Eagle & Fein - July 2020

Eagle & Fein - July 2020

JULY 2020

E AGLE A ND F EIN . COM

317-726-1714

Estate Planning in the Time of COVID-19 A lot has changed since our last newsletter landed in your mailbox, so I hope this finds you and your family safe and healthy. Before I fill you in on how I have been doing, I want to let you know that my colleagues and I have been thinking about you, and we are here for you during this challenging time. As a country, we have experienced difficult times before and have always overcome those challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic may slow us down, but we are going to continue hoping that better, virus-free days are ahead. As my dad used to say, “The best is yet to come.” This strange limbo has given us time to reflect on our hopes, fears, dreams, and values. Many of my clients have told me they are using video calls to keep up with their family and friends, attend religious services, celebrate birthdays, and enjoy cocktail hours. Here at Eagle & Fein, we have been conducting virtual meetings since mid-March, and on June 1, we reopened the office for client visits for the first time since March 13. We plan to offer both socially distanced in-person meetings and virtual options going forward. These virtual meetups have helped me reconnect with clients, my own friends, and family. Recently, I met virtually with clients who have not visited with us since the early 1990s (read more about that on Page 3) and attended Zoom reunions with family, high school friends, and friends from my camp counselor days in the 1980s. These calls have helped me appreciate the great relationships I have developed over the years, and I hope they have done the same for you. We are all doing our best to turn lemons into lemonade right now! I have also used my extra free time to create a 1,000 Touch a Day Challenge soccer training video. As you might remember, I coach the U12 Indiana State boys soccer team, and I hope the video inspires them to keep striving to be outstanding even while all of their games and practices are canceled. On that same athletic theme, I also had the honor of being my son’s guide as he completed the 4-4-48 Challenge, which involves running 4 miles every four hours for 48 hours to raise money and awareness for Feed the Children.

As much as I have been enjoying this family time, I am looking forward to getting back to business as usual and doubling down on the work I am so passionate about. The estate planning puzzle has many pieces, and I truly enjoy helping families put these pieces together. One of the most fulfilling aspects of being an attorney is helping families make informed decisions about their estate planning. Here at Eagle & Fein, our mission is to care for you and your family from the beginning of the estate planning process until your last asset is distributed according to your wishes. That has always been important, but this pandemic has made it even more crucial by highlighting our mortality. If you have not reviewed your estate plan recently, now is the time to do so. It may also be a good time for you to introduce us to your family and friends. If you have enjoyed working with us, please consider sharing your estate planning experience and encouraging others to call us for help with their own plans. My colleagues and I approach estate planning as an opportunity to provide comfort, confidence, and peace of mind. In these difficult times, I hope we can help ease the stress you and your family are feeling. We look forward to seeing you soon, either in person or virtually. In the meantime, stay well and stay safe! –Brian A. Eagle

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BEWARE OF THESE CORONAVIRUS EMAIL SCAMS

They are Still Around!

While it seems like the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic might be behind us, that does not mean we should let our guard down completely — especially when it comes to internet scams designed to prey on the fear and uncertainty brought on by the pandemic. It is no surprise that scammers have found ways to use the coronavirus scare as an opportunity to steal personal information from the vulnerable. Fortunately, you can spot coronavirus scammers using the same techniques that help identify otherwise run-of-the-mill phishing scams. REQUESTS FOR PERSONAL INFORMATION When the federal government started distributing relief checks, several scammers sent out unsolicited emails, disguised as legitimate instructions, asking for personal information from people in order to receive their $1,200. Since many people have now received their checks, this particular scam may become less common, but always be suspicious of emails that ask for personal information, no matter the circumstances. SUSPICIOUS LINKS AND EMAIL ADDRESSES During the past few months, people’s email inboxes have been littered with advertisements for fake coronavirus tests and cures, fake alerts from

government agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and fake coronavirus updates. If you get an email containing an unusual link in your inbox, do not click on it — even if the email address looks legitimate. Scammers use links to spread malware on computers, which helps them get your personal information. SPELLING AND GRAMMAR MISTAKES This is usually a dead giveaway. While genuine, official updates about the coronavirus will be meticulously checked for spelling and grammar, scammers are not as careful. Missing periods, misspelled words, and wacky syntax errors are all hallmarks of scam emails. Make sure you carefully read any email you are not sure about. If you can spot spelling and grammar mistakes, delete the email. Much like the coronavirus will remain in the American psyche long after cases and deaths have peaked, scammers will continue using it as a means to steal from honest, hardworking Americans. But, if we keep our guard up, we can make sure they get absolutely nothing from their efforts.

A POWERFUL ESTATE PLANNING LESSON

THE VITAL ROLE OF A HEALTH CARE POWER OF ATTORNEY Who Will Speak for You if You Get Sick?

The coronavirus pandemic feels a bit like a sword hanging over all of our heads. At least once in the last few months, odds are you have let the worst- case scenario play out in your mind and found yourself wondering, “What happens if I get sick?” Even before COVID-19, we dealt with this question regularly during the estate planning process. Tragedies like cancer, heart attacks, and other illnesses and conditions incapacitate people every day, which is why it is vital that you review and update your health care power of attorney on a regular basis. WHAT IS A HEALTH CARE POWER OF ATTORNEY? A health care power of attorney is a legal document authorizing a person you select to speak and act on your behalf regarding health care matters. This should be a person you trust to handle your affairs, make decisions, and carry out your wishes when you are incapable of speaking for yourself. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? If you contract COVID-19, you could end up with a range of symptoms, but one of the most common is shortness of breath. Sometimes, this can become serious enough to

require a ventilator, which can block communication. If this happened to you, you would need to rely on your health care power of attorney to speak for you.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD IT BE UPDATED? As a general rule, we encourage our clients to review

their documents every year. But with circumstances the way they are, it would be wise to check your health care power of attorney more frequently, at least once per season until the pandemic is over. If you have had your health care power of attorney for months, years, or even decades without updating it, consider this your reminder! Things change over time, and the last thing you want is to have a designated health care power of attorney who is now deceased or no longer appropriate in an antiquated document.

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SUDOKU

Crisis Averted!

How We Saved a Client’s

28-Year-Old Estate Plan

How much has changed in your life in the last 30 years? You are likely a completely different person now than you were back then. Along the way, you may have been married or divorced, had kids or grandkids, lost your parents, or made new friends. As your life changed, hopefully your estate plan changed with it. After all, you would not want to leave your legacy to your former spouse or a sibling who has passed away, would you? Recently, attorney Brian Eagle helped one of our clients avert such a crisis. As you read in our cover article, Brian was surprised a few weeks ago by a call from a client who had not checked in with us since 1992! Just like in the scenario we painted above, their estate plan had sat idle for nearly 30 years as their life changed dramatically. After a bit of digging, Brian discovered that the client had gotten remarried in the intervening years. We are sure you can imagine what a disaster it would have been if they had passed away without updating their plan! Stories like these are why we do not believe in “set it and forget it” estate planning. We like to say that estate planning is a continuing process, not a one-time event. We want to make sure that when those plans are needed, they are up to date, accurate, and reflective of the client’s wishes. In order to make that possible, if you are not already meeting with us annually, we encourage clients like you to check in with us after each major life event, upon receiving a legislative alert from us, or at the very least once every five years to review your circumstances and make appropriate updates. COVID-19 certainly falls in the “major life event” category, so if you are not visiting with us annually, there is no better time to give your plan a checkup than right now. When you update your estate plan, one of the most important things you can do is double-check the designated beneficiaries on your life insurance policies, retirement plans, and other assets. These people will play a significant role when you pass away, and as Brian’s client almost found out the hard way, choosing the wrong beneficiary can be a dramatic mistake.

Join Our Quest to End Alzheimer’s!

For the third consecutive year, our team will participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, Oct. 3, in Indianapolis. The Walk’s goal is to raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer’s Association’s fight against Alzheimer’s disease. During the Walk, there is a Flower Garden Ceremony in which every participant raises a flower that color-coordinates with their connection to the fight. Purple flowers, for example, are for those who have lost someone, orange flowers are for supporters, blue flowers are for those living with the diagnosis, and yellow are their caregivers. Every Walk has one white flower raised during the ceremony which represents the first survivor. Join us in the quest to raise the white flower. Every dollar counts in this fight. Over the last two years, we have raised nearly $28,000. You can help! To join our team or donate, visit Act.alz.org/goto/Eagle_and_Fein.

To help you navigate the minefield, call us today at 317-726-1714 to schedule a review meeting.

Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.

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8500 Keystone Crossing, Suite 555 Indianapolis, IN 46240 317-726-1714 EagleAndFein.com

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 Estate Planning in the Time of COVID-19 2 How to Spot a Coronavirus Scam Email Who Will Speak for You if You Get Sick? 3 How We Saved a Client’s 28-Year-Old Estate Plan Join Our Quest to End Alzheimer’s! 4 3 Travel Destinations Where Photos Are a No-Go

What is traveling without taking photos? With the excellent cameras on our smartphones and endless platforms to share our snapshots on, we are taking more pictures than ever. But did you know there are certain destinations where visitors are not allowed to take photos? Here are three places where you must put the camera away.

French officials can send you a cease-and-desist order if they find your night photo because the tower’s nighttime light display is copyrighted. It was installed by French artist Pierre Bideau who owns the rights to the display. Do French officials search the web for your vacation photos? No, but they can take action if it is brought to their attention. THE SISTINE CHAPEL While the Sistine Chapel may be home to incredible works of art originally painted by Michelangelo, it is also a place of worship, and the Vatican considers it disrespectful to photograph such a holy place. However, there is more to the story. In 1980, Japan’s Nippon Television Network Corporation bought exclusive rights to all photos and videos of the interior of the chapel because they funded the renovation of the chapel. While the Japanese corporation no longer holds these rights, the Vatican maintains the “no photos” rule. ULURU Also known as Ayers Rock, Uluru is one of the largest sandstone rock formations in the world. Located in the middle of Australia, Uluru is highly regarded by the Anangu Aboriginal people who call the region home. Photography around parts of the rock is forbidden out of respect for the An angu people’s beliefs, specifically Tjukurpa , or the time when the world was created. Certain areas around Uluru are used for gender-specific rituals, and as a result, members of the opposite sex must never see these locales, including in photos. The A nangu say the restriction of photography ensures they adhere to their beliefs and never lay eyes on these sacred spots, even accidentally through a photograph.

NO PHOTOS ALLOWED

3 TRAVEL HOT SPOTS WHERE

PHOTOGRAPHY IS FORBIDDEN

THE EIFFEL TOWER Right now, you are probably thinking about all the pictures of the Eiffel Tower you have seen or even taken yourself. After all, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most popular tourist spots in the world, but under French law, taking a photo of the Eiffel Tower at night — and then distributing that photo — is illegal. That includes posting the picture to social media.

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