Carolina Family Estate Planning - December 2021

Carolina Family Estate Planning - December 2021

ESTATE & ASSET PROTECTION PLANNING NEWS FROM CAROLINA FAMILY ESTATE PLANNING

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CAROLINAFEP.COM

DECEMBER 2021

LIVING A BETTER LIFE BY PLANNING A SECURE FUTURE

Our office recently participated in a “Thrive Challenge.” The challenge included points for completing different achievements in various aspects of life like getting exercise, visiting a park or museum, reading for pleasure, cleaning your office, and performing other everyday activities. It was fun to have a little friendly competition, but it was also a great reminder to be intentional with our time. We need to carve out time for things that are important to us so we can thrive and live a better life. As you think about January and New Year’s resolutions, perhaps a similar challenge with friends or family would be a great way to kick off the new year. While you’re at it, I encourage you to take some time over the holidays to visualize what you want your future life to look like and what you want for your spouse, children, or other loved ones. Many may think of estate planning as a morbid discussion about what happens when you die. In reality, modern estate planning places a heavy emphasis on simply living a better life. Estate planning is about living life on YOUR terms. What do you want for your future? If you can’t speak for yourself at some point, what are your preferred options for care and various medical treatments? How will your family know what you want? Who are the key professionals you trust to help your family navigate the situation? What is your plan for paying for the care? Have you laid the groundwork to make what you want a reality?

Did you know seniors are more afraid of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia than they are of death? Most of us can’t fathom the possibility of losing our faculties bit by bit and becoming steadily more dependent on others to care for our basic needs. We regularly ask clients, “If you were to have a health event and needed extended health care or long-term care, where would you prefer to receive that care?” Overwhelmingly, most clients would prefer to receive care in their own homes. But sadly, many people fail to take the action needed to make this a reality. I know from years of experience that ignoring the problem and failing to plan dramatically increases the likelihood that one will NOT be able to live life on their terms or will not receive their preferred care environment. They are more likely to be a greater burden on their loved ones in terms of time, stress, and finances.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Here’s what we’ve seen time and time again with clients who have tackled these difficult topics:

• Their plan creates mental clarity and peace of mind about the future.

• Having a plan gives more financial freedom during retirement if they know they already have a clear plan for a “rainy day.”

• Health events are always a possibility, but having a plan dramatically reduces family stress and discord when a health event occurs.

There’s no need to wait to get your estate plan in order. Call us today, and you’ll be on the fast track to obtaining peace of mind and security for your future.

• 1 –Jackie Bedard CAROLINAFEP.COM

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MERRY AND BRIGHT Cut the Stress From

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Decorating your Christmas tree should be fun, but the process often turns into anything but. Between finding decorations, untangling lights, and trying to get the tree picture-perfect, the happy event can quickly become stressful. Even if you love decorating the tree, you can likely make the experience (and the end product) even better. Here are the most common sources of frustration and how to fix them with minimal fuss.

the tree is festive and covers a lot of space. You can also buy fake twigs that have berries, look like real tree branches, or are covered in glitter. Stick them in the bare spots to fill out your tree, then save them for the next year.

Lights

If you use an artificial Christmas tree, we strongly recommend buying one that is pre-lit. If your holiday just doesn’t feel complete without a real tree in the house, hanging the lights can be one of the most frustrating parts of the tree-decorating process. Get on the right track by setting yourself up for success. Instead of shoving your lights in a box or bag at the end of the season, wrap them around the outside of the box or around a clothing hanger instead. Getting your lights hung properly around the tree can be a pain, too. This year, try hanging them vertically on your tree, from base to top and back again, until the tree is covered. It’s easier to do and helps camouflage the cord.

Bare Spots

Whether your tree is natural or artificial, you need to fluff the branches. However, as important as this step is, you don’t need to spend more than 10 minutes on it because let’s face it: There are some bare spots no amount of fluffing will fix.

Luckily, tinsel garland hides a wide variety of flaws and might be the easiest solution. If you don’t care for tinsel, tying large gift bows to

Beaded Garland

Beaded garland always looks so much better in the store than it does on your own tree. No matter how much you fiddle with it, it just doesn’t lay right or have the even, dramatic swoops you see in display windows. The true problem is probably that you’ve been hanging your beaded garland incorrectly. You may think there can’t be too many ways to drape beads over branches, but draping itself is the entirely wrong approach. Instead of simply wrapping the beads around the tree and hoping they fall into place, you should attach ornament hooks to the garland along the string. Use the hooks to gracefully hang your garland from the branches and marvel at the simplicity. When your Christmas tree goes up this year, these tips should make the experience faster, easier, and more joyful. You can now use all that time you would have spent wrapping garland to wrap presents instead.

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RUDOLPH, YOU’LL GO DOWN IN HISTORY Behind the Evergreen Christmas Special

You know Dasher and Dancer, and you definitely know Rudolph. Everyone’s favorite red-nosed reindeer was first born as a 1939 short story, but he truly shot to fame when his tale was adapted into a song by Gene Autry in 1949. Rivaling even the song’s fame is the Rankin/Bass stop-motion special that airs like clockwork every year around Christmas. Generations have now grown up with Rudolph, so it may be surprising to learn that his journey to the small screen started as a General Electric promotion. The company had a running television special on NBC called the “GE Fantasy Hour,” which they used to market their products directly to viewers. The better the story they told, the more viewers they got — and the more toasters they could sell. The script introduced crucial new characters like Hermey the elf, Yukon Cornelius the prospector, and of course, Bumble the abominable snowman. GE hired innovative Japanese animators to create the film using stop-motion techniques that were highly advanced for the time. GE invested the modern equivalent of $4.5 million into the production of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and the special first aired in 1964. Those who are familiar with the film know that it ends with Rudolph enlisting Santa to save the Misfit Toys from earlier in the movie — but it didn’t originally. The version that aired in 1964 concludes with Rudolph

leading Santa’s sleigh but forgetting all about his homeless friends. The backlash was swift, and viewers wrote in to express displeasure at the heartless resolution. GE decided the special had to be corrected and played again with the proper ending in 1965. And so, a tradition of annual airings was born.

Today, “Rudolph” is the longest-running Christmas special in history, and our favorite misfit deer shows no signs of slowing down after 57 years. The movie has transformed

into a marketing bonanza, with new Christmas decorations, figurines, and toys being produced each year. Though it’s somewhat shocking to our modern sensibilities to see Santa bullying his reindeer employees and their children, fond childhood memories mean that parents continue to pass the special down to their kids. Even as we recognize its flaws, the dazzling animation and famous songs continue to bring joy and Christmas spirit to households around

the country. Just as sure as Santa comes every year, so does Rudolph.

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For Introducing Your Friends and Family to Carolina Family Estate Planning! We’re devoted to delivering first-class service. As a result, our valued clients, partners, and friends refer their friends, family, and associates to us. As our way of paying it forward, we make a charitable donation for each referral our office receives.

Tom & Deb Ryan Beth Wolfe Melissa Flanagan, Fuquay-Varina Family Law Josh Lipstone, Lipstone Insurance Group Darryl Banks, Edward Jones Attorney Andrew Kagen, Ream, Carr, Markey, Woloshin & Hunter, LLP

Brian Farkas Nena Ikwechegh Attorney Edward S. Clay, Edward S. Clay PA Brian Bunn, CPA, Brian B. Bunn CPA, PLLC Shelly Frederick, Brookdale Senior Living Coastal Federal Credit Union Ron Sorrentino

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INSIDE

1

Living a Better Life by Planning a Secure Future

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Make Decorating Your Christmas Tree Less Stressful

3

How Rudolph Became a TV Institution

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Facial Massage for Beginners

THE BENEFITS OF FACIAL MASSAGES And How to Perform One at Home

skin. Next, choose a massaging agent, such as a gentle facial oil, serum, or moisturizer.

Our faces are filled with muscles that we use every day to talk, eat, express our emotions, and more. It makes sense that these facial muscles could benefit from some relaxation and loosening up. Getting a facial massage may seem silly the first time you try it, but this practice has some surprising benefits. Facial massage is common in many skin care routines throughout the world but not used by most Americans. In addition to reducing stress, facial massage can make your skin look better by improving elasticity, relaxing wrinkles, preventing acne, and stimulating collagen production. It can also help with sinus and jaw pain.

Know the rules. When giving yourself a facial massage, there are a few no- nos. First of all, you should never massage over a breakout because bacteria can spread on your skin quickly. When massaging, ensure you are moving your skin but not stretching it. Lastly, always work against gravity and rub your skin upward, never downward. Get down to business. There are countless ways to massage your face. You can try rubbing your middle and ring fingers in circular motions, dragging and pressing your knuckles into your face, gently pinching your skin between two fingers, or tapping your fingers in “piano key” type motions. You can also try a face roller or a flat gua sha tool. As long as you’re not leaving marks on your face, experiment and see what feels good.

So, how can you get these benefits without hiring a professional? We have some tips.

Prepare your skin. Before beginning your massage, make sure to wash your face and remove any makeup. You don’t want to rub dirt or debris into your

With these tips, you can be on your way to a more relaxed and healthy face. Give facial massage a try today — the only thing you have to lose is stress.

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