or finances and are seeking support and direction. Barbara Doyle, our new client services coordinator, is delighted to field their calls and reassure and direct them. Since joining the firm in June 2024 as an attorney assistant, Barbara has transitioned into a newly created role as client liaison. In
that role, she serves as a readily available point of contact for clients at any stage, offering them a clear map of next steps in the process and ensuring that they have a pleasant follow-up experience. When a client calls asking, “I do not know what to do, my mom is declining. Can you help me?” Barbara loves being able to relieve their stress and reassure them: “I love to tell them, ‘Let us take on a little bit of that burden for you and help you figure out how to proceed.’”
Barbara, whose husband Alex is a software engineer, spent many years as an at-home mom to her two sons, Finn and Thayer. Both have graduated from college and launched careers, Finn as an EMT bound for medical school, and Thayer as a finance and economics specialist working in banking.
During those years, she held a variety of paid and volunteer positions, as a product development specialist for a scrapbooking company, a website editor, a volunteer in her sons’ schools, a Cub Scout leader, and a volunteer for the SPCA. With those experiences behind her, “I decided to figure out Act II of my life,” she says. “Taking care of people was a big priority of mine, and I know it’s a priority for the firm,” she says. “I have a lot of pride in this firm. There’s a sign in the employee copy room that does not focus on money and figures but instead asks, How many families have we helped? I like the fact that helping families is our focus,” she said. “I had a gentleman call recently who said, ‘I am very old, and I have had a plan with you for a long time. Now, I am recognizing that I do not have that much time left. Can my daughter call you when I pass?’” Barbara took satisfaction in reassuring him and explaining how the firm would be readily available to help.
“I am happy to be part of this family,” she says. “And we want clients to recognize that we are a part of their family as well.”
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REMEMBERING THE BEST
Cherishing Happy Memories Can Make Life Better
It is often said that happiness comes from within. In recognition of Jan. 19 as Good Memory Day, this is an ideal opportunity to think about how we can use positive memories to cultivate contentment throughout our lives and enrich our later years. Research shows that people who make a habit of focusing on positive moments, present and past, tend to live longer and enjoy greater happiness. While it is true that the biggest contributors to life satisfaction are genetics and life circumstances, fully 40% of our inner climate is a direct result of our own intentional activity, according to psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of “The How of Happiness.” She recommends several “happiness strategies” to improve our day-to-day life satisfaction, and memories play a significant role in several of them especially as we age. Here’s a sampling. REPLAY AND SAVOR LIFE’S JOYS. Paying close attention to the things that give us joy and remembering the momentary pleasures
and wonders of the past can enhance happiness, Lyubomirsky says. We can set the stage for this kind of mental activity through writing, drawing, storytelling, or reviewing past photos and sharing these remembrances with others. These small acts of reflection can brighten everyday moments and foster a sense of purpose. IMMERSE YOURSELF IN ENGAGING TASKS. Lose yourself in experiences that challenge and absorb you, Lyubomirsky says. For some people,
this can include scrapbooking or creating digital albums of photos or mementos of times past. These activities can unlock another happiness strategy: counting your blessings. Revisiting good memories in writing or images can amplify their mood-elevating effects. NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS. Having high-quality friendships is also linked to life satisfaction, and this connection grows stronger as we grow older, research shows. We can draw upon shared memories to strengthen our bonds with others. Reminiscing about times past can serve as a pleasant focal point for calls, letters, and get-togethers. Here is a bonus: Cultivating and making the most of positive memories can also support emotional well-being and help us enjoy later years fully. By cherishing and sharing our positive memories, we not only enrich our own lives but also leave a lasting legacy of joy and connection for those we love.
KOREAN GROUND BEEF
INGREDIENTS
Sauce •
Stir Fry •
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp honey, or a liquid sugar- free sweetener
2 tbsp avocado oil
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1 lb lean ground beef, 85/15 1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced 1 tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
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1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Finishing Touches •
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
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1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Set aside. 2. In a large skillet, heat avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles as you cook, about 5 minutes. 3. Drain the beef and return it to the skillet. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 4. Stir sauce into the beef, then cook for 2 more minutes, until heated through and the sauce thickens. 5. Off heat, drizzle the dish with sesame oil, sprinkle with sliced green onions, and serve over white rice (if desired).
SOLUTION ON PAGE 2
HOW MUCH DO RAINBOWS WEIGH? NOT MUCH. THEY'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY LIGHT.
Inspired by HealthyRecipesBlogs.com
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Your Most Important New Year’s Resolution: Get Your Estate Plan in Order! page 1 More Than a Job: For Barbara Doyle, Client Care Is a Mission Make 2026 Your Healthiest Year Yet page 2 Reliving Positive Memories Boosts Your Health and Happiness Korean Ground Beef page 3 Smart Ways to Find Privacy in an Open- Plan Home page 4
Are Open-Concept Home Plans on the Way Out? NOWHERE TO HIDE
plans loomed large. Avoiding interruptions by family members, children, or roommates in an open-concept floor plan is difficult. Also, in an era of soaring energy prices, open-plan designs are expensive to heat and cool. Designers are responding by creating more homes with closed rooms or separate spaces that allow for privacy and quiet. Meanwhile, open-concept plans are not going away completely. If you are a remote worker stuck in an open-concept home that is not working, consider these strategies to aid concentration.
of time there, so consider ways to make the space multifunctional. Add compact workout gear, a meditation mat or chair, or a window seat for reflection to break up that monotonous focus on work. If your only alternative is to continue working out in the open, use props to signal to others that you are working, such as noise-canceling headphones or a standing screen around your desk. And as Nir Ayal writes in his influential book “Indistractable,”
Is it great to enter an open, sunlit home and gaze from the entry through to the kitchen, the family room, and beyond, without obstructions or walls? Maybe … or maybe not. For sheer aesthetics, few layouts rival the open-concept plans that won favor in the mid-20th century. As postwar families grew and the average house size shrank, designers opened communal interior spaces to make houses seem larger, brighter, and more pleasant for entertaining. By the 1990s, open-concept designs had become the standard. Then, along came another mega-trend: the move to working remotely. As homes began doubling as workplaces, the shortcomings of open-concept
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the most important boundaries may be mental. Cultivating the ability to focus intensely on what you are doing and manage the psychological discomfort that leads you off track can help you create the privacy you need. Regardless of your future work setting, these skills and room strategies will help you improve your productivity and sharpen your focus.
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Try to transform a room or defined space close to your internet router with a door you can shut. Many remote workers have converted closets, garages, laundry rooms, and sheds into functional offices.
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If you manage to create a dedicated workroom, you will probably spend a lot
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