With Your Family in Mind

This time of year is very precarious for parents, and especially for the kids.  With the extra time off due to holidays – and the “spirit” of making the season more fun and indulgent, means risk is present for drugs, alcohol and – partying!  Families are busy and distracted and the extra time on hand combined with some of the holiday “pressures” makes the fun and indulgent holiday mentality a copious opportunity for indulgence and even excessiveness in harmful things- and I don’t mean holiday cookies! 

As I write this article, our country’s Congress is debating the issue of closing down the government and eliminating Obamacare... Yes, all the news broadcasting interviews with members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans are asked their opinions about what they think.

“It’s almost Thanksgiving, I can’t believe he’s not here.”
“I wish I could just cancel Christmas this year.”
“How can I go on without her?”
The empty chair at holiday dinners can cause enormous pain. No matter the number of holidays you’ve endured, they are sad reminders of those we have lost.

House GOP rejected the Senate comprehensive reform bill favored by an overwhelming majority of Americans, opting for “piece-mealing” it instead.  The path to citizenship remains the major sticking point with the GOP.
Nancy Pelosi presented a bill by Democrats which she believes would pass the House with 218 votes. 

Historically, the Federal Estate Tax has been a fact of life (or, rather, a fact of death) for many Americans. This tax is levied on the estates of decedents, and could consume almost fifty 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.

Have you ever thought of becoming a foster parent or wanted to adopt a child in need of permanency? Koinonia Family Services is now serving the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys, and is looking for families who want to provide safe, caring, and nurturing homes for children who are in need of short-term or long-term placement.

If your child is nearing the end of their junior year, there are some important things to consider to make sure you maximize financial aid.
1. Have your child apply to at least six to eight colleges and universities.
Pick an assortment of “safety schools,” “competitive schools,” and “reach schools.”

You have come to the realization that your marriage is over. One or both of you wants a divorce. You have children. So what do you do? Well, the first thing you should consider is that children are not stupid. If you have reached the point in your relationship where you are seriously considering divorce, your kids probably know that things have not been going well for quite some time.

Fall and winter are often a time for gatherings with family and friends – Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year’s.  Nursing home residents often want to participate in these gatherings but may be under the impression that they will lose Medicare coverage if they leave the facility to do so.  This is not true.

I have two wonderful daughters who are strong, assertive, and capable young women.  One is a college freshman, and the other a senior in college.  Both are attending prestigious universities.  People always ask me my parenting secrets.  I truthfully reply: Horses!  If my daughters can handle a 1,200-pound animal, they can handle anything life throws at them!

Alzheimer’s Disease was first described by the German psychiatrist, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, in 1907.  Dr. Alzheimer had studied a patient’s demented behavior, and after her death at age 56, he examined her damaged brain tissue under a microscope.  Little did Dr. Alzheimer know that 100-plus years later, the 6th leading cause of death in the United States would bear his name: Alzheimer’s Disease. 

“Best interest of the child” is the standard used to determine child custody in paternity and divorce cases. Typically, the court will weigh factors to determine whether mom or dad is better to raise the child, if they are unable to co-parent.

Sometimes there seems to be some unseen force, some undetectable presence, which blocks our ability to succeed at things.  Whether we are trying to shed a few pounds, stop a bad habit or rid ourselves of underlying negativity that nags away at us, this invisible force seems to stand like an impassable gate to the other side where happiness, feeling good and being better at things reside.

I am a firm believer that expectations set us up, especially during the holiday season. A new study found that people experience holiday stress due to unrealistic expectations. The study conducted by Tony Jurich, a Kansas State University expert on family relationships found that people feel like failures when they are unable to meet their expectations.

The growing number of older drivers and the complexities of driving conditions today have increased the concerns many Americans have about the safety of a loved one behind the wheel.  The decision about when to stop driving is obviously a difficult one for older people to make on their own.

One of the most common questions asked by individuals considering bankruptcy is “What will I be able to keep?”  In a Chapter 7 case, the bankruptcy court appoints a Trustee who reviews the bankruptcy schedules to see if the debtor has exempted all his assets using the available statutes in California.  If not, the Trustee can attempt to liquidate the non-exempt assets.

To meet the challenges faced by children whose lives are disrupted by abuse, neglect, violence, and family disturbances, Inner Circle Foster Care and Adoption Services provides foster and adoptive families with pre-certification training and continuing education training. 

Being kind not only enhances your character and personality, it is good for your business.  Let’s face it, we have all come across “difficult” clients and/or colleagues. While most Realtors “bite their tongue” with clients (because they are who is paying them), many Realtors become abrasive with their colleagues… knock it off!  We are in a cooperative industry, and it is important to be nice, even to the intellectually challenged ones!