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RELAX, REWIND, AND REVIEW Make the Most of Summer With Estate Plan Revisions
minimizes the risk of misunderstandings, conflicts, and potential legal challenges after your passing. UPDATE AND REVIEW YOUR PLAN Regularly updating and reviewing your estate plan is vital to ensure it accurately reflects your current wishes, life circumstances, and legal requirements. For example, add any new grandchildren to your plan or make executor/trustee changes if needed. Over time,
Recently, there has been a noticeable shift in the air — the days are longer, the sun shines a bit brighter, and everything feels a little more relaxed. The school year has finally ended; the kids are free from homework and ready to dive into summer fun. This season is perfect for tackling a few plans that have been on the back burner for a while. Summer also reminds us to keep ourselves in check! As summer approaches, we see a familiar pattern: Most
significant changes such as marriage, divorce, the birth of grandchildren, changes in financial status, or the acquisition of new assets can all impact your estate planning needs. Additionally, updates in tax laws and estate planning regulations may require revisions to your plan to optimize its effectiveness. By periodically reviewing your estate plan, you ensure it remains aligned with your intentions and provides the intended benefits to your beneficiaries, safeguarding your legacy and preventing potential legal problems. As we welcome the warmth and relaxation of summer, it remains an
seasonal residents head north for the summer, typically before Memorial Day. By the end of May and the beginning of June, our northern friends enjoy cooler temperatures, marking
a great start to their summer. It’s also an excellent time to discuss estate planning decisions with your family. Where should you start? People often need clarification about estate plans, which can lead to misunderstandings. APPOINT SOMEONE YOU TRUST If you have yet to appoint someone you trust to make decisions regarding your assets, you must do so. Many times, someone in the family is the best option. This trusted individual will
ideal time to review and update our estate plans. We can avoid misunderstandings by discussing estate planning decisions with our loved ones and ensuring the plan represents our most updated preferences. Life constantly changes and evolves, and so should your estate plan. Sheppard Law is here to help bring all your questions and concerns to the table so you and your family succeed.
be responsible for carrying out the terms of your will and trust, managing and distributing your estate, and making critical financial or health care decisions if necessary. KEEP OPEN COMMUNICATION
Maintaining open communication about your estate plan with your loved ones and appointed representatives is necessary to ensure your wishes are clearly understood and executed. Discussing your plans and intentions clearly and openly
–Michael Hill
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JUNE 2024
Exhilarating Backyard Competition 3 Novel Games for Outdoor Fun While board game nights can be fun, nothing beats playing outside in this lovely weather! Lawn games have evolved past playing horseshoes in an overgrown field. What about Jenga Giant, Ladder Toss, or Flickin’ Chicken? You’ll want to try these three family-friendly games with family and friends. Here’s how to play. FLICKIN’ CHICKEN rope) underhanded, earning points for bolas that wrap around a rung of the opposing
team’s ladder. The higher the rung your bola wraps around, the more points you get. The first team to reach 21 points wins! JENGA GIANT This is the classic game of Jenga made giant ! In Jenga Giant, two players take
You can’t have a backyard party without a game of Flickin’ Chicken. No, this is not a menu item at a fast food restaurant — it’s a game of skill and daring played between 2–4 capable challengers. Each player chooses one of four uniquely colored Flickin’ Chickens, which they will use for the remainder of the game. In each of the nine rounds, one player throws the target disc as far as possible. Then, the goal of the game is to toss your chicken onto the target disc in the fewest number of throws possible. After the last round, the player with the lowest score is the victor. LADDER TOSS You play this game with 2–4 people split between two teams, each team with its own three-rung ladder set 15 feet apart. Teams take turns tossing their bolas (two balls connected by a nylon
turns pulling wood blocks from a tower standing about 5 feet tall. Over time, the blocks become crucial to the tower’s integrity, and each pull is a gravity-defying feat. If your pull causes the tower to collapse, you are out, and your opponent has to yell “Jenga!” at the top of their lungs.
a n c i n g F a i r n e s s A m o n g S i
children make their own life choices and we are stewards of our possessions, unequal treatment might suggest favoritism and leave emotional scars. I generally agree, but with a few exceptions. In my experience, when children are treated unequally, the one who receives less often wonders if they did something to disappoint their parents. Sadly, the parents can no longer assure them their love is equal. However, actual needs can justify unequal distribution. For example, a child with a disability and lower earning potential might need more support. Others might need help with their children’s education or have faced significant medical issues.
Any parent with more than one child knows how different siblings can be, even when raised in the same household by the same parents. One might be an athlete, while another is a bookworm. One excels academically, while another struggles. One handles stress with ease, while another is quickly overwhelmed. It’s fascinating. Despite these differences, most parents love all their children equally. Love might be expressed differently, but it’s love just the same. When creating an estate plan, some parents may question how to best distribute inheritances fairly among their very different children. Does
leaving equal inheritances signify they loved them all equally? Consider a scenario: Your daughter Veronica is a renowned neurosurgeon living
There are valid reasons to treat children differently in estate planning, but the key to avoiding emotional trauma is
a luxurious life. At the same time, your son Thomas is an eighth-grade teacher struggling to save for a family vacation and his children’s education. Should Thomas receive more of your estate than Veronica?
communication . Explaining your decisions through a heartfelt conversation or a letter to be read after your death can help. Whether or not you decide to distribute assets equally, estate planning is emotional. Ensure your heart aligns with your mind and communicate your intentions clearly and appropriately.
My retired law partner, John Sheppard, advises clients to treat their children equally in estate planning. Since
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Lessons, Letters, Legacy
Bruce Springsteen’s Music Inspires Our Estate Planning
establish clear expectations — in a letter or some other method — their children will follow them. The closing verse of the title song from Springsteen’s new album resonates with what I am discussing here: “All my happiness and all my pain, The dark evening stars,
I recently watched an interview with Bruce Springsteen, one of my favorite musicians. His album, “Letters to You,” reflects the 71-year-old rock legend’s life. Sometimes, musicians prompt us to reflect on our lives by expressing their own thoughts through their art. After undergoing open heart surgery in 2019, I find myself more reflective than ever. Springsteen has inspired me to ask myself what I want to achieve in the next decade and how to positively impact my friends, family, and colleagues. Likewise, your estate plan is one of your final expressions, and it gives me great pride in my career to help with it. An estate plan can be much more than a simple will or trust. Does your plan divide assets among loved ones, or does it protect against divorcing spouses, creditors, and predators? Does it provide a retirement safety net for your children, or can they misspend it? More importantly, does your family understand your estate plan and what to expect? Love and devotion can endure the loss of a family patriarch or matriarch. Still, when sibling rivalries exist, it’s wise for clients to diffuse tensions and explain their motives and hopes before they pass in a letter to include with their plans. Many clients discover that their adult children don’t understand their estate plan, but if they
And the morning sky of blue, And I sent it in my letter to you. I took all my fears and doubts, In my letter to you. All the hard things that I found out,
In my letter to you. All that I found true, And I sent it to you in my letter. I sent it in my letter to you.” What will your letter say to your loved ones?
–Craig Hersch
INGREDIENTS
TAKE A BREAK!
Dressing •
• • • • • • • •
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt and pepper
4 ears of corn, shucked
• • • • •
1/2 cup half and half 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream
3 tbsp minced dill
3 stalks celery, finely diced 1 red onion, finely diced 1 1/2 cups blueberries 1 head of butter lettuce
1 tsp sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
DIRECTIONS 1. Place chicken in a large plastic bag and pound with a mallet to flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 2. Heat grill, then grill chicken on both sides for about 4 minutes per side; set aside to cool before slicing. 3. Grill corn until the kernels begin browning, turning regularly for even cooking. Use a knife to shave the kernels off. 4. In a bowl, mix all dressing ingredients until combined. 5. In a large bowl, combine corn, dill, celery, and onions, then stir in chicken and top with dressing and blueberries as desired. 6. Separate the head of butter lettuce into “cups” to fill with salad and enjoy!
ANSWER ON TOP OF PAGE 4
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Inspired by FoodAndWine.com
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INSIDE this issue
SUDOKU ANSWER
Ensure Your Estate Plan Is Picture Perfect PAGE 1 3 Must-Try Lawn Games PAGE 2 Create a Fair Estate Plan PAGE 2 Using Bruce Springsteen’s Music to Shape Your Estate Plan PAGE 3 Summer Chicken Salad PAGE 3 Host a Movie Night Under the Stars PAGE 4
The best compliments we receive are your referrals. When you refer us to your loved ones, we do all we can to exceed expectations.
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old classic — family movie night — by holding it in her backyard with all the conveniences you would expect at a movie theater — like an air mattress, pillows, and blankets! If you are looking for a fun way to spruce up a traditional movie night, what better way than to bring it outside under the stars? Here are some necessities to make your moonlight movie night truly magical: • A portable projector screen, like a sheet on a clothesline • Portable movie projector • Candy, popcorn, and beverages • Some outdoor seating and cushions • Lamps, lanterns, or candles • Warm blankets • The perfect movie to bring it all together You can find screens and projectors to fit any budget, and your movie selection will depend on the crowd. Just make it fun: Lie back on the grass and watch “Antz” or lounge in the pool while watching “Jaws”! The key is to make the experience unforgettable, and all who share in it will be thankful for your effort to make it all possible.
Whether it’s blocking pucks during a street hockey game or checkmating chess hustlers at the park, traditionally indoor activities take on an entirely new feel and flavor when taken outside. While a rare sight these days, movie-goers worldwide used to enjoy cinema from the comfort of their cars at drive-in theaters. These made a brief resurgence during the pandemic, but now that movies are rolling in theaters again, the fad has begun to die off. These days, if you want to watch a movie, it seems like you are limited to three options:
Watching it at the theater, on your TV, or on your phone or tablet. Now, I think we can all agree that watching a movie outside on your phone does not make for a great cinematic experience. Debtrette, a TikTok influencer and mom, has a suggestion. She put a spin on an
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