Insights & Guidance for Planning Ahead

I am a rehabilitating procrastinator. (Is that a thing?) My email inbox can be a black-hole of overwhelming to do lists. Now add in keeping track of kids, animals, the school calendar, and well, can I just think about that tomorrow? Through working with a group of other attorneys, I have discovered something magical. If I take my to do list and put it on my calendar, I do it. There is something about just visualizing what needs done that takes the stress ou

The thought of long term care planning is scary to a lot of people. With nursing home and assisted living care in our area costing upwards of $7,000 (and more in urban areas), people are right to be worried. It’s kind of like the monster under the bed. No one wants to think about estate planning or deal with it. But what I think is most scary, is not having a plan. Every week I talk with families about a plan to pay for care. Sometimes that involves protecting assets fo

I love Halloween. I love an excuse to wear a costume. And I looove original, homemade costumes. I would also love to force my kids to wear a themed costume of my choosing. Unfortunately, they are at the age (3 and 8) that they have their own opinion. I can try to convince them how great my idea is, but ultimately, it is their choice. They have the right to make their own decision, even if I do not like it. But I know that if they ever made a dangerous decision,

I was blessed with both a father (dad) and a stepfather (Andy). They both died within a few months of each other in 2016. So many times I still think of them. I learned some interesting lessons. If someone loans you something, return it promptly in as good or if not better condition. A friend for life is one of the most valuable things you can have. Sometimes that means forgiving friends. And sometimes it means a friend forgiving you. You can still be friends, even if you do

A few days ago I was driving down Main Street. There I saw an elderly gentleman, slightly stooped over, leaning to one side. At first I had sympathy, but as I approached him, I realized he was holding the hand of, probably, a grandchild or even a great-grandchild who appeared to be about four years old. He was stooping over to hold the child’s hand while they walked. So many times we don’t recognize how people have stooped over to help us. It may be giving them a hand. It may

Recently I went on a weekend trip with one of my dogs, Kobe. It was intended to be a hiking trip in the mountains. We were greeted by days of rain. Finally, the forecast showed that we would have a three or four-hour window. Kobe and I took the opportunity and headed up into the mountains. This was going to be a “hike to a point and then head back” trip. An hour into the trip it started raining. I started to turn back, but then I thought, what if this is the last time I get

Near our home we have a mulberry tree. Most people disregard it and walk around the tree, ignoring its berries and avoiding their droppings. I, on the other hand, will pause for a few minutes to eat the small berries. What a treat and gift. Time after time I have told my wife that I am going to spread out some old sheets, shake the branches, and end up with a bucket full of mulberries. I never have. Recently while visiting Turkey, my wife and I went on a tour with a tour

Sometimes I push myself beyond my meager abilities, whether it is climbing Longs Peak in Colorado (where I walked on the edge of a 1,000 foot precipice –deathly afraid of heights; and then I got lost), racing a motorcycle in my younger days (ending up on one occasion with a concussion and biting through my lip), or backpacking up a mountain with too heavy a pack with my good friend Ross (to the point of exhaustion so that my son had to help me down the climb). It seems I do n

Flowers were important to my mom, as well as to my grandmother. They became especially important after my grandfather passed away and my mom became single again. I was “the man” in both of their lives. Each Valentine’s Day and birthday, I would send flowers. So regular was I that the local flower shop in Fort Worth, Texas would call me to remind me that I needed to order flowers, and they wanted to know my message on the card. Flowers for my grandmother were a colorful bou

Since the beginning of January, I have been walking our three dogs twice a day. During this time, I have learned more about their personalities and how they change given the time of day and the weather. The three dogs vary significantly in age, with Kolbe, the youngest and most energetic, Indy (actually our neighbor’s dog that they let us borrow) being middle aged who is still energized but is tempered by age; and Kiah, who is a senior at 12 or 13 years of age. We have a