Littlejohn Law LLC - July 2019

Littlejohn Law LLC - July 2019

WWW.LITTLEJOHNLAWLLC.COM 740-314-4829

7/19

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engine when all they wanted was a faster horse. Now everyone drives cars. That’s the American spirit — we’re not consigned to merely following the rules. We have the power to shape and change them. That’s the country I want my daughter to know she’s growing up in. It’s not just Americans who know that the United States is the greatest country in the world. Several years ago, I took a trip to Rio de Janiero, Brazil, for martial arts training. There was a man giving tours of the Favelas,

THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

Brazil’s crime-ridden slums, and I struck up a conversation with the tour guide. He told me his personal mission was to get to America. He said that if he could get there, he could make it. Immigrants

Early in July, my family packs two big celebrations into one. The first is my daughter Kyzlee’s birthday on July 3. To celebrate, my wife and I are planning on taking her to a few different zoos in the area. She’s developed a fascination with animals, and we want to nurture that interest. We’ve already taken her to the Pittsburgh and Oglebay Zoos, and this summer we want to take her to the zoos in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. The next celebration, obviously, is the Fourth of July. Every year on Independence Day, I’m reminded of how great America is and how fortunate my wife and I are to raise our daughter here. With hard work and determination, Americans from all socioeconomic backgrounds can garner tools to succeed and live the life they want to live. Those lines of the Declaration of Independence still ring true: In America, we truly have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When I observe the economic landscape of the United States, I see things that I wouldn’t have thought possible just a decade or two ago. Companies like Airbnb, Uber, and Amazon built massive, multimillion- dollar, or even multibillion-dollar, industries without any sort of property to begin with. That would have been unthinkable 100 years ago, or even 20 years ago. Innovation and adaptation are essential elements of the American way, and they have been since the country’s inception. Henry Ford gave people the V8 REMEMBERING HOW LUCKY WE ARE IN AMERICA

move to this country every day, and thousands of people walk hundreds of miles just to make it to our border. Sometimes it’s the people who weren’t born here, or don’t even live here, who understand just how incredible America is. There are many people who were born in the United States who can’t appreciate the

opportunities they have enough to pick themselves up off the couch. We shouldn’t be people who wait around to have opportunities handed to us on a silver platter. We have the privilege of taking the opportunity for ourselves.

The Fourth of July and Kyzlee’s birthday go hand in hand. I get to spend time with her and reflect on how lucky she is to be growing up in America. One day, I hope she understands how lucky she is, too. When the fireworks light up the night sky on the Fourth, I always tell her it’s because the whole world is celebrating her birthday. In a way, that’s true — they’re celebrating the opportunities that she’ll have for years to come.

–Edward Littlejohn

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WHAT’S NE Spending time outside, Kyzlee’s new favorite word, and much more! Ally and Jeff hosted their annual Cinco de Mayo party, and it included homemade guacamole, cheese dip, and beef brisket. Edward arrived just in time to get a photo of Jeff shredding the brisket. Kyzlee loves being outside — even if it means that she has to do some yard work. There’s only one thing to do after a hard day of work … sprinkler time! Kyzlee enjoys playing with the sprinkler and getting wet! Oh, and did we mention Kyzlee’s favorite word is “NOooo”? She mostly uses it when she doesn’t want to eat her dinner and when she doesn’t want to come inside. Kellee and I just celebrated our third wedding anniversary. Many people follow the traditional wedding anniversary gift list, so this year would’ve been leather for us, but Kellee and I didn’t do it on year one and haven’t followed it yet. Each year, we work on being more mindful of each other and working together better as a family unit. Happy third Anniversary, Kellee!

The bulk of retirement planning is spent discussing how you will save money in the years leading up to the end of your career, but that’s only half of the picture. Once you enter retirement, your focus shifts to the smartest way to divest your money for both your own enjoyment and your continued financial security. There are countless ways to wisely spend your nest egg, such as taking trips, providing for the education of your grandchildren, and more. However, this article isn’t about good ideas. Instead, let’s talk about some of the worst ways to spend your retirement funds. TIMESHARES The appeal of a timeshare seems obvious. It’s a space of your own for a few weeks of the year, and you get to enjoy a nice change of pace from your regular environment. The problem is that these properties are full of hidden costs and have been outpaced by other vacationing options. In a world where you can book an Airbnb with just a few clicks, timeshares are poised to become a relic of a past age. ONLINE SCAMS Hackers and cyberscammers love to prey on the elderly. As gross as it may sound, they know that COMMON FINANCIAL PITFALLS BEWARE THESE RETIREMENT SPENDING MISTAKES

older generations tend to be less tech savvy than their younger counterparts. You should be wary of online offers that look too good to be true. If you have even the slightest doubt, have a loved one take a look at the offer to ensure you’re not being scammed. Never provide your private financial >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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