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Plan today for peace of mind tomorrow. NOVEMBER 2024
THE UNSEEN SACRIFICES OF OUR MILITARY HEROES Beyond ‘Thank You’
It’s easy for many to say “thank you for your service” to the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. While the sentiment is genuine and heartfelt, not everyone fully grasps the depth of what that service truly entails. Unless you’ve lived it or been close to someone who has, it’s hard to fully understand the sacrifices and commitment that come with serving our country. I’ve always been patriotic and deeply love our country. I believe it’s a great nation because of the men and women who are willing to serve. Most of the time, it’s young adults signing up for something they can’t fully comprehend at that stage of their lives. It’s a bit like becoming a parent — you see it, you hear about it, but until you actually experience it, you can’t truly grasp the magnitude of what it means. When men and women serve our country, they give an extraordinary gift of themselves. Whether it’s four years of service or the ultimate sacrifice of their life, the daily sacrifices they make are immeasurable. Many miss out on seeing their newborn babies for months and miss holidays and big life events, while their children cope with their absence for extended periods. It’s incredible to think that so many brave individuals are willing to endure this, and it’s their selflessness that allows our country to remain what it is today.
The men and women of the U.S. military often carry the weight of their service with them for the rest of their lives. Their sacrifices don’t end when they leave the battlefield — they continue to serve their country in countless ways long after their time in uniform. While Veterans Day honors them, many believe they deserve more — a month, or even more time, wouldn’t truly capture the depth of gratitude they deserve. It’s wonderful to have a day dedicated to honoring our veterans, but it’s even more important to truly understand and appreciate the immense sacrifices they make. When they sign up and say, “Yes, I will serve,” they may not fully grasp the weight of those words until they experience it firsthand. The gift these men and women give us through their service is truly incredible and beautiful. To all the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces who have served and continue to serve our country, including my husband, who served in the
Marine Corps, thank you for the beautiful sacrifices you have made. Your bravery, dedication, and love for the U.S. is an incredible gift to each of us. This Veterans Day, we salute you.
–Andrea Shoup
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Master Your Money With Reverse Budgeting
SECURE YOUR LEGACY WITH A DIGITAL ESTATE PLAN From Social Media to Online Banking
Create a digital estate plan. Follow these essential steps to ensure your digital assets are properly managed and distributed. 1. Identify your digital assets. List all your online accounts and digital assets. This inventory should include usernames, passwords, and any other relevant information. 2. Determine where you’d like them to go. Specify what should happen to each of your digital assets. For example, you may want your social media profiles memorialized or deleted and your photos shared with family members. 3. Select a digital executor. Choose a trusted person to manage your digital assets according to your wishes. This person could be the same as your estate executor or someone more tech-savvy. 4. Secure and legalize your digital estate plan. Ensure your plan is legally binding and stored securely. Your digital executor should know where to find this plan when needed.
In today’s digital age, we spend much of our lives online. Our digital footprint covers everything, from online banking and bill payments to social media interactions and photo sharing. But what happens to these digital assets after you pass away? This is where a digital estate plan becomes crucial. Your digital legacy includes all the interactions and content you’ve created online. This might encompass your social media profiles, email accounts, online conversations, photos, and even your blog. Managing these digital assets is essential not only for practical and financial reasons but also for emotional ones. Your emails, documents, and social media posts constitute an incredible legacy of content that might be meaningful for your loved ones.
What are digital assets? Digital assets cover a wide range of online accounts and information, such as:
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Email accounts
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Online dating or gaming accounts Online accounts for utilities
Social media profiles
Online banking accounts Subscription-based services
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E-commerce accounts (e.g., Etsy, Amazon, eBay) Cloud-stored photos and files Planning your digital legacy is an important step in today’s connected world. When you take the time to create a digital estate plan, you can provide peace of mind for yourself and your loved ones, ensuring your online presence is handled with care and respect after you’re gone. A Passion for Creativity and Compassion Cellphone apps Loyalty program benefits (e.g., frequent flyer miles) Any other personal data stored on your computer, cellphone, or tablet • Get to Know Heather, Our Marketing Star
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Meet Heather, our amazing marketing assistant! Recently, she celebrated her one-year anniversary with our firm, and
social media, creating posts and graphics, and making sure our online presence shines. She also coordinates our in-person estate planning workshops and organizes our on-demand webinars, keeping everything running smoothly. “I love using my creativity in my work,” Heather says with a smile. “I’m a little sarcastic and sassy, and that aligns well with our content. I also remain professional, as I understand that in this field, we need to be compassionate and understanding.” Outside of work, Heather is an awesome mom of two — an 11-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son — and has been married for 12 years! With her husband, who ended his enlistment in the military after 12 years of service, they both enjoy the perks of working from home and spending quality time with their family. Heather still keeps her passion for photography alive, often capturing special moments for friends. She loves making family time a priority and cherishes those moments together.
in that short time, her growth and contributions have been incredible.
Before joining us, Heather was a self-taught photographer, running and marketing her own business for about six years. While her husband was stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California, as a Marine, she started studying to become an ultrasound technician. However, when her family relocated to North Carolina for her husband’s career, she had to shift gears. Embracing the change, Heather decided to pursue her passion for marketing and pursued her bachelor’s degree through Southern New Hampshire University. Heather graduated last year and began her journey with us as an intern. Thanks to her hard work and dedication, she quickly earned a promotion to marketing assistant. In her role, she wears many hats — managing all of our
“Five years from now? I have enjoyed my time with Shoup Legal thus far and hope to become marketing manager in the future!” she says.
Heather, we are thrilled that you have chosen Shoup Legal to call home and look forward to many more years serving our community and clients together!
Plan today for peace
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EVERYTHING- SEASONED DINNER ROLLS Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
Give the Gift of Security With a Thoughtful Estate Plan Do you feel that? Thanksgiving and the season of gratefulness is in the air! As the holiday season rolls around, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on all we’re grateful for: the love of family, the warmth of friendships, and the many blessings we share. Gathering around the table with our loved ones and sharing good times reminds us just how much we cherish these moments. During the celebration, it’s also important to think about how we can protect the very things we are thankful for. Estate planning is one of the most meaningful ways we can ensure our loved ones continue to be cared for, even after we’re gone. After all, remember that estate planning isn’t just about managing wealth — it’s about safeguarding the future of those we love. A well-crafted estate plan ensures our wishes are honored, our assets are protected, and our families are protected from unnecessary financial burdens and legal challenges. This season is our reminder to plan for the future and take steps to protect our families and their well-being. Estate planning helps create peace of mind. It ensures our families won’t be left dealing with complicated legal matters during what is already a difficult and emotional time. Keep in mind that an estate plan is an act of love. It’s a way to continue looking after your family, just as you’ve done throughout your life. It helps maintain their security, stability, and happiness, even when you’re no longer there to do so yourself. REASON FOR THE SEASON
No need to make rolls from scratch this season. Instead, dress up store-bought rolls with delicious everything bagel seasoning! Ingredients
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Cooking spray
20 frozen dinner rolls 2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning
Directions
1. Coat a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray and arrange frozen rolls in the pan to thaw according to package instructions. 2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Then, melt butter and honey together in the microwave or on the stove. Once the rolls thaw, brush butter mixture over the rolls and sprinkle seasoning on top. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden, and serve these tasty rolls straight out of the oven!
So, as you enjoy this Thanksgiving with your family, take a moment to think about the future and how estate planning can ensure the people you are most thankful for will be cared for and protected. It’s one of the best gifts you can give them!
TAKE A BREAK
e of mind tomorrow.
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Plan today for peace of mind tomorrow. 39755 Date St., Ste. 203 | Murrieta, CA 92563 (951) 445-4114 | www.shouplegal.com
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1 | A Time to Reflect on the True Meaning of Service 2 | What Happens to Your Digital Assets After You’re Gone? 2 | Heather Celebrates One Year With Shoup Legal 3 | A Meaningful Way to Show Gratitude This Thanksgiving 3 | Everything-Seasoned Dinner Rolls 4 | Paws of Hope Inside This Issue A WARRIOR’S BEST FRIEND How a Rescue Dog Changed a Veteran’s Life When Marine William “Bill” Lins returned home from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, he felt ruined. He wasn’t the same man anymore and felt like he didn’t fit in anywhere. After sustaining multiple injuries and witnessing the horrors of battle, he never thought he would be able to go back to living a normal life. Bill felt an instant connection to the goofy rescue dog Link, who was recovering from
his own trauma after living a rough life in a kill shelter. Bill said his canine companion is his 24/7
That is until the nonprofit K-9s For Warriors helped him find his missing link — a rescue dog appropriately named Link.
therapist, providing him with support and safety at all hours. Link doesn’t just impact Bill’s life; he makes a difference with everyone he encounters, from Bill’s children to the youth athletes he coaches.
K-9 For Warriors has been pairing highly trained service dogs with military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma since 2011. The free program strives to better the lives of veterans through special canine bonds and ultimately end veteran suicide, which claims the lives of roughly 20 veterans every day. When Bill returned from deployment, he had to recover from two surgeries and realized he had PTSD. He had developed severe alcoholism, drinking every day nonstop as his only coping mechanism. In a hopeless place, the Marine felt like he was losing every piece of his identity and had nothing left. After seeing a friend at the VA bring in his service dog, he noticed a remarkable change in him and decided to apply for the program.
“Together, we kind of make each other whole,” Bill said. “He makes everyone’s world better, and he makes it seem effortless.”
Link has inspired Bill to help others and spread a message of awareness that asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a symbol of strength. Bill has since earned his master’s in social work and provides mental health services with his tail-wagging companion by his side for every session.
Together, the pair are showing veterans everywhere that there is hope and that life can get better with a little help from a four-legged friend.
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