Stratton & Reynolds - October/November 2021

Stratton & Reynolds - October/November 2021

Main Street Monthly 905 Old Cherokee Road, Lexington, SC 29072 • P: 803-358-7214 • www.strattonreynolds.com

OCT/NOV 2021

Planning for Your Pets After You’re Gone

Over the years, many of our clients have expressed serious concern over where their pets would go if something happened to them. While we always recommend asking family or close friends if they would be willing to continue to care for pets, this isn’t always an option. Some of our clients have set up pet trusts, which is where funds are set aside for the caretaker of the inherited pet to use for food, health care, and other needs of the clients’ pets they are leaving behind. This can be a good solution when someone might be willing to care for your pet but isn’t sure if they can afford them, which can especially be an issue when the pets are older or have preexisting conditions. However, when there is no one who is willing or able to care for your pets after you pass, there is another option. Pawmetto Lifeline is a local charity that is able and willing to care for your pets after you are gone through their Rest Assured program. We really like working with them because they are a “no-kill” shelter, which means they will never euthanize an unwanted pet. Instead, they put incredible time and resources into helping each one find a good home. To help offset the costs of guaranteeing a good home for your pet for the remainder of his or her lifetime, Pawmetto Lifeline asks for the pet owner to make a one- time bequest through their will or trust. This amount not only covers your pet, but also allows them to continue helping less fortunate pets as well.

For additional questions about Pawmetto Lifeline’s Rest Assured program, we suggest you contact Denise Wilkinson either by phone at 803-465-9195 or email at [email protected]. If you are concerned about what might happen to your pets if you are no longer able to care for them, give us a call. We would love to discuss options for taking care of your pet, including potentially setting up a trust to cover their expenses or adding a bequest to an organization such as Pawmetto Lifeline to make sure your pets will have a good home even after you are gone. –Chasity

The amounts they request are as follows, and also come with naming rights for one year after the bequest is made:

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Under 3 years of age: $3,000 with naming of a cat/dog kennel in your name. 3–10 years of age: $10,000 with Lifeline membership for one year and recognition in the atrium. 10 years or older: $25,000 with naming rights to one of their “meet your match” introduction rooms (in your name).

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Have a Low-Stress Holiday

3 Tips for a Merrier Time

Get Started Early Holidays always arrive faster than we expect, so begin preparing early. If shopping for presents is a pain point, don’t wait until the last minute. Decorate earlier than you need to — or better yet, get the kids to do it for you. There’s only so much cooking you can do ahead of time, but ensuring you have all of the equipment and nonperishable ingredients you need a few weeks in advance will reduce both your workload and anxiety. Don’t Expect Perfection The sooner you let go of the idea of a “perfect” holiday, the sooner you’ll be able to have a happy one. Face it: Something will go wrong. Whether it’s an overcooked dish, a child throwing a temper tantrum, or your uncle talking politics at the dinner table, nothing will ever go just how you planned. So, embrace the imperfections. Whether you’re celebrating this year with a group of two or 20, holidays can be a stressful time — but they don’t have to be. With these tips, your festivities may not be picture-perfect, but they will be a lot of fun.

Recharge First Ensure you’re rested and recharged before the holidays by taking time to relax, getting enough sleep, and engaging in activities that make you feel good. When you’re rushing to get everything done, it can be tempting to skip self-care routines, but that will cost you in the long run. Your daily exercise and other health activities keep you balanced and ready to face challenges head-on.

The holidays are right around the corner, and while many people can’t wait to eat turkey and swap presents, others only see stress on the horizon. Especially for those hosting parties, between decorations, big dinners, excited kids, and visiting family, it can all feel overwhelming. If celebrations are happening at your house this year, here are three tips to lessen the strain and keep up the holiday cheer.

DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS AT THE BANK

We have recently had several clients find out that the beneficiary designations they previously made on their bank accounts have disappeared. This has meant that accounts that previously were set up to avoid probate have instead had to pass through probate. In each case, one of three things happened. The most common reason the beneficiary designations were removed was because their bank merged with another bank. Apparently, in many cases while the accounts were transferred over, the beneficiary designations were not. The second most common reason was that someone had originally put a beneficiary designation on their bank accounts but later opened an additional account, such as a certificate of deposit (CD), which did not have the same designation on it. Finally, in rare cases we have seen the beneficiary designations deleted after one spouse passed and their name was removed from the account.

We highly recommend double-checking these after any significant change and every few years, just in case.

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Overcoming the Impossible Task Improving Your Mental Health One Step at a Time

WE DO REAL ESTATE CLOSINGS!

We are happy to assist our clients with all of their real estate needs. From new home purchases to refinances, we are eager to assist you, your friends, or your family at either our Lexington office or our Aiken office. If you or someone you know is looking to move in the next couple of months, or wanting a lower interest rate with a refinance, please let us know. –Chasity, TC, and Jeff

Almost everyone at some point has encountered a task that is seemingly simple, but no matter what they do, they can’t complete it. These tasks can be as straightforward as making the bed or something bigger, like cleaning an entire room. For many, this is an obstacle that they may want to do but can’t, which weighs heavily on them and becomes detrimental to their mental health. It’s important to understand that the impossible task is not a sign of laziness; depression and anxiety can make any task feel much bigger and more difficult than it actually is. If you find yourself unable to do the things you need or want to do, try these techniques to help overcome your obstacles. Break up the task. When the overarching task feels daunting, breaking it up into smaller segments can help you manage it. If you’re cleaning the kitchen, clean for only a few minutes at a time before taking a break. It might take longer, but the space will be clean at the end of the day. Make the task more enjoyable. Play music or involve your pet in some way to make the task fun or create a reward system for yourself. For example, tidying a specific area of the house or folding a basket of laundry may earn you time to play video games or watch TV. Alternating tasks and rewards is a great way to overcome any task, big or small. It can help to consider why the task feels so impossible, especially if you used to enjoy it. Try to remember what made it enjoyable and see if you can return to that state of mind. If the objective is not so urgent, determine its importance and if the task can be saved for another day. When all else fails, you can always ask someone for support or even pay someone else to do the task for you. No matter what you decide, there are ways to defeat the impossible task.

VEGAN GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Inspired by Delish.com

INGREDIENTS

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2 shallots, chopped 8 oz can mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, sliced 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided 1/4 cup and 3 tbsp flour, divided

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2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb green beans, cooked

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3 cups almond milk

2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS

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Set the oven to broil. 2. In a shallow baking pan, combine onion, 1 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp flour, and panko breadcrumbs. 3. Broil for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Afterward, preheat the oven to 375 F. 4. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add shallots, mushrooms, and garlic, stirring until tender. 5. In a large bowl, mix mushroom mixture with the cooked green beans. 6. In the same skillet, add 4 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 cup of flour, whisking until golden. Gradually add the almond milk until it thickens, then toss with the green beans. 7. Transfer mixture into a baking dish and cook for 20 minutes. 8. Add onion and breadcrumb mixture on top, then bake for another 5 minutes.

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905 Old Cherokee Road Lexington, SC 29072

Inside this Issue

Planning for Pets After You’re Gone PAGE 1 Lowering Holiday Stress PAGE 2 Double-Check Your Beneficiary Designations at the Bank PAGE 2 Overcoming the Impossible Task PAGE 3 Why You Should Visit New England for Thanksgiving PAGE 4

Why You Should Visit New England

During Your Thanksgiving Weekend

As for what you could do when you’re in New England for your Thanksgiving weekend, there are a few popular destinations you just have to see for yourself. First and foremost among these are the Plimoth Patuxet Museums. When you visit, you’ll be transported back in time to one of the earliest settlements in the United States, where the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people shared the first Thanksgiving dinner.

Last year, travel restrictions kept many families from gathering together in their homes for Thanksgiving dinner. This year, it appears that people will be able to travel freely to most locations.

While a “destination Thanksgiving” might not be something you’ve ever considered, for some families, it can mean the perfect blend of quality fun and family time in an exciting new city. So, why not take advantage and bring your family to visit New England, the part of the country where Thanksgiving began?

Other fun destinations in that immediate area also include wandering the quaint historic downtowns of Ipswich, Sturbridge, or several other colonial era towns. You can also find tons of fun shopping

If you need more reasons than just the origin of a famous holiday, consider the scenery. If you’ve never visited New England in the fall, it’s something that every person should do at least once in

destinations in Beverly, Massachusetts. If you want your experience to be a little more rural, you can travel out to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, or Woodstock, Vermont, to experience a true traditional Thanksgiving celebration at Billings Farm and Museum. Even though your family might not be used to traveling for Thanksgiving, how many opportunities will you have to visit Thanksgiving’s birthplace during the season? It’s the kind of vacation you don’t want to miss!

their lives. The variety of colors on display in the trees throughout the quaint downtowns and nearby forests is completely unique to that part of

the country. There’s a reason that “visiting Boston in the fall” has become not only a popular vacation but also part of the American lexicon as well.

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