DIY OR BUY?
LAWN GAMES FOR FAMILY SUMMER FUN
Buy: Check out the kid-friendly rubber horseshoe set from Wayfair. com, which requires no installation, can be used indoors or alongside your outdoor game, and is safe for younger children. Cornhole: Advanced DIY The humble beanbag may be the most versatile backyard game piece. It’s used in the popular game commonly known as cornhole. To build your own cornhole set, you’ll need a couple of sheets of 1/2-inch-thick plywood along with two-by-fours, some hardware, and a variety of tools including a drill, jigsaw, and sander. Visit DIYPete.com/cornhole-board-plans to get both written and video instructions. Buy: Ready to play ASAP? Cornhole sets are available from many large retailers around summertime, or you can order a customized set featuring your favorite team, family name, or characters from your favorite movies by looking at Etsy.com. Whether you buy or DIY, remember to have fun and always supervise your children while playing outdoors, especially when it comes to yard games!
The warm summer sun may be enough to beckon your family outdoors, but lawn games will guarantee hours of fun outside. If you’re handy, there are plenty of great lawn games you can make yourself. If not, buy an off-the-shelf alternative and enjoy the easy setup. Giant Jenga: Easy DIY All you need to build a giant Jenga tower are two-by-fours that are cut to length. If you’re handy with a saw, you can do this at home. If not, ask to have the wood cut at your local lumberyard. Be sure to sand down the edges before stacking the boards to create a classic Jenga tower! For extra fun, pick a few paint colors and paint each board. Visit ABeautifulMess.com/make- this-giant-jenga to see a complete set of instructions.
Buy: Skip the project and buy GoSports Giant Wooden Toppling Tower online, which retails for about $70 and stacks over 5 feet high.
Classic Horseshoes: Intermediate DIY Tossing horseshoes is a great way to pass an afternoon. To play, you’ll just need to set up two sand pits in your yard. Get a handful of horseshoes, and you’re ready to go! Many DIY plans are available online, including one from HousefulOfHandmade.com/ultimate-diy-horseshoe-pit.
BANKRUPTCY AND SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY What You Need to Know
It has been a trying time. Due to medical problems, you can no longer work and bills are piling up. You are in the process of applying for Social Security Disability or may have finally been approved for it — but the bills never end. What do you do? Is bankruptcy your only option? If your only income is from Social Security Disability, you may not need to file for bankruptcy to get rid of debts you can no longer pay. The laws governing Social Security state that a creditor cannot touch your Social Security benefits involuntarily. This means if you do not make payments to a creditor, like a credit card company or a medical provider, there is little they can do about it. When you fail to make the payments on a loan, credit card, or medical bill, the creditor can file a lawsuit against you. If you have this type of lawsuit filed against you, you are not required to attend the hearing. At the hearing, the judge will normally grant the creditor a judgment. This is a legal term that means the judge has said you owe the creditor money. The question is this: What can the creditor do with that judgment? The next step for a creditor is to file for a garnishment. The creditor will attempt to collect money owed by having it deducted from a paycheck or bank account.
account, the bank cannot take that money to pay a garnishment. Social Security will not take any money to pay a garnishment like an employer is required to do.
The bottom line is that if your only income is Social Security Disability, the creditor cannot touch those funds. Those who only receive Social Security Disability can often ignore creditors and use their money to live on. But there are exceptions. If you have other income going into a bank account or you are working part time, for example, those funds can be seized by the creditor. If you own real estate, the creditor may be able to put a lien against your house. In these cases, you may need to file for bankruptcy to protect your other assets. It’s always good to speak with a bankruptcy attorney if you have questions or concerns in this area. For more information on whether you need to file bankruptcy, call us at 757-220-4529 to schedule a free initial consultation.
However, Social Security payments cannot be taken under a garnishment. If you receive Social Security by deposit in a bank
2 | GilletteLawGroup.com
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online