Hegwood Law - January 2021

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HEADLINES HEGWOOD

HEGWOODLAW.COM • 281.218.0880

JANUARY 2021

HOW TO SEE THE ‘GOOD’ AND MAKE 2021 BETTER

Hi, friends. I hope you have all had a wonderful start to the New Year. With a pandemic and stormy, polarized politics, I know this is not the most ideal way to begin a new year. Actually, I will just admit it: 2020 sucked. It forces us to ask ourselves: How do we make lemonade from our lessons in 2020 as we step into 2021? Our lives have changed a lot this past year. Some of those changes have been very positive. However, 2020 has deeply affected every generation in our families. I have mentioned in previous newsletters that this pandemic has been very difficult for my young grandchildren. It has also been difficult for my mom. As a hardworking “people” person, she is still working at 75 years old, but working from home has not helped her maintain the same connection with others. She is deciding that she may finally retire. It can be hard to see the “good” when we have to make painful decisions. But it is incredibly important to see the good anyway, like our own strides toward our life purpose — no matter what it takes, and we need more than a New Year’s resolution to make the most of 2021. We need to protect our mental health and embrace change wherever possible. What does mental health have to do with making strides toward your life purpose? Everything, actually. By protecting your mental well- being, you are more likely to have a healthier mindset to enjoy life to the fullest. Of course, protecting your mental health is a vague mission statement because everyone’s mental health is protected differently. Personally, it means a few specific things for me. First, I am planning for our firm to do more fun events or programs in the future. I am very lucky to have an amazing legal team where people genuinely like each other! We always have a good time in the office, but I would like to do more to enhance our team’s enjoyment of the moment.

Second, I would like to spend more time focusing on gratitude and joy in my life. Research shows that gratitude can improve our long- term happiness by 10%, and there is a lot to be grateful for, even after a year like 2020.

-Kim Hegwood

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GREASE AND FINGERPRINTS BE GONE 3 Handy Ways to Clean Your Screens

While phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops have become convenient, everyday technology, one struggle remains: constantly dirty screens. Regular cleaning is a must for battling fingerprints, dust, and other smudges, not to mention all the germs that can collect on the surface of your device. But how do you clean your screens without ruining any functionality? Before you drench your device in your typical household cleaner, try these three cleaning products and say goodbye to dirty screens! Mobile Screen Wipes Chances are, you use your phone more than all your other devices combined, resulting in a constantly dirty screen. With Zeiss Mobile Screen Wipes, you can rest assured that no matter how dirty your phone screen gets, you can clean it any time, any place. These wipes are individually wrapped and can easily fit in a pocket, purse, or drawer at work. As an added bonus, they can also clean your eyeglasses. You can find them for $7.49 on Amazon! Screen Cleaner

free long after cleaning. Since you simply spray some onto a cleaning cloth, the 5-ounce bottle lasts quite a while. With a 4.7 rating from over 1,400 reviews, Insignia is perfect for all of your screen-cleaning needs! Pick up a bottle of your own at Best Buy for $9.99. Electronic Wipes Weiman Electronic Wipes are perfect for removing grease smudges, dust, and fingerprints from any of your delicate screens, including TVs, tablets, phones, and laptops. They can even be used to spot- clean keyboards. The wipes come ready to use and contain no harsh ingredients. You can purchase them on Amazon for $14.98.

Best Buy has its own brand of screen cleaner called Insignia. Insignia can thoroughly and safely clean any device’s screen and keep it streak-

WAIT, WHAT IS A PET TRUST? How to Protect the Future of All Your Family Members, Big or Small

You can easily ensure that life for your family is as comfortable and easy as possible if you are incapacitated. But it is no secret that your family may be made up of more than fellow humans, such as birds, cats, dogs, horses, and more. Animals provide meaningful connections in our lives, and at Hegwood Law Group, we know you want to give them the best lives possible even when you cannot care for them. Unfortunately, because animals are considered property under Texas law, it is not possible to provide for their care or shelter in your will. However, you can ensure they are cared for with another legally binding document — a pet trust. A pet trust is a legal entity recognized under Texas law that provides specific directions for the physical control, daily care, medical attention, and even burial of your pet. Generally, there are two types of pet trusts:

law determines how the trust will operate and how it can be used.

Traditional Legal Trust — This is the preferred method to ensure the care of your pet that actually places the pet and sufficient funds for its care into the trust.

Pet trusts work pretty simply: Once the pet owner (“settlor”) creates a trust, they must designate a trustee and a caregiver as the beneficiary. The trustee will manage the funds and oversee the caretaker while the caretaker acts as the “beneficiary” of the trust. A pet trust will ensure your caretaker’s costs are covered. The amount they receive will depend on many factors, including the type of animal, annual cost of care, the pet’s age and life expectancy, and need for extended veterinary care or surgery. Of course, this makes having a trustworthy, financially responsible trustee critical to a safe pet trust. Also, you need to make sure to have a caretaker willing to care for your pet and provide a safe home. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call our team! We are highly experienced with concerned pet owners and can promise you they will be protected with a well- designed pet trust.

Statutory Pet Trust — A type of trust authorized by the state legislature, this is a basic plan in which state

2 HEGWOOD LAW GROUP

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RARE FACTS YOU MIGHT HAVE NOT KNOWN ABOUT ELVIS PRESLEY!

Garon Presley. Elvis attributed this loss to a haunting loneliness that had been with him throughout his whole life. Although he never had other biological siblings, he did gain three stepbrothers through marriage later in life. No. 3: Elvis’ moves were so offensive that a Florida judge wanted to arrest him. Elvis’ signature dance moves are considered inspirational today, but it took some serious trailblazing to make it so. His hip shimmying was considered far too risque in the ‘50s. In fact, in August 1956, juvenile court judge Marion Gooding attended an Elvis concert in Florida and was appalled. He threatened to have Elvis arrested the next time he saw his show unless he toned his act down — however, he would permit “limited side-to- side movements.” We hope these facts were entertaining enough to turn on a sweet Elvis tune this month. You can never go wrong with classic rock ‘n’ roll!

No. 1: Elvis had a very strict shopping list. But not in the way you might think. While celebrities today are often promoting new healthy diets, Elvis did not care to count calories. Elvis’ favorite dish became famous as the “Elvis Sandwich,” which consists of an entire loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with peanut butter, grape jelly, and a pound of bacon. His weekly grocery list is said to have costed nearly $500 a week, which included one case of Pepsi, one case of orange drink, six cans of biscuits, cans of sauerkraut, hot dogs, banana pudding (cooked fresh nightly), meatloaf, brownies, ice cream, shredded coconut, fudge cookies, and gum. No. 2: A family death deeply affected him — before he was born. Before Elvis was even born, he lost a dear family member: his twin brother, Jesse

At Hegwood Law Group, we all agree: Few music artists are more iconic in visual style and auditory flair than Elvis Presley, the King. To celebrate the King’s 86th birthday (Jan. 8, 1935), we thought we would share a few lesser-known facts that would be fun for the whole family!

6-INGREDIENT GOOEY SWEDISH CHOCOLATE CAKE

WORD SEARCH

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Line the bottom of a 7–9-inch springform cake pan with a circle of parchment paper, then grease the paper and the sides of the pan. 2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Then take off the heat and set aside. 3. Add the cocoa, sugar, flour, and vanilla to the butter and stir a little. Then add the eggs and stir everything together until well combined. 4. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and bake for 20–25 minutes until the top is set but the center is still gooey. The top should be firm but crack under a little pressure from your finger. 5. Let the cake cool in the pan, then run a knife between the pan and the cake to loosen it. Turn out onto a plate or cake stand. Dust generously with cocoa powder and serve warm with ice cream or cream.

Ingredients

• 4 3/4 oz salted butter (just over 1 stick) • 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra for sprinkling • 1 3/4 cups sugar • 1 cup all-purpose flour (actually, just less than a full cup, about 0.85 cups) • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 3 eggs, lightly whisked

BEGINNING CELEBRATION CLOCK COUNTDOWN FAMILY FIREWORKS FRIENDS

JANUARY MIDNIGHT NEW PARTY WINTER YEAR

Source: ScrummyLane.com/6-ingredient-gooey-swed- ish-chocolate-cake-kladdkaka/

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 Let Us Make 2021 Our Best Year Yet

2 Your Devices Deserve Clean Screens What Is a Pet Trust? 3 A Tribute to Elvis’ 86th Birthday 6-Ingredient Gooey Swedish Chocolate Cake

4 These Old-School Hobbies Are Making a Huge Comeback

OUTWITH THE NEW, INWITH THE OLD!

January is National Hobby Month — and for good reason! As people set goals for 2021, they are also thinking about trying new hobbies. But with so many out there, picking just one can be a hobby in itself. Thanks in part to COVID-19, many people have rediscovered old-school hobbies. Some of these have been around for decades or even longer, and others have established communities that can rely on one another for support, sharing information, and more. Here are four great examples. Making Bread Over the last year, interest in this ancient hobby has skyrocketed. Homemade bread is tastier and more nutritious than store-bought, and it is so satisfying to watch it come together. Not to mention it is a great skill to have! With so many types of bread to try, you are not going to run out of ideas any time soon. Collecting Cards No matter what people were into during the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, there was a trading card game for it. And even going into 2021, that tradition has been kept alive. When many people were stuck at home last year, they rediscovered their card collections and remembered how much fun they were. As a result, card sales went through the roof, and online card communities lit up with activity from all over the world.

Restoring Cars Car restoration is a hobby that lets you get your hands dirty, and it is one that you can do with your kids or grandkids. It can be not only educational for them but also fun! Together, you can track down parts, talk to folks who are also interested in restoration, and learn about the history of your car. Though car restoration can be a bit costly and time consuming, it is certainly a journey worth taking. Embroidering Embroidery has taken off because it is both inexpensive and fairly easy to get into. Plus, many people have fallen in love with its meditative quality. One of the great things about embroidery is that you can use it to make amazing personalized gifts, like pillows, wall hangings, and kitchen towels!