Stivers Law - February 2022

Stivers Law - February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

305 - 456- 3255 | PROBATEF IRM.COM

Get Ahead of the Game

For Golf and Estate Planning, It Pays to Be Proactive

My favorite place to play golf in the entire city of Miami is the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. The course was designed by a legendary architect, Donald Ross, way back in 1925. It’s a beautiful spot with 18 holes, 419 Bermuda grass fairways, and 84 original bunkers (aka sandpits). If I’m going to get frustrated by my swing, I might as well do it in a scenic spot! Honestly, golf is a brutal sport. Every time I squeeze in a trip to the driving range or the green, I have to mentally prepare myself for what’s coming. It feels like every time I go out, I’m getting worse! I have to battle to stay focused and avoid getting frustrated by a bad shot. When I hit a ball into the sand, I step back and remind myself, “Even the professionals make these kinds of mistakes.” That said, I won’t skip my scheduled hour at the driving range no matter how frustrating it gets because I truly believe that making these little training “deposits” will pay off in the end with a better golf game. I’ll probably never be Tiger Woods, but with enough practice, I should be able to hold my own and maybe even compete. Right now is all about prepping for that moment. This Sunday when I sat down to schedule next week’s practice sessions, it occurred to me that the way I’m working on my golf game has a lot in common with the estate planning I do in the office. Like my clients, I’m doing the not-so- fun work now so that I can have a better future later. It’s the same with other things too! Training for the marathon I ran in Aruba last summer was time- consuming and draining, but it paid off when I crossed the finish line.

your personal trainers the whole way through. Once you put in the initial effort you’ll only need to review your plan every few years and make updates after major life events like a birth or death in the family. Like with fitness, it’s best to be proactive when it comes to estate planning. Most people like me who run, lift weights, do CrossFit, and play sports are doing it so they can reap the rewards later. I want to live for a long time and have the fitness and mobility to pick up my grandkids one day. Maybe it seems extreme to think that far ahead since my daughter, Sophia, is just a baby, but I think doing a little work now is worth it to save a lot of stress and hardship. I tell my clients the same thing. One quick appointment with us today to get your estate planning documents in order will save your family from going through probate, worrying about your assets, and making the wrong medical or financial decisions if you become incapacitated. We’ll even work with everyone else on your “training team” including your financial advisors and CPA to get your documents “game ready” and tailored to your life.

Thinking about my frustrating golf moments as deposits on my investment in future success makes them a lot less infuriating. In fact, I spend as much time as I can on the course perfecting my swing. With a newborn at home “as much time as I can” still isn’t much, but I’ll take every second I can get. The view at the Biltmore is worth it.

PROBATEF IRM.COM | 1 –Justin Stivers

Here’s the good news: Estate planning isn’t nearly as tough as training for a marathon or having a bad day at the driving range, and my team and I will be

THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD NIGHT’S REST

Quality Sleep Promotes Healthy Aging

Eliminate unhealthy substances. Limit your intake of caffeine and sugar throughout the day — especially right before bed — for better rest. It’s also best not to drink anything about an hour before bed, so you don’t wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and disrupt your sleep. Regulate your sleep schedule. Keeping the same schedule for sleeping can reap immediate benefits. You will notice increased alertness during waking hours as well as enhanced memory and attention span. You may also start to feel tired around the same time every day, ensuring that you will actually go to sleep right on schedule. It can take time and patience to adjust to new habits to improve sleep, especially for the elderly. It won’t happen overnight, but the benefits that come with a better night’s sleep will have you feeling younger and healthier than ever before. If anything, you will feel more engaged and happier throughout your daily life.

Sleep is an essential part of our lives, but it becomes even more important as we get older, as it’s a necessity for healthy aging and staying energized. Ideally, everyone should sleep between 7.5–9 hours a night, but as we get older, this becomes much harder to achieve. Health complaints, minor disturbances, and a decrease in melatonin levels make it difficult for seniors to get a full night of sleep, which can cause irritability and fatigue. In order to combat these disturbances, here are a few things you can do to ensure you get enough sleep during the night. Build an active daily routine. Outdoor exercise and general movement every day is good for your body, but being outside and absorbing sunlight can balance and optimize your melatonin levels, which can help you fall asleep easier. On top of exercise, try weaving protein-rich snacks and meals into your routine. Foods like light meat and nuts can improve sleep quality, and dairy foods contain tryptophan, which is a sleep- promoting chemical.

BUSTING THE BIGGEST TRUST STEREOTYPES Trust vs. Will — Which One Do You Need?

2. A will is a public document and so is the probate process that follows. That means a list of your assets and a description of how they’re divided up will be visible to the public. Trusts, in contrast, are totally private. 3. A will only stipulates who should receive your assets — not how those assets should be handled later on as circumstances change. You can think of a will as a “one and done” document. Trusts on the other hand give you more long-term control over your legacy. If you leave money to your daughter in your will, for example, her husband could take half of it in a divorce. But if you leave it to her in a trust, it will be hers and only hers even after you pass, unless she removes it. This is a layer of protection you can offer. As you can probably tell, our team recommends trusts for almost everyone. The two documents take the same amount of time to prepare, but a trust gives you more privacy, flexibility, and protection, and saves your beneficiaries the hassle of probate. To learn more about your estate planning options, check out our free webinars at ProbateFirm.com/Webinar.

We have a beef with the phrase “trust fund baby.” You’ve probably heard it thrown around to describe the kids of the fantastically wealthy. Yes, the phrase is accurate — these people probably do have trusts funding their lifestyles — but it gives the impression that trusts are ONLY for people with private yachts and country club memberships.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Trusts vs. Wills — The 3 Big Differences A lot of people come into estate planning assuming wills are for ordinary people and trusts are for the super-rich. But income levels actually have nothing to do with it! Anyone can create a will or a trust, and both documents explain the division of assets. These are the three things that really set them apart: 1. When someone dies and leaves only a simple will behind, their estate must go through the probate process. A will won’t automatically transfer ownership of assets or property. A trust, however, does allow your estate to skip probate and go straight to the distribution of assets.

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Thank You for Your Referrals in December!

Manuel Dobrinsky Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein, LLP Miami, Florida McKinley Augustin Blaise Law Office Pompano Beach, Florida Rob Boyers Boyers Law Group Coral Gables, Florida Pedro Echarte The Haggard Law Firm Coral Gables, Florida Ron Rodman Friedman, Rodman, Frank & Estrada | Miami, Florida

Matthew Mazzarella Boyers Law Group Coral Gables, Florida Adam Finkel The Haggard Law Firm Coral Gables, Florida Christopher Atallah Rochester Law Center Rochester, Michigan

In most households one spouse is the “money manager” while the other takes a backseat on finances. Maybe your wife is an accountant so you leave it to her or your husband is great with computers so you let him handle online payments. This division of labor can work day to day, but when it comes to estate planning, you really should sit down with your attorney together . Estate planning isn’t just another money problem to handle. It’s your legacy, and in the case of your advance health care directive and power of attorney, it’s your life as well! Both parties deserve a say, especially in blended families when the legalities can be complicated. Here are just three of many reasons to estate plan with your spouse. 1. You’ll work through disagreements with legal guidance. Say you come from a blended family and you and your spouse disagree on dividing up your estate among your children and stepchildren. This could turn into an argument — but if you do it in our office, we’ll point you in the right direction! Sometimes knowing the law surrounding who can and cannot be a beneficiary is enough to make the decision for you. 2. The process will bring you closer. You might be surprised how much you’ll learn about your spouse during the estate planning process. Do you know who they’d want to make medical decisions for them in the event of an accident? Can you name who they’ll leave their favorite necklace or cuff links to and why? Those are just a few of the bridges you’ll cross when you plan together. During our asset inventory process, you might even find out that your spouse has a bank account they forgot about 20 years ago — it wouldn't be the first time. 3. You’ll both find peace of mind. When one spouse does all of the estate planning for the family, the other spouse often doesn’t get the same feeling of stress relief when the process is done because they don’t fully understand it. If you work with us together to plan your legacy, you’ll both head home knowing your family’s future is in good hands. 3 Reasons Couples Should Estate Plan Together 2 Heads Are Better Than 1

Thomas Scolaro Leesfield Scolaro Miami, Florida

Brian Stivers Stivers Financial Knoxville, Tennessee

Of all the words you can misspell, February is one of the most misspelled words in the English language. Even the White House has misprinted the word “February” before in a press release! It was in February 1964 when The Beatles made their first American television appearance on the “Ed Sullivan Show.” Over 73 million Americans watched!

This Valentine’s Day, do your marriage a favor and plan a date to our office!

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110 Merrick Way, Ste. 2C Coral Gables, FL 33134 305-456-3255 ProbateFirm.com

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Estate Planning on the Golf Course

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Quality Sleep Can Promote Healthy Aging

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The Truth About Trusts — They Aren’t Just for Millionaires!

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3 Reasons to Estate Plan With Your Spouse

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Thank You for Your December Referrals!

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Celebrate Valentine's Day With Your Kids

Celebrate Valentine's Day With Your Little Sweethearts Valentine's Day isn't just for adults. Let your kids know they are the most important loves in your life with these sweet, inexpensive ideas that the whole family can enjoy! Your children will remember these traditions for years to come. Make a special Valentine’s Day breakfast. Guess what? Pink pancakes, pink milk, and even pink eggs are a thing! With strawberry milk, food coloring and strawberries in the pancakes, and food coloring in the eggs, you’ll have an effortless and special breakfast for the little ones.

Tip: Set the table the night before after the kids go to bed to make serving Valentine’s Day breakfast easier the next morning.

Create Valentine’s Day cards for each kid. Tell your children all of your favorite things about them with their own personalized cards. There are so many ways you can get crafty with construction paper and glitter. Your kids are sure to love getting mommy-made or daddy-made one-of-a-kind valentines. Bake Valentine’s Day goodies together. What’s better than baking with your little ones? If you are short on time, you can find premade dough, usually with a Valentine’s Day theme. Or, you can try out your skills with heart-shaped cookie cutters and sprinkles. It can get messy, but it’s certainly worth it!

Wrap up a small Valentine’s Day gift. Whether it’s a Valentine’s Day outfit, candy, a teddy bear, or a necklace, it doesn’t have to be big or costly! Your children will enjoy feeling the love, and they’ll be excited to get something new. Don’t forget to have fun with the wrapping! Most stores have Valentine’s Day gift bags and wrapping paper around this time of year.

Your baby valentines have stolen your heart — make sure they know it by spreading the love! Happy Valentine’s Day!

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