Eversole Law Firm - Summer 2022

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Eversole

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When I started Eversole Law almost 20 years ago, I was mostly on my own. I had one real estate paralegal working with me, but I had to handle everything else by myself. Drafting, proofreading, and filing litigation documents was time-consuming, and the process kept me from doing the work I’d spent years in law school preparing for. Once I could hire someone else to take on those responsibilities, it gave me tremendous freedom to build the practice and help more people. I can no longer imagine working any other way — I’d probably have to close up shop! So, I want to take the opportunity this Labor Day to tell you a bit about the six fantastic women who work with me here at Eversole Law. We’re fortunate enough to have a team that works well together and wants the best for each other. Having worked with a troublemaker or two throughout my career, I know how important and rare that is. If something needs doing, we all pitch in. Years A ‘THANK YOU’ TO OUR INCREDIBLE TEAM Making Our Work Possible

Summer 2022

ago, we all joined forces to redecorate our building with fresh paint and new furniture. That required initiative, not to mention creativity! And not all groups of coworkers would be up to the task. The work here is fast-paced, and deadlines sometimes appear out of nowhere. So, we all need to be flexible and able to change course at the drop of a hat. It’s just as important to do work efficiently and accurately. Time is money — and mistakes can be big money, especially for our clients. Fortunately, this team can check all of those boxes and more. Courtney is our real estate closing paralegal who works on the buyer side of transactions. Madison is a paralegal on the seller side of the equation and does a lot of document preparation. Maggie wears many hats. She is our litigation paralegal and also handles estate planning and probate cases.

Bonnie is a trained paralegal, but she currently does title research and abstracting for our firm. It’s a huge benefit to have someone like her on staff rather than needing to outsource this work. Stephanie is our receptionist, and she’s the first person many of our clients interact with at our firm. She makes sure everyone feels welcome and gets a positive first impression of who we are and what we do. Last but not least, Cat is our office and billing manager. She handles the nitty-gritty work and keeps us up and running. Our employees help me make our law office what it is, and I’ve never taken them for granted. If you’ve used our services and have been happy with the results, you likely have Courtney, Madison, Maggie, Bonnie, Stephanie, and Cat to thank. The next time you see them, please share your appreciation. I certainly will!

-Alysoun Eversole

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BREAKING THE BUSY-BORED CYCLE 3 Strategies You Can Use Right Now

It’s a common problem: People spend most of their days feeling too busy, only to feel bored during their free time. So how can you break the habit of scrolling through your phone and watching TV and make the most of the little time you have for yourself? Let’s talk about ways to break the cycle of boredom and busyness thus creating a more fulfilling life. 1. Plan ahead. Schedule your days and weeks for an even workload to ensure your day doesn’t have huge gaps or work overflow. For example, if you have a large project, you can divide it into smaller tasks to keep yourself busy, yet not overwhelmed, throughout the week. You can also plan fun activities each day. This will help fight boredom and give you something to look forward to when you’re at work or while completing daily tasks. 2. Prioritize tasks. If you have trouble managing projects to the point where you feel you don’t have enough time, begin prioritizing specific tasks. It’s essential to complete the highest priority tasks so you won’t be up late in the day trying to finish something important. If you plan ahead, you can number your tasks from most important to least. This will help ensure high-priority tasks are completed on schedule.

3. Be curious. One way to

mute boredom and implement more creativity is by setting daily learning goals. These

goals can be anything you want! Setting small goals and accomplishments will keep you curious, motivated, and focused. They also give you something

to look forward to each day. Ask yourself what you want to learn today. Do you want to learn about a new culture? A language? If there is something you’ve always wanted to know, now is the time to put your thinking cap on! Boredom and busyness derive from the same source — there is a lack of quality in how you focus your attention. Luckily, the same strategies apply to both boredom and busyness. These tips will help you create a balanced mindset and allow you to push through your day without feeling overwhelmed or uninspired.

Understanding Special Needs Trusts

AND HOW THEY HELP YOUR FAMILY

Many people with disabilities will need support for their entire lives. So, when they outlive their caregivers, they’re often left in a lurch. It can be frightening not to know where you’ll live or who will assist with your personal needs — and it’s a question that also keeps many parents of people with disabilities up at night. Families in this situation are often best served by a special needs trust. Unfortunately, it’s generally unwise to grant a person with disabilities their inheritance the same way as other heirs. It comes down to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicare requirements. To qualify for valuable SSI services, people with disabilities cannot hold more than $2,000 in cash in their names. But the funds in a special needs trust will not count toward their assets when calculating eligibility. The special needs trust must be managed by a trustee on the beneficiary’s behalf. For better or worse, the beneficiary cannot oversee the trust themselves. Many people name a family member to act as a trustee, while others hire an attorney or bank to do

the work for a fee. The trustee should be someone trustworthy — and the associated costs should be affordable — to ensure the beneficiary gets the most value out of the trust. Trustees can technically use special needs trusts to pay for anything that is not illegal on the beneficiary’s behalf. But some reductions in benefits from SSI or Medicare may result from choices to use the funds for food or shelter. Trustees should always work with an attorney to understand the impact purchasing decisions could have on the beneficiary’s overall quality of life. Often, trustees use the funds to pay for caregiving the beneficiary needs to function. But beneficiaries can also use the money on expenses like entertainment, recreation, home decor, personal belongings, education, and out-of-pocket medical costs. The options will depend heavily on how well it is funded. Eversole Law Firm regularly helps clients create special needs trusts for their loved ones with disabilities, and we’d love to talk about your options. Call us today to schedule an appointment and learn more. It’s the best way to care for the person you love after you’re gone.

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A DAY FOR EVERYTHING Who Creates All Those Wacky Holidays? Cynical people often suggest that greeting card companies invented Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. They didn’t, though the industry did help popularize them. But what about all these wacky holidays that seem to pop up like weeds? For example, Sept. 17 is Batman Day, National Pet Bird Day, Puppy Mill Awareness Day, and International Eat an Apple Day — among many others. Where did all of these so-called holidays originate? You can’t blame Hallmark, but someone is behind the commemorative declarations. And while most of these holidays are unofficial, you can at least partially blame Congress. Requests for new holidays generally used to pass through them, and trade groups, nonprofits, and corporations constantly lobbied for new resolutions recognizing the special day they’d just invented. For years, Congress took the bait. But things eventually got out of hand. According to Holly McGuire, the editor-in-chief of “Chase’s Calendar of Events,” one in three laws passed in the 1985–1986 session established a new special day, week, or month. Realizing they couldn’t continue like this forever, Congress eventually declared a moratorium on new holidays. So, where could the holidaymakers turn? They mostly went to “Chase’s Calendar of Events.” The book originated after a journalist realized that people in his profession needed a way to keep track of an ever-growing list of holidays. The first edition in 1958 was 32 pages long; the 2017 edition was 752 pages.

While many off-the-wall holidays still come from the advocacy and promotional groups you’d expect, there is now a small collection of holiday hobbyists. Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith claims to have invented more than 1,900 holidays, including Lost Penny Day (Feb. 12). Thomas Roy, inventor of No Sock Day (May 8), has created only a measly 90 by comparison — but that’s many more than most of us can claim. You can get in on the fun yourself. The team at “Chase’s Calendar of Events” says they receive around 100 submissions annually and accept about a third of them. If these quirky holidays are not your cup of tea, you can rest assured that you’re not alone. Newspaper archives show that complaints about made-up holidays date back at least 100 years. Whether concepts like National Dry Shampoo Day (March 10) or Turtle Adoption Day (Nov. 27) fill you with delight or make you roll your eyes, the wacky holidays seem like they’re here to stay.

Great Truths

Tasty Bruschetta Chicken

Ingredients

Directions

• 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness • 4 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp lemon juice, divided • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1 tsp Italian seasoning • 3 tomatoes, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped • Salt and pepper, to taste • 4 slices mozzarella cheese • Parmesan cheese, grated

www.eversolelaw.com grill, top each breast with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook 2–3 minutes, then serve topped with the tomato mixture and grated Parmesan cheese. 1. Add chicken to a large resealable bag. 2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Pour over chicken and seal. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 3. Turn a grill to medium-high heat and add the chicken. Discard the marinade. Grill chicken 5–7 minutes per side or until fully cooked. 4. Combine the remaining lemon juice, tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Add salt and pepper, to taste. 5. Before taking the chicken off the

“No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature

is in session.” –Mark Twain

Inspired by Delish.com

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Eversole Law Firm, P.C. 1509 King Street Beaufort, SC 29902 (843) 379-3333 www.eversolelaw.com

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Disclaimer: The content of this publication has been prepared by Eversole Law Firm, P.C. for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship with its readers and may not be used by you, the reader, as legal advice. You are encouraged to consult with us or another attorney about your circumstances to which the information in this document may apply.

What’s Inside

1. Celebrating Our Incredible Team! 2. Boredom and Busyness Come From the Same Source Should I Consider a Special Needs Trust? 3. Behind the Wacky Holiday Phenomenon Tasty Bruschetta Chicken 4. Siri, What’s the Prettiest U.S. Restaurant?

WHERE THE VIEW IS PART OF THE MENU 3 MOST BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA

When you go to a nice restaurant, you’re not just paying for food — you’re also paying for an experience. Decor might be the last thing on a guest’s mind, but with the right design, some restaurants are absolutely breathtaking. Here are a few of our favorites. Pink Cadillac Diner — Natural Bridge, Virginia Taking a step into this restaurant feels like stepping straight into the 1950s … in all the best ways possible. The diner’s bold, beautiful shades of bubblegum pink — including a vintage pink Cadillac parked in front — prompt nostalgia and delight. Accompanied with a classic burger and ice cream diner menu, this East Coast gem is a destination you won’t want to miss. Cecconi’s Dumbo — New York City There are plenty of gorgeous restaurants in the Big Apple, but you’ll always hear Cecconi’s Dumbo mentioned among the best. Located in Brooklyn Bridge Park, your table might have dramatic views of the bridge or a waterfront view of the Manhattan skyline. It’s the best possible pairing with their classic Italian menu, complete with handmade pasta and high-end ingredients from Italy.

The French Laundry — Yountville, California If there’s a contest for the best food and views offered by a restaurant in America, this three-star Michelin restaurant just might place first. Run by Thomas Keller, its rustic, cottage-like setting in Napa Valley always turns heads with its surprisingly sophisticated design (as well as its exclusive tasting menus!). The restaurant’s gardens are beautifully lit and dotted with Japanese maple trees — a sight that will blow you away.

Most people can have a good meal at home, so if you have the time and money, why not pay a little extra for a

nice view? Go ahead and indulge. We won’t judge — we’ll even be a little jealous!

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