Sheppard Law Firm - November 2020

Sheppard Law Firm - November 2020

Newsletter Title

t

another person in our community with a real estate concern or protection, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic made all of our futures so unknown. I’m glad to report that our market has stayed very strong throughout the pandemic. At the firm, we’ve been able to continue working, and our clients have been very receptive to the safety protocols we’ve adhered to. In fact, I think many clients would prefer for us to have outdoor meetings all the time! It’s gratifying to hear that our people feel safe as we continue to work for them.

When I walked into The Sheppard Law Firm to start as an attorney on the first day of 1993, I was greeted by shell-shocked employees who couldn’t believe that their long-tenured boss, John Sheppard, had retired. Among them was Craig Hersch. He had been thrown into the fire by John shortly after the start of his career with the firm, and about six months later, there I was ready to jump into this busy, long-standing firm right alongside him. I never worked with Mr. Sheppard, but I had always known about The Sheppard Law Firm. Growing up in Fort Myers, it’s hard not to know about a local business that’s been operating since 1924. I actually knew of Mr. Sheppard from the Southwest Florida Community Foundation, which partners with local philanthropic organizations in our community. He founded it with my uncle, Tom Smoot. I’m currently the third generation of The Sheppard Law Firm attorneys to serve on its board of trustees. I always loved this area, and I never had any intention of leaving it. My dad’s extended family has called this region home for generations, and I intended to do the same. I earned my undergraduate and jurisprudence degrees from the University of Florida, and I was fortunate enough to be offered a position with The Sheppard Law Firm shortly after. It’s been the only stop in my career since — and for good reason. One Worthwhile Stop Hugh Kinsey Makes His Career Locally at Sheppard Law Firm

I love what I do, the community I serve, and the people I work with every day.

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the past two decades wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying as they have been without my wife by my side. We will celebrate 25 years of marriage in 2021, and together we have a daughter, Heidi, who is a junior at Fort Myers High School. She is a student in the International Baccalaureate program, and a three-season varsity athlete, completing in golf, weightlifting, and lacrosse. She works so hard, and makes us proud every day. There’s nowhere else I’d rather spend 27 years — nearly 28! — of practicing law than at The Sheppard Law Firm. Its people are dedicated to the community I grew up in, and the work I do only fuels my passion.

I love what I do, the community I serve, and the people I work with every day.

The Sheppard Law Firm lends itself to creating an atmosphere where people want to stay put. There are about four employees who have been here longer than me — some have a decade on me! That loyalty goes a long way in ensuring that we have knowledgeable employees who have grown in their expertise and truly specialize in this field. I primarily work with the real estate components of our practice. I do some estate planning and probate trust administration as well, but where I really enjoy working is in the real estate business. This is a great part of our economy here in Fort Myers, and I’ve always enjoyed the mix of real estate we have in our market. I have a sense of pride knowing that I helped

Stay safe and happy Thanksgiving!

– Hugh Kinsey

1 (239) 265-9779

November 2020

What Is Family Burnout And How Do I Prevent It From Affecting My Family?

balance between work and rest. While it might feel like you don’t have a moment to spare between work and taking care of the kiddos in the house, identifying those spare moments in your day is absolutely necessary for your health. Establish a routine that defines time for work, sleep, studying, and other tasks. You’ll then move from task to task easier, leaving less room for conflict between others in the household. You’ll also see more clearly when you can rest! Those breaks don’t have to be anything special — a 15-minute walk by yourself outside or a 30-minute stretch with a good book in a comfy chair. Find time to let your kids have a break, too, like playing their favorite games, reading their favorite books, or playing outside. You’ll all feel more refreshed to tackle the remaining tasks of the day. Even though you can prevent or minimize burnout through a more balanced routine, sometimes that’s not enough. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Family therapy can be immensely helpful

According to one study from 2018, over half of all parents surveyed were experiencing some form of burnout (i.e., exhaustion, cynicism, lack of professional satisfaction, etc.) — and that was before the pandemic. Now, as the world enters the eighth month of the coronavirus pandemic, many parents are working from home or dealing with unemployment, and many children are doing school online. Families are spending a lot of time together at home, balancing new routines — and that’s led to family burnout. When you experience “family burnout,” the kind of exhaustion that comes from spending too much time with family, it manifests itself as physical and emotional exhaustion, an inability to handle usual tasks, and increased irritability. The more

demanding your work and home responsibilities are, the more susceptible you are to family burnout. Single parents are especially susceptible, but burnout can drastically affect romantic relationships and even children. Most people are not used to spending so much time together at home.

for maintaining your mental health when your own attempts need a boost. These are unique times, so be patient with yourself and your family as you cope with new challenges and routines. Burnout doesn’t have to be inevitable.

With all that in mind, don’t worry — family burnout is preventable. It starts with creating a

i n g F l o r i d a ?

Typically, at this point in the year, we are welcoming our snowbirds back to Florida! It’s usually a great way to cap off a busy tourism season and welcome part-time locals back for a quiet season along the Florida coast. Get a Little Bit of the Sunshine State in Your Northern Home

Add Floridian flair to your dishes.

Whether you’re missing the fresh fish or the multicultural food selection in Florida, you can still create some of your favorite plates at home. Make this a special date night with you and your

This year is a little different.

spouse! You can each choose a Floridian dish to replicate at home and see just how close you get. (Just have the local pizza place’s phone number handy!) Try it out a few times each month and see if you find any new staples in your experiments. Have a Florida TV marathon! From “The Golden Girls” to “I Dream of Jeannie,” there are plenty of Florida-based TV shows you can binge to get more of your Sunshine State. Choose frommodern staples, like “American Horror Story” and “Cougar Town,” or choose a classic such as “CSI: Miami.” Make the night even more fun by creating bingo cards that you can check off when the shows depict only-in-Florida scenarios, like palm trees instead of evergreen Christmas trees. We miss the snowbirds who chose to stay in the north this winter, but we hope this helps you cope with the snow. See you next year!

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grip the world, many of our winter friends have chosen to stay put in the north to limit their chance of exposure. As a result, many of you may be experiencing your first northern winter in a very long time! We wanted to offer a little bit of Florida for your northern home this holiday season. (No sunscreen necessary!) Read ‘The Doc Ford Series.’ Written by Fort Myers’ resident Randy Wayne White, “The Doc Ford Series” will transport you to the Florida shores with mysteries to keep you hooked for weeks. Each of the Ford books takes place right in Florida, pulling readers into the sunshine, sea salt, and mystery. You might be missing White’s Sanibel Island restaurant inspired by Doc Ford, too. So, pour yourself a little rum, grill up some burgers, and get lost in the stories spun by a Florida native.

2

floridaestateplanning.com

‘ADigital World’ Attorney Craig Hersch Helps You Leave a Digital Trail for Your Family

if your will or trust says to divide all of your assets equally among all of your beneficiaries because a joint account wouldn’t be governed by your will or trust. Third , if the person you have named as a joint owner on the account has any creditor problems, the account you named them on as a joint owner might be at risk. Fourth , if you ever want to change the account and remove the joint owner, that requires the joint owner’s signature to make the changes. While our digital age has definitely made life more enjoyable in any number of ways, it has also added complexity. It may also be a good idea to consult your estate planning attorney to find out how the law has kept up to date with technological advances.

even realize it. Yet this electronic age also creates problems. Sometimes people will actually name a child or other trusted person as a joint account holder to help deal with these issues. While I believe it may be a good idea to add such a person as a signer on the account, I don’t think it’s wise to name that person as a joint owner on the account for a number of reasons. First , as a joint owner, you have legally made a gift to that person of half of the account and continue to make gifts each time you deposit money into the account. Those gifts are limited to the annual exclusion amount, and if you make any more gifts to that person that are above the annual amount in any calendar year, you are required to file a gift tax return. Second , you might thwart your estate plan when making someone else a joint owner on an account. It doesn’t matter

Today’s digital world has made life easier than ever, but it’s also complicated our estate. In his 2018 Island Sun newspaper article, “A Digital World,” attorney Craig Hersch highlights the various ways that technology can be a pain for your loved ones after your passing. You can read the full version of Craig’s column at FloridaEstatePlanning.com. Today I woke up and went for a run with my iPhone, listening to my favorite songs that help keep my pace. I ate breakfast while paying my bills online. I then drove to my office, making phone calls via Bluetooth technology. Once at my office, I worked on client files that are all maintained digitally. None of this was possible only a relatively short time ago. Isn’t that amazing? So many components of our lives are electronic and digital now that we don’t

Inspired by FoodAndWine.com

Cinnamon-Spiced Candied Sweet Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

• • • •

1 tbsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp ground cloves

•

4 lbs orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed 4 (2-inch) cinnamon sticks

crosswise into 2-inch pieces, then cut lengthwise into 1-inch wedges 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

•

DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Place sweet potato wedges in a 4-quart baking dish. 3. Sprinkle sugar, salt, and cloves over sweet potatoes. 4. Dot with butter and place cinnamon sticks around sweet potatoes.

5. Bake, turning every 15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender and the liquid is syrupy, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. 6. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. 7. Discard cinnamon sticks and serve.

Take a Break

3

(239) 265-9779

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

9100 College Pointe Court Fort Myers, FL 33919 (239) 265-9779

INSIDE this issue

Local Hugh Kinsey on Why He’s Never Left Sheppard Law Firm. ...................................1 What Is Family Burnout, and How Do I Prevent It?. ................................................2 We Miss Our Snowbirds! Here’s How You Can Create a Florida Oasis in the North......2 Craig’s Wisdom: How to Leave a Digital Trail for Your Family...........................................3

A Number of Importance............................4

The best compliments we receive are your referrals. When you refer us to your loved ones, we do all we can to exceed expectations.

M o

T h e 1

Unsurprisingly, there was some political drama surrounding the day. In 1968, Congress made Veterans Day a federal holiday under

Veterans Day comes every Nov. 11. It’s a national holiday that recognizes veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces and honors those both living and deceased. Historically, the day marks Armistice Day and the end of the Great War: World War I. But what is the significance of the number 11? The armistice was signed at 5:45 a.m. in France, but it took effect at 11 a.m. that same morning — which happened to be Nov. 11, 1918. The armistice originally lasted 36 days but was extended month after month. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, when peace was officially declared. Later that year, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that Nov. 11 would be known as Armistice Day to honor those who fought in the Great War. This lasted until 1954, when President Dwight Eisenhower signed a proclamation turning Armistice Day into Veterans Day. The change was made in order to recognize all veterans who had honorably served their country. By 1954, the U.S. had fought in more wars — specifically World War II and the Korean War — and hundreds of thousands more Americans had served.

the Uniform Holiday Bill. The idea was to increase the number of three- day weekends in the year. Veterans Day became a holiday that would fall on the fourth Monday of October, a far cry from Nov. 11.

However, in 1978, Veterans Day was restored to its original Nov. 11 date. But why? The answer is simple. It’s a number that sticks with you. When the clock strikes 11:11, you always take notice. By that same notion, we all remember the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Because of this, we’ll never forget the end of the Great War, nor will we forget those who served.

4 floridaestateplanning.com