Check out our April newsletter!
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A 12-year-old sees the world in a whole different way than a 21-year-old, who sees the world in a whole different way than a 40-year-old, and on, and on, and on. Certainly, you’ll have different life experiences and stories to tell when you’re 80 than when you were 50. This focus on age has brought me back to the old cliché that life is a journey, not a destination. Here’s a fitting quote by Terri Guillemets: “ The sun shines different ways in summer and winter. We shine different ways in the seasons of our lives. ”
“There is no old age. There is, as there always was, just you.”
–Carol Grace
We talk about age all the time in my office. When do people start to worry about age? How old is old ? Generally, my philosophy is to control what I can and ignore the rest. And age itself — the daily process of growing older — is something totally outside of my control. There’s an old quote: Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many. That said, while I normally see age as just another number, as I turn another year older at the end of March, I’m inspired to think about growing older. Billions of dollars have been spent trying to find that elusive fountain of youth. Just a quick flip of the TV remote will reveal more makeup, hair, and exercise products than you could use in a lifetime. For just a few bucks, I can have abs and buns of steel, or I can kick, punch, and dance my way back to my youth. Standing in the checkout line at CVS, I see “10 Natural Ways to Stay Young,” or “5 Anti-Aging Tips.” Despite all this effort, the fountain of youth has remained a mystery. And the focus on youth won’t stop anytime soon because with age comes the negative stereotypes — the aches and pains, forgetfulness, loss of mobility. Who wants that, right? When we are teenagers and in our early 20s, we want to be adults and struggle to prove that we are grown up. When I was 18, my mother would call me and my brothers “kids.” Our response to that was always, “ Mom, we’re not kids, stop calling us that. ” I can’t remember when that stopped. There’s no fine line between young and old. Why is that? It’s because the words “young” and “old” can’t be defined. Yes, there may be signs that you are growing older, but there’s not a clear-cut cliff you fall off and can’t climb back up.
One of my favorite songs is “Little Wonders” by Rob Thomas. The chorus goes like this:
Our lives are made, in these small hours, These little wonders, these twists and turns of fate, Time falls away, but these small hours, These small hours, still remain.
We each have our own “small hours” that shape us over the years into who we are. Some hours are so beautiful they fill your heart: falling in love, walking down the aisle, the birth of a child, a special vacation, or a kind word from a friend or even a stranger at a critical moment of your life. Some hours are so painful you feel like your heart was ripped from your chest: losing a loved one, having your heart broken, finding out about an illness. As we age, we collect these small hours. They are our highs and lows, our dazzling colors and darkness in an otherwise gray day. They are our journeys. And each one of us has our unique small hours, our own special journeys. So as I grow a little older this year, I’m inspired to think about age. Here’s my conclusion: Why should I, or anyone else, be the judge of when someone is old? As John Barrymore puts it, “A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.” When you look at it that way, you have total control over whether or not you are old. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
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The Origins of a Truly American Language: Pennsylvania Dutch
People often assume American culture isn’t as rich as other cultures, but that simply isn’t true. Americans have developed unique values, mannerisms, art, music, and even languages across their diverse nation. One great example of this is Pennsylvania Dutch. The language didn’t evolve from Dutch, interestingly enough. It started when early German immigrants needed to escape from the Holy Roman Empire regions of Europe to avoid religious persecution. Many of them escaped to Pennsylvania, which is still 29.9% German today. These immigrants generally didn’t bring many belongings; however, they did bring a rich dialect. So, why is it called Pennsylvania Dutch? Rather than a mistranslation, it’s a corruption of the Pennsylvania German endonym Deitsch , which means “Pennsylvania Dutch/German” or “German.” The terms Deitsch, Dutch, Diets , and Deutsch are all cognates of the proto-Germanic word piudiskaz , meaning “popular” or “of the people.”
The language flourished safely within German immigrant communities and religious sects; however, while 10% of the original Pennsylvania Dutch settlers were Amish and Old Order Mennonites, today over 250,000 people speak the Germanic language, mainly in Pennsylvania and Ohio. You might be wondering how this language is different from German, considering its roots. It’s entirely different, as it turns out. Pennsylvania Dutch shares the most similarities with the Palatine German dialect, a small southwestern region of Germany where most Pennsylvanian settlers came from. If you can speak Pennsylvania Dutch, you can likely converse with Palatine Germans to a limited extent. Can you write in Pennsylvania Dutch? Yes! However, not many speakers read and write in it, so it doesn’t have standardized spelling rules. If you’re curious to see it in print, however, look at the only Pennsylvania Dutch newspaper in the U.S.: Hiwwe wie Driwwe. Scholarly efforts have also been made to advance the language, such as the Pennsylvania German Studies minor program at Kutztown University.
We hope you enjoyed learning a new fact or two about American history! Enjoy your April!
8 Common Types of Trusts
T here are two categories of trusts: revocable and irrevocable. Revocable trusts are “living” trusts — you have control over them while you are alive. Trusts become irrevocable upon your death and are managed by your designated trustee. They are more or less set in stone, so to speak. That said, there are several subcategories of trusts that are designed to help you meet very specific objectives. Here are just a few examples of trusts commonly used by families. If you need a trust for something that isn’t on this list, contact us today. Survivor’s trusts are created to provide for a surviving spouse, domestic partner, or other loved one. There are many different types of survivor’s trusts including, but not limited to, family trusts, bypass trusts, and credit shelter trusts.
on for the grandchildren, great- grandchildren or other descendants who aren’t your own children.
Special needs trusts ensure living expenses are paid over the course of a lifetime to a person with special needs. These trusts may also be set up with the person’s own funds to provide for supplemental medical or living expenses. Charitable remainder trusts are irrevocable trusts with both income and remainder interest. Income is paid to designated beneficiaries for a certain term or lifetime. The remainder interest is paid to organizations as defined in the trust when the trust terminates. Charitable lead trusts are irrevocable trusts that generate a potential income stream for one or more charities of the donor’s choice, with the remaining assets eventually going to family members or other beneficiaries. Private foundations are charitable organizations created and funded by a donor as a trust or a nonprofit organization, which is designed for specific charitable functions, such as providing scholarships.
Guardianship trusts protect and handle the assets of minors until they reach a certain age.
Irrevocable life insurance trusts are used to hold an insurance death benefit and minimize estate taxes and can provide liquidity to pay taxes and settlement costs.
Generation-skipping trusts provide distributions for the benefit of a child for life, with the remainder continuing
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3 Items to Help You Recover HAVE A COLD?
Solution on Pg. 4
While you probably have the flu and COVID-19 on your mind right now, don’t forget about the old- fashioned cold! It’s still going around, and while it’s not expected to be as common this year, thanks to various practices adopted during the pandemic, there’s still a good chance you or a loved one will end up with one. Thankfully, when it comes to the cold, there are few things you can use to speed up recovery.
Helpful Resources • Is your estate plan up to date? Ask us about our FREE estate planning checkup. Call our office or email Julie@MTOLaw.com.
Elderberry Syrup Also referred to as elderberry extract, this syrup is made from a plant called European elder. It can be purchased at many health food stores or made at home (but use caution when doing this, since raw and undercooked elderberries are toxic). Many people swear by the berry’s ability to ease congestion. Plus, elderberry syrup is known for having anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, making it an ideal tool for fighting other cold symptoms. Eucalyptus If you’re suffering from congestion or can’t stop coughing, eucalyptus may offer the relief you’re looking for. Available in several different forms, including syrup, oil, and dried leaves, eucalyptus can be used as an expectorant or to relieve a sore throat. When you’re at home and sick, try adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the water in a humidifier. The results are remarkably soothing! Zinc While many people turn to vitamin C for cold symptoms, that’s not the supplement you should be focusing on. Instead, take a zinc-based supplement. You can find it as a nasal spray, lozenge, or even as part of a vitamin C supplement. One study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that those who took zinc reduced their recovery time from a cold by half. Cold symptoms among those taking a zinc supplement lasted about four days, while symptoms among those taking a placebo lasted about eight days.
• Don’t miss our upcoming estate planning and elder law workshops — our website has our entire educational calendar for the year.
• Learn about estate planning and elder law topics in plain English. Check out our Elder Care Whiteboard Videos at MichiganEstatePlans.com.
• Let us be your trusted advisor for all your legal matters. Our
clients’ referrals have helped us grow. We want to return the favor by helping you find
a great attorney outside the fields of estate planning, elder law, and probate. Instead of taking your chances on Google or the phone book, let us put you in touch with an experienced attorney who can help you. Our clients often call us in need of an attorney who focuses on family law, personal injury, auto accidents, elder and nursing home abuse, workers’ comp, Social Security disability, and many other areas. To get the best results, you need an experienced attorney to help. If you want a referral, call our office or email Julie@MTOLaw.com. We are glad to help!
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What’s Inside? 1 Age Is Just a Number
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The Origins of Pennsylvania Dutch
The Many Different Types of Trusts
Have an Old-Fashioned Cold? Recover Faster!
Helpful Resources
What Is Intuitive Eating?
T he concept of mindfulness has fully saturated mainstream culture at this point. Though it’s more likely to conjure up an image of someone sitting cross-legged with closed eyes than sitting at a table looking wide-eyed at mealtime, it’ll serve you just as well on your dinner plate as it will on your yoga mat. WHAT IS INTUITIVE EATING? Eating mindfully, also known as intuitive eating, is trending in the health and wellness world. But it couldn’t be more different from fad diets or other trends like fasting and cleanses, which have restrictive lists of rules and foods to eat or avoid. Intuitive eating starts by simply tuning in to your body’s needs and cues, but it goes further than that. As a Harvard Medical School article put it, “In essence, mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food — as you buy, prepare, serve, and consume it.” And that includes focusing on how different foods and eating habits make you feel, both physically and mentally.
While this may feel … intuitive ... it’s easier said than done in a culture with consistent and often confusing messaging around what constitutes healthy eating. Even the tried-and-true method of calorie counting has raised doubts in recent years due to inaccuracies in calorie calculations for the nutrition labels and research on how calorie restriction can backfire by changing your hormone levels and even slowing down your metabolism. Kristen Smith, a registered dietitian and the spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says it’s also linked to disordered eating habits. Intuitive eating may just be the antidote. Singer Demi Lovato, who has been open about her struggles with an eating disorder and body- image issues, credits a more mindful approach to eating with helping her overcome harmful eating patterns. HOW DOES IT LEAD TO BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES? Having a regular exercise routine and eating well have long been known as the two pillars of physical health. When it comes to the latter, intuitive eating helps you create healthy and sustainable eating habits. The upshot is that when you eat better, you’ll feel better. Being attuned to that connection is the foundation of mindful eating. Most of us know that we should eat whole foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables, but feeling the outcome of increased consumption of these foods will help you stick with and build the habit.
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