Stubbins Watson & Bryan - December 2018

Stubbins Watson & Bryan - December 2018

THE LEGAL NAVIGATOR DECEMBER 2018

DISCOVERYOURROOTS Genealogy Activities for theWhole Family

FROM THE DESK OF

Mike Bryan

By the time you read this newsletter, you will have enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with your family. Now, the very busy part of the season continues as we prepare for the rest of the holidays. When spending time with family, it is important to have conversations not only about estate planning, but also how to plan for the possibility of long-term health care costs. As a newsletter recipient, you already know the estate planning techniques that are available to avoid probate and unnecessary guardianship costs. In addition, you understand that with Medicaid planning you could still protect up to one-half or more of your assets from being spent down. Lastly, you also understand that if someone is a veteran or a widowed spouse of a veteran, they could receive between $14,113 and $26,036 in tax-free income each year to help pay for health care costs. If you have not dealt with these issues, now is the time to discuss them with your family once again. Contact our office today with any questions. With that, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2019.

While some parents worry about negative stories that may accompany their ancestry, many experts and historians encourage teaching children about their heritage and genealogy at a young age. Learning about their heritage and family traditions develops an important part of a child’s identity, so take the opportunity to teach your children about your family history and where those traditions come from. Gather the family together and follow these tips to teach the young’uns about the golden days. Get Crafty Getting crafty is a popular way to teach your kids about their heritage. This gives children an outlet for their creative energy while educating them about the intricacies of genealogy and research. Kids can create a family tree or timeline with cardboard and construction paper. Have them start small with their own names and names of their siblings, parents, and grandparents. Then extend the tree to cousins, aunts, uncles, and great-relatives. Once they finish, have your kid present their family tree to a neighbor or their grandparent so they can teach others what they learned. Take a Staycation In today’s digital landscape, searching for ancestors and relatives is often as easy as a Google search. Visit the home country of your ancestors via Google Earth and learn more about the culture and heritage of your family’s ancestors. After taking a virtual tour of the city or town, search for recipes, games, or outfits that your family can create together. Have each kid select which one they’re interested in, and do them together!

-Mike Bryan

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For a more in-depth tour, visit cemeteries across the world without even buying a plane ticket. BillionGraves.com is an online sharing and research site that aims to feature — just as the name would suggest — billions of grave sites around the world. BillionGraves allows users to create a digital >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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