CHOOSING JOY EVERY DAY 3 WAYS TO FOSTER A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
In today’s society, we are faced with tragic stories and upsetting information, no matter where we turn. This can quickly lead us to a negative mindset where we believe things can’t be fixed and will only get worse, so it’s even more important now to establish a positive mindset. Though it might be easier to bury your head in the sand, fostering positivity in your life will provide you with many benefits. But doing so is easier said than done. If you’re unsure where to begin, try out some of these methods to help you get started. Focus on the silver lining. When something bad or unfortunate happens, we are quick to think about the negatives and how they will impact us in the future. Instead, we should be searching for a silver lining. You can
find a positive in any situation, but you’ll have to put in the effort to flip your perspective.
that you can’t accomplish certain things, you will feel worse about yourself — or even believe them. You need to block the negative people from your life and surround yourself with those who think optimistically. Establishing a positive mindset in today’s world may be difficult, but it is not impossible if you develop a strategy and follow through with it.
Keep a gratitude journal. When we think about gratitude and thankfulness, our minds usually think about Thanksgiving. But we don’t need to wait for a special day to show gratitude. Things happen to us every day that we should be grateful for. If you’re struggling to acknowledge your blessings, keep a gratitude journal and write a few things you are thankful for each day. Over time, that thought process will seep into your daily life. Surround yourself with positive people. The people we associate with play a huge role in our mental well-being. If you’re constantly around people who put you down or tell you
Navigating the Probate Process THROUGH EXPERIENCED TENNESSEE PROBATE LAWYERS
When someone dies in Tennessee, typically someone from the deceased’s family must begin the process of administering the person’s affairs soon after their death. This administration oftentimes requires court supervision and is referred to as probate. There are many potential difficulties that may arise throughout the probate process, but a Tennessee probate attorney can help minimize those difficulties and successfully navigate you through the process. What is probate? Probate is the process by which assets that are titled individually in a deceased person’s name are transferred to either their heirs at law if they don’t have a will or the beneficiaries of their will if they have one. The process allows a court to exercise supervision over the manner in which the deceased’s assets are distributed, debts and taxes are paid, and affairs concluded. It may be necessary whether the deceased passed with a valid will in force or they passed intestate, without a will.
Probate assets are any assets that the decedent owned that were titled in a decedent’s name only at the time of their death. These assets can include the following: • Tangible personal property, including furniture, jewelry, automobiles, and other household items • Intangible personal property, such as bank accounts or retirement accounts • An ownership or interest in a partnership, LLC, or corporation • Brokerage accounts or life insurance policies that either fail to name a designated beneficiary or name the individual’s estate as the beneficiary What are non-probate assets? Non-probate assets are those that are owned or held jointly with another person or persons or assets that have designated “payable on death” beneficiaries. These assets do not form part of your estate at death and pass by operation of law to the surviving joint account owners or payable on death beneficiaries.
Think of it like this: If you have a bank account with your spouse, it’s titled in both your names. When one person passes, the other account holder becomes the sole owner of the assets automatically.
These non-probate assets can include the following:
• Property held with the decedent as tenants by the entirety or in a joint tenancy • Brokerage or bank accounts held in joint tenancy, with a payable on death or transfer on death beneficiaries • Property owned by a living trust • Retirement accounts, including 401(k)s and IRAs that have named payable on death beneficiaries • Certain investment accounts, including annuities that have named payable on death beneficiaries The probate journey can be confusing and difficult, but the experience probate attorneys at Douglass & Runger are ready to help you through the process. If you have questions about the probate process, please give us a call at 901-388-5805 .
2 • DouglassRunger.com
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