With Your Family in Mind

The College of the Canyons theatre and music departments are in need of cowboys, cowgirls, country crooners, dancers and actors, of all ages and abilities, to audition for its fall production of the foot-stomping musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Written by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson, with music and lyrics by Carol Hall, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a happy-go-lucky romp centering on the infamous Chicken Ranch brothel — so named because during the Great Depression poultry was accepted as a form of payment.

Pursuant to Family Code Section 760, community property in general is all property acquired by a married person during the marriage other than property acquired by gift or inheritance.  But where does the retirement plan factor in?  A retirement plan acquired during marriage is generally considered community property and spouses will each have a one-half interest in this asset regardless of which spouse actually made the payments.  The issue becomes more complex when a retirement plan was acquired before marriage but a spouse also made contributions to the plan during the marriage. 

With school districts across the state canceling summer school due to the State’s budget crisis, the Hart District has been able to maintain a summer program that will benefit approximately 6,000 students this year.  Thanks to creative partnerships with College of the Canyons and Opportunities for Learning charter, the Hart District will be able to provide a modified summer program that still meets the needs of our students while trimming up to $500,000 from summer school costs to the district.

Children’s Bureau reached a wonderful milestone in its vast history in September 2009 with the 1,000th adoption of a child in its foster care and adoptions program.  On that particular day, there were actually six children who were adopted by four families.  Two of those children were sisters, Jazmin and Sarah who were adopted by a couple in Los Angeles.
“We were in our mid-40s when we got married and decided that adoption was a way to grow our family.  We were trained and certified by Children’s Bureau and soon after received the call that two sisters, ages two and three at the time, were available.  The transition from being newlyweds to new parents has been amazing.   The laughter and joy in our home is contagious,” said Mrs. N.

Historically, the Federal Estate Tax has been a fact of life (or, rather, a fact of death) for many Americans who have amassed substantial assets during their lifetimes.  This tax is levied on the estates of decedents, and could consume almost 50 percent of a decedent’s net worth, above a statutorily determined exempt amount.  By applying estate planning techniques skillfully, the taxpayer could minimize the impact of such taxes on their beneficiaries and heirs. 

Local artists capture scenes of Santa Clarita Valley.  Shown here are some of the great art painted by members of the Santa Clarita Artists’ Association (SCAA).
Le Chene Restaurant, watercolor. “I have been a professional artist for over 40 years in the fields of textile design, fashion illustration, and newspaper and corporate graphic design. I am proud to say that I was an advertising artist for the Los Angeles Times during that newspaper’s heyday. I received my MFA in Painting from the Otis Art Institute,” says Cecily Willis (www.cecilywillis.net).

Most make the connection between taxes and financial planning.  However, too many times someone will receive financial advice without considering the tax consequences.  Therefore, it is best to seek advice from a financial planner who is also a tax professional.
Here is a very common example: Jack age 39 leaves his current employer and has $100,000 in a 401(k) account.  He decides to do an IRA rollover.

Many people faced with debts they cannot afford make every effort to resolve their debt without filing bankruptcy.  In some cases, they take temporary loans from friends or family to get by until their income increases.  However, in today’s difficult economy, those efforts do not always work, and the individual (or couple) turns to bankruptcy as a way to remove most or all of their debt to give them a fresh start.

Spiritual Therapy Uncovers the Hidden Disorders of the Unconscious 

What is Spiritual Therapy?  Every person has a unique soul path and purpose on this earth.  We have our own built-in guidance system.  When we can align with this higher intuition, our lives become whole, integrated, and joyous.  We are born into this world with this instinct and as we age and accumulate life experiences, we either stay in touch with this, or we may bury it and lose sight of who we are.

One thing I have learned is how to appreciate every morning.  Why, because every morning is accompanied with new opportunities; opportunities to refocus, opportunities to refresh, opportunities to restart, opportunities to retry, opportunities to remember, and opportunities to re-evaluate. 

Do you remember those times last summer when the relentless sound of “I’m bored,” made you count the days until the start of the new school year?  Most kids celebrate the beginning of summer vacation but, too often, run out of things to do before the summer ends.  The resulting restlessness and boredom can lead to fights among siblings and way too much screen time.  A clever parent who has good survival skills knows that having a plan in place at the start of vacation is the key to a peaceful summer.  I recommend you include family activities that are local, inexpensive, and educational.  Reading and local trips are available that entertain and educate all family members.

It began with a shoulder tap, asking an adult to purchase a fifth of vodka, drinking that vodka at a local movie theater, being disruptive and picked-up by the police for disturbing the peace, landing him in jail. To make matters worse, his disruptive behavior turned into anger as he kicked the windows out of the jail cell he was in, thus adding a felony vandalism charge to his troubles. His legal troubles have just begun.

Selected works by famed painter, sculptor and physician Vladimir Iwasiuk (1905 to 1986) will soon go on display at the Santa Paula Art Museum.  The new exhibit, titled Vladimir’s Visions, was unveiled during an opening reception honoring the artist on Saturday, June 5.  The exhibit will continue through Sunday, August 29.  

A recent Ibbotson poll(1) reveals that while 83 percent of Americans, 30 and older, agree that the current economic crisis has increased their desire to provide financial protection for their family, more than half of those surveyed lack a proper financial plan in case of the loss of the family breadwinner.  Instead, survey respondents reported they would rely on their retirement savings, borrowing from family or getting another job if faced with financial hardship as the result of the loss of a breadwinner.

On this Independence Day, I find myself thinking about a day when I experienced my own independence and freedom.
I was part of a delegation of college students to spend a year in another country.  This would be the first time I lived away from home for more than a week; the first time I traveled outside the State of California (let alone the United States); the first time I boarded an airplane; the first time I would be solely responsible to make my own choices and set my own limits.  I was apprehensive; but the lure of freedom and independence was irresistible to me.

Deciding on what type of long-term care loved ones need when they are no longer able to live independently is an important decision that should not be considered lightly.  If given the option to live one’s golden years in an institutional setting or in one’s own home, the majority of people would choose their own homes.
In-home care assists a frail person to live independently for as long as possible.  Often delaying the need for long-term nursing home care. 

Respite refers to short-term, temporary care to allow caregivers and family members a break from their daily routine.  It can also be used for those individuals who require short-term assistance while recovering from an illness or accident.
Families and caregivers who provide constant care for their elderly family member may need some time away from their responsibilities to tend to their own needs.  Respite care allows caregivers to take this time while knowing that their family member will be well cared for by trained staff.  

When her father was dying, Rebecca Wesson, newly transplanted from New York to Los Angeles, searched for an outlet for her grief.  She signed up for Jeff Zhorne’s grief program – and it changed her life.
“It really helped me get to the root of the pain and unresolved issues,” said Wesson, a speech pathologist.  “It’s almost like magic, even though I did the work.”