2017 Editions

It Pays to Coordinate

Financial Planning

Steve had a big decision to make.

His daughter was getting married, and he wanted to give her the wedding of her dreams. To do it, he dipped into his IRA. Although the wedding was everything he and his daughter had hoped, it pushed him up into a new tax bracket, costing him thousands of dollars in additional taxes. This caused his Medicare premiums to skyrocket by more than 40 percent for the following year as well.

Steve had the resources he needed to give his daughter the wedding she wanted, but because of a lack of coordination and understanding, he paid thousands in unnecessary taxes. His mistake was focusing on only a single aspect of a major decision.

Consider a Financial Quarterback

Steve’s situation explains why it’s important that all your advisers are connected and understand the big picture. When you make a major decision like Steve did, there will be outcomes you might not have considered.

So how do you make financial decisions that have been reviewed from every angle? Try a holistic approach to your financial health that includes professionals who will help with all of your tax, insurance, legal and financial planning needs.

New advisers should be open to working with existing advisers whom you know and trust as well. It’s important for each adviser to be aware of what another is doing. Using a network of connected advisers helps people decide which decision is right for their situation.

Coordination gives clients a peace of mind that saves time and money, and lets them focus on more important things — such as wedding plans. Your goal should be to find an adviser that will make sure every financial decision is examined through the lens of all the available options so nothing is missed.

Family Affair – Plan a Reunion with the Clan

Is it time to make good on that goal of spending more time with extended family?

Facebook photos prove that years pass way too quickly. The gift of building deeper relationships with extended family can benefit every generation. Maybe this is the year for a family reunion.

Here are suggestions to get the ball rolling:

STARTING FROM SCRATCH — Begin with a survey or poll

Consider

Family budgets: Daylong, weekend, weeklong

Audience: How many adults, kids and teens?

What has the larger appeal to your family age group?

• Cruise
• Resort
• Renting a house
• Park, campground, private home

What activities are popular with the majority?

• Snow activities: skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding or hot tubs
• Warm-weather activities: beach, ocean, swimming or spa time
• Other outdoor activities: hiking, biking, team sports or picnics

What’s next

• Begin with a budget and request donations from the families for early expenses.

• Choose a firm date.
• Decide the theme. Go to Pinterest (pinterest.com) to get ideas.
• Create a website/blog or private Facebook page to communicate as plans are made.
• Create a timeline with deadlines.
• Email sign-up sheets with task assignments and list all members’ contact information. Find out skill sets of family members; don’t give a creative task to someone with an analytical personality, for example.

RESOURCES

Here’s what local travel experts say about streamlining the learning curve for successful reunions:

Choose a Cruise

Adrienne Greben, franchise owner of Cruise Planners/American Express in Concord Township:

“Groups are complex. It’s important to use the services of a good travel professional who will remember your family’s details and can guide you through every step — at no cost to you. The pricing is the same, but travel pros can often offer extra amenities for your family.

“Book your cruise early — even more than a year in advance.

Fitness

The Few, the Long-Lived … The Strength Trainers

Strength training is the way to live better longer.

Yet, few people do it. It’s hard to understand.

Over the past decade, researchers have demonstrated the benefits of strength training for strength, muscle mass and physical function, as well as for improvements in chronic conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis, lower back pain and obesity.

Only about 9 percent of older adults do strength training at least once a week, according to one study — a small fraction of people but higher than researchers expected.

The researchers in one study followed the respondents for 15 years. About a third of the respondents had died within the time period. The remaining who trained at least twice a week had a 46 percent lower risk of death than those who did not do the training. They also had 41 percent lower odds of cardiac death and 19 percent lower risk of dying from cancer.

Significantly, after the researchers controlled for physical activity levels, people who did strength exercises lived longer than those who did only physical activity.

The study is strong evidence that strength training in older adults has benefits beyond improving muscle strength and physical function.

Jeff Tomaszewski is owner of MaxStrength Fitness in Westlake. He’s a certified athletic trainer and a strength and conditioning specialist. Visit maxstrengthfitness.com or call 440-835-9090.

Spring Forward

Boost Home Value with Curb Appeal Fixups

By Dianna Hosta-Stickney

If you’re thinking about selling your house, spring is prime season — especially in climates like ours in Northeast Ohio.

The good news is that it’s a seller’s market. Home prices throughout the region are holding steady or gaining ground. Plenty of financing options are getting more people into buying mode and providing a deep pool of potential buyers.

Winter can make even the best maintained house look a bit worn. Money and time spent on the outside can pay off big when you sell your house. A home only gets one chance to make the best first impression.

Look at the outside of your home the way a new home buyer would. Does the trim need repainted? Is the siding dirty? Power washing decks, siding, porches and the driveway can bring them back to life with a well-maintained, sparkling look.

Give the entryways an especially critical look. Fresh paint, shiny brass kick plates and exterior lights that match (and work) make a home look welcoming and cared for.

Other tips:

• Wash windows
• Make sure the garage door is clean and operates smoothly
• Sweep leaves and brush from entryways
• Spread fresh mulch in flower beds
• Double check that address numbers are visible and easy to read
• Trim overgrown shrubs
• Tack up drooping gutters that may have ice damage
• Reseal the driveway

If you’re working with a budget (and who isn’t?), talk to a Realtor before spending money on expensive exterior fix-ups this spring. Maybe your money would be better spent on window repairs than power washing or landscaping. A Realtor can tell you what exterior features are a selling point in your neighborhood and can guide you on the best use of your pre-sale dollars.

Dianna Hosta-Stickney works in Middleburg Heights and Strongsville, where she is a real estate consultant with Cutler Real Estate.

Profile

Rescued

Dogs, Veterans and a Match Made in Cleveland

When U.S. Army veteran Frank DeLorenzo learned there was a three-year wait to get a medically prescribed service dog from an out-of-state organization, he and his wife Jeniffer began doing research that became life-changing for many veterans.

With the help of dog trainers, they adopted a puppy and began working with her to become Frank’s service dog.

Frank’s position as the Army Wounded Warrior advocate at the Wade Park Veterans Administration campus in Cleveland led doctors and other veterans to ask about his service dog. The couple worked with other veterans to help train their dogs, and the organization grew from that need.

The DeLorenzos co-founded Wags 4 Warriors in 2011 to help veterans who have been affected by their combat experiences that challenge them every day. Service dogs help with anxiety or focus issues, giving the veteran a reminder of where he or she is and that all is calm.

The group is a nonprofit agency that accepts tax-deductible donations to help with the adoption, veterinary care, training and equipment expenses.

“We didn’t want to see families struggle the way we did,” Jen says. “We wanted to make sure that if there was something we could do to help a veteran, we would. We quickly realized there was a huge need here in Ohio. We wanted to help veterans without causing them any financial burden or strain.”

Wags is the only organization in Ohio that does this free of charge for veterans.

As of 2017, the program has helped rescue more than 350 dogs and warriors.

“Ninety percent of these canines are rescues from shelters,” Frank says. “We have had approximately 50 or more Vietnam veterans and another 50 or more ages 50-plus in the program.”

Connections with a Click

Twitter. Facebook. Snapchat. Instagram.

On the surface, there’s nothing very social about social media. It’s just you — with a computer, smartphone, tablet, you name it — sitting around, poking at a screen.

While nothing can replace meeting for coffee or picking up the phone to chat, social media has been keeping folks connected for years, and its popularity keeps growing.

It’s fine to wait around to hear the weather report from your favorite meteorologist on TV, but keep in mind that same forecaster likely posted the information on Facebook hours earlier — and will keep updating it throughout the day.

News outlets announce breaking headlines on social media. Sports teams and businesses big, small, worldwide and local use social media to stay connected with their fans and customers.

If you feel awkward negotiating your way through the social media maze, you’ve got plenty of company. Some of the social media apps are confusing at first. The best advice? Download a few and start exploring.

Picture It

Not only is information shared the fastest on social media, but it’s also fun. With Snapchat, the photo-sharing app, you can take silly pictures and videos with the grandkids dressed as puppies or rabbits or astronauts (and lots more) thanks to Snapchat’s famous photo filters.

Snapchat tip: Press the screen when you point the camera to your face and swipe to try daily Snapchat themes. Go ahead and send it to a friend. The novelty feature is silly, unnecessary and addictive.

Like? Unlike?

If you’ve been sticking to your guns about avoiding the land of Facebook, you may want to reconsider. Sure, you don’t need Facebook to keep up with immediate friends and family you see face-to-face each day, but you could be losing touch with people you care about and not even realize it.

A Note from the Editor

The Friend Connection

I’ve been thinking about friendship a lot the past few weeks. Truthfully, I think about my friends quite a bit because keeping and nurturing friendships takes time and attention and commitment.

I get more from my friends than I give; I sometimes feel guilty about that, but my friends are forgiving people. And I don’t think that more friends means better friends. Some of us thrive with one or two close chums.

I need and rely on an assortment. They’re like the jewelry in my dresser drawer. Each day I pluck out just the right necklace or pair of earrings or bracelet depending on the outfit or the day. The same goes for my jewel box of friends.

From sixth-grade cheerleading tryouts to dateless prom nights and in quick succession homesickness, first jobs, gut-kick medical results, marriages, sassy kids, questionable hairstyles and all the dizzying, complicated messes and mayhem that make life rich and sad and joy-filled, I’ve turned to my friends.

Some are listeners. Others are silly. I’ve got supremely practical friends, friends who fly across country to be at my side, and friends who connect with a phone call every few months. Some judge. Some keep quiet.

I’ve got friends who advise me about shoes, dogs, mental health, manicures, kitchen renovations and watching parents grow old. They know when I need the truth softened and when I need it with all its harsh edges. I’ve had some friends for almost 50 years, others for a few months. Each is a treasure. My modest goal is to be half as good a friend to them as they are to me.

Our theme this issue is connections. In addition to a story about keeping and making friends after 50, we’re serving up plenty of other ways to connect.