The Law Office of Paul Black - April 2019

The Law Office of Paul Black - April 2019

404.410.6820

www.Georgia-EstateLaw.com

April 2019

OUR TEAM, ON AND OFF THE JOB

M any of you who receive our newsletter have not yet met all of our current team members. Here is a chance to learn more about them, both on and off the job. JENNY RAY (ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT): A native of West Georgia, Jenny studied art in college and has a keen interest in genealogy. Her sewing and costume-making skills are incredible and are often shown off at DragonCon. On the Job: “In my new role as Administrative Assistant, I maintain the firm’s filing and billing systems, manage incoming and outgoing correspondence, and make sure that our client relationship management (CRM) system is up to date. There is always something new to learn!” Outside Work: “I am a gigantic nerd outside of the office. I play Dungeons & Dragons and attend costuming/Sci- Fi conventions. When I’m not rolling polyhedral dice, I also enjoy attending Lindy and Blues social dances and have won a few local competitions.” BRITTON WILLIAMS (SENIOR PARALEGAL; PROBATE): A Certified Paralegal, Britton worked for a law firm in Florida for seven years. She recently

L TO R: JENNY, BRITTON, FRANCINE.

relocated to the Atlanta area from South Florida after getting married to her husband, Matt, in September, 2018. On the Job: “In my new role working with Paul and his team, I have enjoyed helping our team run an ever-more efficient practice, organizing great events, and helping Paul manage every case that involves filings at a probate court.” Outside Work: “I grew up playing competitive softball out of Marietta and East Cobb, and I still love sports. Outside of the office, I can be found searching for new restaurants and going for walks with my husband and our dog, Rex.” FRANCINE KOENIG (ESTATE PLANNING PARALEGAL): A native of Columbus, Georgia, Francine graduated summa cum laude from Georgia Southern

University with a degree in English and worked in Human Relations for several years before joining our team. On the Job: “A big part of my job is to gather all of the necessary information from our estate planning clients. I enjoy working with Paul to make sure clients understand how and why we execute a certain plan for their particular needs.” Outside Work: “I thoroughly enjoy swing and blues dancing. Dance allows me to travel around the U.S. Southeast, though I want to travel more throughout the country. I also practice yoga and love reading in the

evenings with a hot cup of tea (or, occasionally, a glass of whiskey).”

-Paul Black

Do you have estate planning or elder law-related questions? Write to me at [email protected] with Asked and Answered in the subject line. Your identity will be kept confidential. The opinions offered in this column are not intended to replace or substitute any financial, medical, legal, or other professional advice.

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CREATING A HOME CARE PLAN

To Live Your Best Retirement

When retirement approaches, you may be thinking about the freedom you’ll enjoy after putting in your last nine-to-five. It’s a culmination of years of hard work and a cause for celebration! Before you get to celebrate, though, it’s important to consider what kind of support you might need down the road. With our generation living longer than our parents, there’s a possibility that we may require additional support services. You and your spouse may not know if either of you will need in-home care, but considering this possibility and the financial factors that come with it can help you better enjoy this exciting phase of your life. In most cases, neither Medicare or Medicaid covers in-home care. There are some exceptions, like home- and community-based services that are state

and locally funded and cover those who qualify through Medicaid. If you or your spouse are veterans and meet the requirements, you may be eligible for aid and attendance benefits. These benefits are paid for by the VA in addition to a veteran’s monthly pension. It may cover the costs of in-home care for veterans who require the aid of another person or are housebound. Visit Benefits.

Talk to your family members and loved ones about the possibility that you or your spouse may need this service. While a family member may offer to step into that role, consider how easily they will be able to carry it out. Even a part-time caregiver could provide you with support and make your family members feel like they are not doing it alone. Planning for the

va.gov to learn more. Still, you may not want to rely on qualifying for one of these services.

possibility that you may need in-home

care services can help make your retirement even more enjoyable. Knowing you’ll have a close helping hand can ease your family’s worries and even

Consider adapting your estate plan to include designated

in-home care. Meet with your attorney to review your living trust and see if it addresses a caregiver.

strengthen your bond.

Asked and Answered: A Legal Advice Column

Dear Paul, I am in my early 40s and the mother of two young children (6 and 10). Both my husband and I work full time and save as much as we can for our retirement and our kids’ education. How do I know how much life insurance to get? I have received all kinds of conflicting advice, but a friend of mine who is a client of yours told me that you gave her and her husband great advice on this topic (and that you don’t sell insurance). Do share! –Currently Underinsured in Dunwoody

Dear Underinsured, There are as many opinions on this topic as there are professionals who are paid to give advice or sell life insurance. Here is my advice. General Advice: Buy term life insurance (not whole or universal), and buy it while you are young and healthy. If possible, buy a “level-premium” policy (meaning that the premiums you pay will not increase during the life of your policy.) Buy a policy with a term that is long enough (often 20 or 30 years) to reach a time when you and your spouse and children will no longer need life insurance to meet these expenses. Last but not least, buy a policy that easily fits into your monthly budget so that you will never be tempted to let the policy lapse for nonpayment. Doing the Math: On your own or with a financial advisor, calculate how much it would cost to pay off your mortgage, put your children through college,

and still leave you (or your spouse) with a comfortable savings cushion in the event that one of you passes away. For many couples, this calculation will easily lead you to seek $1,000,000 each in life insurance, but your exact math will obviously depend upon your savings and lifestyle. If You Don’t Have (Enough) Disability Insurance or Long-Term Care Insurance: Consider whether you should first purchase disability insurance (to replace income you would lose from being unable to work) or long-term care insurance (to help pay for care costs if you require assisted living, memory care, or skilled nursing care). You might also consider newer iterations of life insurance with “living benefits” that would help meet these lifetime expenses, but know that these policies are often more expensive, and any benefit used during your lifetime will reduce the amount available to

your beneficiaries upon your death. I hope that you found this helpful!

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AN INSIDE JOB The Curious Case of the Disappearing Flags

Theft is a serious matter, made even more grave when the victims are fallen war heroes. Such was the situation that stumped police in Hudson, New York, in 2012. The crime was first committed in July of the previous year. Flags had been placed around the graves of soldiers in Cedar Park Cemetery — only to go missing right around Independence Day. Veterans groups and locals were outraged and mystified by the crime. Some worried that a hate group was to blame, as the missing flags had adorned the graves of Jewish soldiers. Veterans worked to replace the flags, one by one, and right the wrong. No culprit was found, and the community moved on — until the following July, when the mystery repeated itself. Like the year before, flags were placed on veterans’ graves in honor of Independence Day, and again, they went missing sometime in the night, this time taken from the graves of African American Civil War soldiers. Cemetery caretaker and veteran Vincent Wallace was appalled, as was the rest of his community. “I just can’t comprehend the mindset that would allow someone to do this,” Wallace said.

Determined to find out who was to blame, police put up surveillance cameras and recorded the goings-on in the cemetery. As they watched the tapes, sure enough, they saw one of the culprits sitting atop a gravestone with an empty flagpole in front of him. It was a groundhog. Apparently, the wooden flagpoles attract groundhogs, something other groundskeepers have experienced as well. “I’m glad we don’t have someone who has taken it upon themselves to desecrate the stones and the flags in front of them,” said Hudson mayor Bill Hallenbeck. “We can all rest a little easier knowing that it was a critter and not a human defacing our flags, especially those of the veterans,” added Hudson’s police commissioner. Turns out Punxsutawney Phil has some very naughty cousins — ones who aren’t subject to the law.

TRAIL MIX My Favorite Healthy

Inspirational Moment

INGREDIENTS

•

1 cup raw almonds (I use raw activated almonds)

"TRUE HAPPINESS IS TO ENJOY THE PRESENT, WITHOUT ANXIOUS DEPENDENCE UPON THE FUTURE, NOT TO AMUSE OURSELVES WITH EITHER HOPES OR FEARS BUT TO REST SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE HAVE." -SENECA

• • • • •

3/4 cup raw cashews

5 raw Brazil nuts, rough chopped 2/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds 2/3 cup air popped popcorn (no oil or salt added) 2 tablespoons unsweetened dried cranberries, chopped

•

• •

2 tablespoons vegan dark chocolate chips

sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Chop any large ingredients if necessary to make everything about the same size. I chop the Brazil nuts to make them smaller and the dried cranberries so they are distributed throughout the mix better. 2. Give the dried fruit a light sprinkle of sea salt before you mix it in (it sticks better) or sprinkle the whole mix with salt if you prefer. 3. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy! Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

https://www.elizabethrider.com/delicious-healthy-trail-mix/

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Decatur Office Location: Main Location One West Court Square, Suite 750 | Decatur, Georgia 30030

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Our Team, On and Off the Job

1

2

Considering the Costs of Home Care

Asked and Answered

3

The Curious Case of the Disappearing Flags

My Favorite Healthy Trail Mix Recipe

Inspirational Moment

4

Discover the Secrets of Cumberland Island

GEORGIA TRAVELS

SET SAIL FOR CUMBERLAND ISLAND

A Wild, Storied Land

Sitting just off our southeast shore, Cumberland Island combines natural beauty with well-preserved historical landmarks. Whether you want to delve into cultural sites like the Dungeness Estate and the First African Baptist Church or simply pitch a tent and watch the waves roll in, Georgia’s largest barrier island has something for adventurers of all stripes. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect. PRISTINE NATURE Over half of this 18-mile-long island is designated as protected wilderness. That means miles of uninterrupted beaches, marshes, and maritime forests — all of which are easily accessible by bike trails that run the length of the island — are yours to explore. The diverse ecology of the island means there’s an abundance of colorful wildlife, including sea turtles, feral horses, and even gators. ECHOS OF THE PAST While much of the island’s landscape is uninhabited today, visitors can catch glimpses of times gone by among the tidepools and Spanish moss. Mounds of shells left by the island’s

indigenous populations still dot the shoreline. At either end of the island, the remains of two English forts stand watch over the Atlantic 243 years after the American Revolution. Amid the forested regions of the island, you can still find the remnants of a slave village or plantation house. A RANGE OF ACCOMMODATION While the island is open to day-trippers, there is so much to see on Cumberland that you may want to make an overnight stay. Campsites are available through the park service. For those looking for a truly unique, high- end experience, rooms are available at the Greyfield Inn. Built in the

19th century as a summer retreat for the Carnegie family, this incredible manor-turned-hotel allows visitors to explore the island in absolute comfort. No matter how long you decide to stay on Cumberland, you are sure to leave with some incredible memories. For those who have the time, we highly recommend looking into the many guided tours run by the National Parks Service. That way, you can experience everything this magical island has to offer!

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