Check out the May newsletter!
Trust Matters MAY 2026
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A Different Kind of Member Event
Inside Our Intentional Living Summits
Three times a year, we invite our TrustCare and Retirement Management Office members to something very different from what most people expect: a three-hour event in the afternoon, the opposite of a dinner sales presentation. It’s not built around a meal, a pitch, or some vague motivational talk. We bring people in to really work on one topic and go deep into it. We call it our Intentional Living Summit. The name fits what we are trying to do. Our tagline is “Build a life you love to live because you weren’t born to just pay bills and die.” Many topics touch on that idea, so each summit is built around one area where we think practical guidance can make life easier, clearer, or more secure.
themselves. We worked through it piece by piece and gathered everything into one organized tool. Some of my clients are already incredibly organized, and even they walked out saying we covered more than they had thought of. Everyone left with something valuable they could use right away. We have been doing these summits for a while now, and what has stood out to me is how consistently well people respond to them. Clients always give rave reviews. Our surveys come back with almost all 10s out of 10, and I think that is because people can feel the difference between an event built to impress and one built to help them. Another thing our clients tell us is that they love the sense of community. They get to know others who are at similar stages of life and are dealing with some of the same questions and decisions. That’s a big deal because a lot of estate planning and financial topics feel isolating when you are sitting at home trying to sort them out on your own. There is something different about being in a room with other people who also care about getting things right. That is really the heart of the Intentional Living Summit. We try to stay in our lane, of course, but so many parts of life affect whether you are actually building a life you love to live. These events give us a chance to slow down, focus on important issues, and help people make real progress. The next summit is coming up in May. We don’t usually release the topic in advance, but if you are a TrustCare or Retirement Management Office member, I encourage you to call the office and
Sometimes, that means updates on laws, taxes, strategies, market conditions, or the economy. Other times, it means helping clients organize one piece of their financial life in a way that actually gets something done. That practical side is important to me. A lot of what we do is boots-on-the-ground practical. It’s not all theory, and it’s not just, “Here are some interesting ideas.” I want people to leave with something useful. That happened at our last summit, which we called the fire drill. We spent three hours helping clients build the packet of information someone would need in an emergency if they couldn’t explain things
reserve your seat. We also send event details by email, so keep an eye on your inbox. I think you will walk away with something useful and probably a few things you didn’t even know you needed.
-Francisco Sirvent
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YOUTH INNOVATION AIMED AT ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS TEEN TESTS A TINY HOME SOLUTION
In London, Ontario, an 18-year-old is getting ready to spend a year in a tiny house he designed himself. His name is Ribal Zebian, and you might recognize it from the headlines he made for an electric wooden car he built while still in high school. Now, his focus has shifted to a different challenge in his hometown. About 1,800 people in London are currently
experiencing homelessness, and that number continues to rise. Zebian hopes to contribute another tool to the growing list of potential solutions. He has designed a modular home that can be assembled in a single day, is affordable, and offers a protective, aesthetically pleasing design. The current design is built from fiberglass panels with a PET foam core, which also helps insulate and support the roof. Right now, the model is a small 8x8-foot shelter, but he says the same design can be scaled up to create larger units. Inside, the prototype is deliberately basic. It’s a secure, compact space with enough room for a bed and a place to store essentials. Zebian wants it to feel like a room someone could actually live in, not a storage bin with a mattress thrown in. The fiberglass and PET foam used for the walls
and roof help reduce drafts and retain heat during cold Canadian winters.
Beginning this month, Zebian plans to test the design’s effectiveness by staying in the house for a full year. He wants to see how it handles summer heat, wet spring weather, and deep-freeze temperatures. That experience will guide the next version and, he hopes, make the design more sturdy and long-lasting. Zebian knows his tiny house isn’t a solution to homelessness. The long-term answers involve a variety of factors, including more affordable housing and better access to support and mental health services. But what his idea can offer is a safer step between a tent and a permanent home. If cities or nonprofits can quickly place a cluster of these units, it could give people a warm, private place to stay while they work on the rest of their lives.
OZEMPIC FOR CATS?
How GLP-1s Could Help Pets Slim Down
Though we love our pets no matter what, sometimes the extra treats lead to extra pounds and a visit to the veterinarian for weight-loss recommendations. Could the latest GLP-1 medications, so popular for humans, officially be “going to the dogs” … and the cats, too? If your furry friend could stand to shed some mass, here’s the latest study worth purring about.
which is a different variety than popular weight loss drugs for humans like Ozempic, which uses semaglutide. Whisker Wellness Kitty obesity is a common problem, with over 50% of household cats in the U.S. being overweight. Just as it does for
humans, weight management can extend our pets’ lives and reduce serious health issues like joint pain and diabetes. Okava believes that GLP-1 could offer benefits, such as better heart health and reduced inflammation, for pets that are even more effective than switching their diet and starting an exercise routine. Timeline Tails So, what does the future hold for pet weight loss medications, and does MEOW- 1 mean you may soon be able to buy GLP-1s for your cat or dog? Okava hopes to seek FDA approval between 2027 and 2028 and is already planning to study dogs next. They hope to make the product available for about $100 per month out of pocket. However, experts say large clinical trials are still needed, and it’s uncertain if the drugs can feasibly come in at a price point pet owners are willing to pay.
Feline Findings San Francisco-based Okava
Pharmaceuticals is currently conducting the first-ever clinical trial of GLP-1 weight- loss therapy for household pets. Named MEOW-1, the study aims to determine whether chunky cats can slim down with a miniature implant under the skin that continuously delivers GLP-1 for six months. They will monitor up to 50 cats with the implant and check their weight at three months. Okava’s GLP-1 is called exenatide,
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DISCOVER EGYPT’S ABANDONED OBELISK Cracked Grandeur
TAKE A BREAK
BLOOM CINCO COMIC DERBY EMERALD GEMINI GRADUATION LILY MEMORIAL MOTHER
Sometimes, you need to know when to cut your losses and move on.
This fact hit home for the ancient Egyptian workers who created and ultimately abandoned one of history’s most epic monuments to human failure: the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, Egypt. On paper (or, back then, papyrus ), the Unfinished Obelisk was meant to be a monolithic masterpiece worthy of the gods. Obelisks were monuments made of a single stone slab, erected in pairs outside Egyptian temples. This particular one is believed to have been commissioned by the Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled from 1473–1458 B.C.E., for either the temple of Amun in Karnak or as part of a possible tribute to the sun god Ra. The Unfinished Obelisk was intended to be the tallest and most beautiful granite monument of its kind. When completed, it was meant to stand nearly 140 feet tall, weigh about 2.5 million pounds, and embody breathtaking religious devotion and technical precision. Unfortunately, these epic plans never came to fruition. After months (and possibly even years) spent toiling in the hot sun on the project, the workers discovered a significant crack in the granite, rendering any further construction pointless. What was once imagined as the most ambitious endeavor of its kind was reluctantly abandoned to the shifting sands of time. The Unfinished Obelisk was discovered more than 3,000 years later in an Aswan quarry, still on its side and displaying the chisel marks left by diligent workers who saw their hard work come to a disheartening end. Despite its incomplete state, the site offers a fascinating glimpse into the innovative methods used to create an obelisk, including the use of dolerite rock balls to quarry the granite. Today, it’s part of an open-air museum where people can actually walk on this majestic statue and marvel at one of the world’s most stunning missed opportunities.
RENEWAL VETERANS
Shrimp Taco Soup
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp chili powder • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp agave • 2 cups water • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained • 10 oz frozen corn • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined • Jalapeño slices,
• 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder • 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided • Black pepper, to taste • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 small onion, diced • 1 red bell pepper, diced • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
chopped cilantro, Greek yogurt, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges, for toppings as desired
Directions 1. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. 2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, then add onion and peppers; cook 5–6 minutes. 3. Stir in seasoning mix. 4. Add tomatoes, agave, water, remaining salt, and more pepper to taste. Let simmer for 15 minutes. 5. Stir in beans and corn, then add shrimp. 6. Cook 4–5 minutes, until shrimp are cooked through. 7. Add desired toppings before serving.
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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One Benefit Members Should Use
A Prototype Home for the Unhoused
Weight Loss Medications Go Fluffy
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Shrimp Taco Soup
A Queen’s Monumental Misfire
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How 2-Step Verification Could Lock Your Family Out Forever
Today, a tremendous portion of our lives exists online. Bank accounts, investment portals, photo libraries, business tools, medical records, and even sentimental emails are all locked behind passwords and verification codes. But when two-step verification is turned on, those accounts can become permanently sealed after you’re gone. Two-step verification (often called two-factor authentication) is the extra security step many websites and apps now require when you log in. You enter your password, then you’re asked to confirm your identity a second way, usually through a one-time code sent to your phone, email, or an authentication app. It’s designed to keep hackers out, and during your lifetime, it does a great job of that. The problem occurs when that protection creates a mess for your loved ones later. Even when an executor or family member has the legal right to manage your affairs, they may still hit a wall. A code is sent to a phone that’s no longer active. An authentication app is tied to a device that no one can unlock. This can leave loved ones frustrated, facing delays, and sometimes important information or assets that were never meant to disappear get lost. That’s why digital planning has become a critical part of modern estate planning. It’s no longer enough to list your accounts or write down a few passwords. You need a clear plan for how digital access works, who is allowed But Did You Plan for Access Later? You Secured Your Accounts
to step in, and what should happen to those security features when you’re no longer able to use them yourself.
A solid approach includes keeping an updated inventory of your digital accounts, choosing someone you trust to manage them, and storing access instructions in a secure but discoverable place. Just as important, your estate documents should clearly authorize that trusted person to manage your online accounts and to follow platform rules when access is needed. Two-step verification is smart. Planning for it is smarter. With a little foresight, you can protect your digital life now and make things far easier for the people you leave behind.
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