As the Readers: Do You Have a Will or a Trust? Why?

Today, I'd like to talk about estate planning. It's not something that I write about very often, because, frankly I don't know much about it. Not only that, but it seems like the rules are different in every state. With a child on the way next month, I really can't put off estate planning any longer.

It's with this in mind that I pulled out the book: Living Trusts for Everyone: Why a Will is Not the Way to Avoid Probate, Protect Heirs, and Settle Estates. The author (or more likely the publicist) sent it to me a couple of years ago and it joined my ginormous mountain of personal finance books. Most off the time the mountain isn't very helpful, but this time it's got just what I needed.

The book is short, only 140 pages, but it is dense. As dense as you might expect a book on the domain of lawyers such as wills and trusts would be. However, the author, Ronald Farrington Sharp, does a decent job of explaining the issues as simply as possible. The biggest problem is that there are a million different scenarios... and each scenario has a million sub scenarios.

The biggest point the author makes is that lawyers typically make a lot of money when you die. The courts need to figure out where stuff goes and even if you have a will, things need to go through probate, a costly and lengthy procedure. How costly? I think he quotes it as typically around 5% of the estate. How lengthy? The author puts as simply "months."

So we are doomed right? (Well, yes, that's part of the estate planning thing.) No, we are not doomed. Enter trusts.

Trusts are like a corporation for your assets. (Don't quote me on that, it is how I think of them, not an official definition.) You create a trust and put your assets in there. You don't give up control of the assets, because you are a trustee, the person in charge of the trust. If you have a spouse, you can set up a co-trustee relationship. Upon death of the trustee a new successor trustee or trustees take over as defined by the trust documentation. It's kind of like how most people imagine wills work without that nasty probate stuff in the middle.

Rather than just rely on the author of this book, I did a little further reading. It doesn't hurt to get a second opinion on this stuff. A Google search or two brought me to Nolo.com, a website that has a lot of free legal information. Clark Howard has mentioned it on his show in the past, so I feel it's pretty legit. The two articles that back up what Sharp writes is: why avoid probate? and how living trusts avoid probate.

So I'm firmly of the opinion that I need to get a trust. I've been asking some friends and person finance writers what they have and you know how many have a trust? One. That's of a dozen or so people. They didn't even get it to avoid probate, but to make sure a family member with special needs was taken care of. Almost all of the people I talked to just assumed that a will was the way to go or haven't done any estate planning yet. And most of them have kids. Yikes!

Readers it is your turn. Have you done any estate planning? If yes, did you do a will or a trust? Why?

Posted by Lazy Man on August 22, 2012

This post deals with:

trusts, wills

... and focuses on:

Estate Planning

Previous: Real Estate: To Invest or Not to Invest? That is the Question.

Source: http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/as-the-readers-do-you-have-a-will-or-a-trust-why/

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Overcoming Team Building Resistance

Overcoming Team Building Resistance

I am a big believer in teams in a business environment. I don't just meant people working together well, but actively taking steps to know each other as people, form bonds and work with a common purpose. I've always tried to foster a strong team dynamic in the groups I've led, and have taken active steps to create an environment in which those bonds could grow.

But what to do when the people resist becoming a team?

That was the situation I faced on becoming the new leader of an existing group of marketers with a long history of underachievement. Although many in the group had worked together for years and had known each other even longer, they were decidedly not a team. That's not to say they didn't collaborate or help each other on occasion, but communication was limited, information was closely held, project details and progress was guarded, and requests for details was met with suspicion. It quickly became obvious to me that performance of this loosely connected collection of individuals was never going to improve unless something was done to bring them together. Here?s what we did.

Tips for building a team:

Find evangelists who can help ? Several people in the group were hungry for a different approach and recognized the benefits of working in unison. They became our evangelists, and took the lead on communicating with the group, sharing information and working together to encourage the more reluctant members to do the same. They made it safe for other people in the group to begin to trust each other.

Empower and challenge ? Our evangelists were empowered to set the agenda for our team building endeavors, coming up with ideas for activities to strengthen our team dynamic. They were not daunted by the challenge of a group scattered in multiple locations, using technology to overcome the distance. They came up with several engagement initiatives, including the establishment of a team page on the microvolunteering site Sparked, complete with common goals which leveraged our individual talents to help worthwhile organizations.

Educate and communicate ? Our company had not been known previously for it's openness and transparency. We changed that with frequent updates on our goals and business results (previously a black-box to most). We also rotated the selection of topics for our education and training sessions among the group, which went a long way towards making the meetings ?theirs? rather than ?mine?.

Extend the team ? The company had traditionally been a very closed environment where each group kept to themselves. We changed that by inviting others outside the marketing organization to our meetings and team building events. This allowed us to extend our networks and build stronger working relationships with our business partners in sales, HR, finance, and other areas.

Accept that not everyone will join in ? Despite our best efforts, there were some who just never warmed to the team concept. They were always included but never engaged. We kept a close eye out for disruptive or passive-aggressive behavior, but never forced them to participate beyond their level of comfort.

After several months I could see signs that we were finally coming together as a team. Sharing of information improved, trust was growing and collaboration was becoming the norm. Our productivity improved because of it, but more importantly, we became better marketers because we were able to leverage each others' strengths more effectively. And because we were able to build trust outside of marketing, we were able to be better business partners with the rest of the organization.

How do you build a team? Is it important?

? By Slade Kobran ? CMO. Write Slade or call him directly at 201.675.9157 and ??follow him on twitter @skobran.

?

Source: http://www.chiefoutsiders.com/blog-0/bid/89775/Overcoming-Team-Building-Resistance

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End of Summer Celebration {Twitter Party ALERT!} | Hip ...

Want to party with Hip Homeschool Moms? We?re throwing an end of summer bash and want?you to join us!

What? End of Summer HooRah!

Where? Twitter

When? Thursday, August 30 at 8pm EST

Why??to reward all you Hip Homeschool Moms & Dads for all your hard work homeschooling by having some FUN & GIVEAWAYS!

How? Just log into Twitter starting at 8pm EST until around 9:30pm. Make sure you?re following @HipHmschoolMoms, @HiltonWendy, and @FencedinFamily for all the party tweets. We?ll be using hashtag #hiphomeschool during the party, and we recommend that you use TweetDeck or TweetChat to keep up with the conversation.

Take a look at the prizes we?ll be giving away . . .

Our friends at Home Educating Family?are giving away two prizes! Follow them on Twitter @HomeschoolConv.

Well Planned Day Planner

Organize your busy days all in one place with this beautifully-designed planner. The Well-Planned Day is a family homeschool organizer, designed especially for moms. This effective, yet easy-to-use format will ensure that each day at your home is smooth and profitable.

Retail Value: $24.95

On The Go planner for Moms

Over 200 Full Color Pages, Spiral Bound

Full Year Planner: July 2012 ? June 2013

Versatile purse size planner for home, work, family, and school organization in one convenient book.

Track each day by the hour, week, and month. Includes Monthly Budgeting for planning and recording, Family Worship, and more.

Retail Value: $15.95

From Media Angels we have two more prizes! Follow them on Twitter @UltimateExpo.

Mommy Jammies Nights & Homeschool Mother?s Prayer Album Bundle

Enjoy this downloadable bundle for encouragement in your new school year. The Mommy Jammies Nights album contains 12 inspirational talks from Christian homeschool moms, and?Homeschool Mother?s Prayer includes five songs to uplift the homeschool mom.?Open to international entries!

Total Retail Value: $30.99

Ultimate Homeschool Expo 2012

Be inspired by over 100 audio sessions from speakers such as Andrew Pudewa, Cathy Duffy, Felice Gerwitz, Tyler Hogan, and many, many more!?Open to international entries!

Retail Value: $59.95

Apologia Educational Ministries will be giving away four books! Follow them on Twitter @ApologiaWorld.

Educating the WholeHearted Child by Clay & Sally Clarkson

God did not forget to include ?school? in his biblical design for raising children: home education is a natural expression of all that God intended for parents and their children. Clay and Sally Clarkson?s Educating the WholeHearted Child is about rediscovering God?s original design for the family. What you?ll find in this book is a homeschooling model that makes sense. It?s an approach that is based on sound biblical principles of nurture, discipleship, instruction, and learning. Print book.

Retail Value: $22.00

How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. for Your Kids by Rachel Carman

How well do you really know your kids? What has God shown you about who they are and who they will become? He has sent these children into your home at this specific time for His glorious purposes. Indeed, you have been invited on the adventure of a lifetime, a journey on which you will see walls fall, seas parted, and giants slain. You don?t need special skills or training for this journey?you need only to seek God and hold tight to His mighty hand! E-book version ? winner may choose Kindle or iTunes download. Open to international entries!

Retail Value: $13.00

Seasons of a Mothers Heart by Sally Clarkson

Your life is a whirlwind of changing seasons that can just as easily exhaust as exhilarate you. Sit down, take a few moments, and allow yourself to be refreshed and encouraged by stories, insights, and lessons from a friend. Sally Clarkson opens her heart within these pages, sharing what she has learned as a homeschooling wife and mother?about herself, her children, and her Lord. Print book.

Retail Value: $14.00

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens by Debra Bell

Homeschooling through high school is more practical than ever! Whether your teen plans to enter the workforce after high school, enroll in a trade school, or attend an Ivy League university, high school at home may be the best decision you can make now to ensure your child?s future. The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens is designed to help you and your teen successfully transition to the college and adult years. Print book.

Retail Value: $20.00

$25 Amazon Gift Card

The Dig for Kids is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! You can pick your own prize ? that?s the best way, right? Follow @patschwenk and @thebettermom to thank them.

In The Dig for Kids, parents and children join an experienced tour guide, Doc, on a journey through different books of the Bible! Learn more and download a free sample here.

Hair Sticks from Independent Lilla Rose Consultant Jennifer Miller

Quickly style your hair in an elegant up-do with these beautiful Hair Sticks from Independent Lilla Rose Consultant Jennifer Miller. Click here to visit Jennifer?s website (be sure ?prettyhair? is in the web address after the site loads) and follow her on Twitter @MommieJennM.

Handmade Jewelry from Kay Hilton

One Hip Homeschool Mom will receive beautiful handmade jewelry from Kay Hilton. More details coming soon!

For your chance to win one of these great prizes, don?t miss our Twitter party next week! Just 8 days from now . . . mark your calendar!

Unless otherwise specified, these giveaways are limited to U.S. and Canadian shipping addresses. Please see the complete Hip Homeschool Moms giveaway contest rules here.

Source: http://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/2012/08/end-of-summer-celebration-twitter-party-alert/

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Yet Another Reason to Avoid Prescription Drugs | AguiLeon Health ...

Have you heard the phrase "biologic drug" before? In a recent study, researchers analyzed the effectiveness and cost of biologic drugs in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The study authors analyzed data on 844 people with relapsing-remitting MS in the United States. To help reduce drug costs for any medical condition you have, remember to get the health advice of your doctor and other natural health-care providers.

Have you heard the phrase "biologic drug" before? Biologic drugs are made from a living organism or its products. They are used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer and other diseases. Biologic drugs, also known as "biologic agents" or "biological agents," may include such things as antibodies, interleukins, and vaccines.

In a recent study, researchers analyzed the effectiveness and cost of biologic drugs in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. What they found was not particularly flattering. In fact, they had this health advice: newer biologic drugs are extraordinarily expensive and may not be cost-effective when compared to more basic treatments.

The study authors analyzed data on 844 people with relapsing-remitting MS in the United States. The data took into account not only the cost of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) such as interferon or "TYSABRI," but also hospital and office-based care, diagnostic tests, nursing home costs, and time taken off from work. According to the investigators' calculations, DMTs represent about half of all health-care costs over 10 years for a person with MS.

Now what about health gains after all this money invested? According to the researchers, any health benefits were modest. For example, people taking interferon beta-1b experienced an average of about six years with no relapses over the course of a decade, compared to five years without relapses for those not taking DMTs. And these modest benefits changed significantly between individuals.

The researchers say their study is a call for the need to control pharmaceutical prices. For example, the authors noted that, in 2010, a year's supply of one type of interferon drug would cost an estimated $12,000 in the United Kingdom, compared to $34,000 in the United States (!). Lowering U.S. prices by two-thirds would make the drugs much more cost-effective, the authors stated. So would starting the medications earlier, to better stave off MS-linked disability.

Alternative remedies could also be an effective means of managing a disease such as MS. To help reduce drug costs for any medical condition you have, remember to get the health advice of your doctor and other natural health-care providers.

Source: Doctorshealthpress

Author Bio: Doctors Health Press offers incredible health newsletters that will provide you with daily health updates. Sign up for free Newsletters for food, vitamins and illness. Doctorshealthpress

Source: http://www.aguileon.com/2012/08/yet-another-reason-to-avoid.html

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Pennsylvania Supreme Court Affirms PGCB Selection of Isle of Capri

FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa., Aug. 21, 2012 /NEWS.GNOM.ES/ ? Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISLE) and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort announced today that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania affirmed the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board?s selection of the proposed casino project at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, for a Category 3 resort gaming license.

?We are pleased that the Supreme Court affirmed the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board?s decision to select Lady Luck Nemacolin for a Category 3 resort license.? We designed a project that will exceed the goals of the Pennsylvania Gaming Act by boosting tourism, creating jobs and boosting state revenues while adding an exciting new amenity to this premier resort,? said Virginia McDowell, Isle?s Chief Executive Officer. ?Much work has been done already, and much work continues including obtaining remaining necessary approvals from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. We anticipate beginning construction as soon as all of the approvals are in place and expect to open Lady Luck Nemacolin 9-12 months after construction begins.?

Maggie Hardy Magerko, president and owner of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, commented, ?The addition of Lady Luck Casino will give our guests an important new amenity that, we believe, will allow us to attract new guests to Pennsylvania from all over the country and world. We are pleased with this decision and look forward to working closely with our partners as we create an outstanding amenity at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.?

The casino, Lady Luck Nemacolin, is planned to be fully integrated into the guest experience at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, and is expected to include 600 slot machines, 28 table games, and a casual dining restaurant and lounge.

Located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Nemacolin Woodlands is one of North America?s premier resort destinations, earning a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star rating and a AAA Four Diamond Rating.? Nemacolin Woodlands has also been honored as one of Travel + Leisure magazine?s 500 Best Hotels in the World.? Situated on nearly 2,000 acres, the resort features 318 luxurious guestrooms, suites, townhouses, and private luxury homes, including the Forbes Travel Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond Falling Rock boutique hotel and clubhouse. In addition to the internationally acclaimed Woodlands Spa, the resort features the AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Lautrec Restaurant and offers 36 holes of golf on two championship courses.

For more information about the project, visit www.winatnemacolin.com.

About Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc.

Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., founded in 1992, is dedicated to providing its customers with an exceptional gaming and entertainment experience at each of its 15 casino properties. The Company owns and operates casinos domestically in Biloxi, Lula, Natchez and Vicksburg, Mississippi; Lake Charles, Louisiana; Bettendorf, Davenport, Marquette and Waterloo, Iowa; Boonville, Caruthersville and Kansas City, Missouri; two casinos in Black Hawk, Colorado; and a casino and harness track in Pompano Beach, Florida. The company also has a casino under construction in Cape Girardeau, Missouri which is planned to open in late 2012. More information is available at the Company?s website, www.islecorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to change. These forward-looking statements may be significantly impacted, either positively or negatively by various factors, including without limitation, licensing, and other regulatory approvals, financing sources, development and construction activities, costs and delays, weather, permits, competition and business conditions in the gaming industry. The forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements herein.

Additional information concerning potential factors that could affect the Company?s financial condition, results of operations and expansion projects, is included in the filings of the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, its Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.

CONTACTS:
Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc.,
?????????????? Dale Black, Chief Financial Officer-314.813.9327
?????????????? Jill Alexander, Senior Director of Corporate Communication-314.813.9368

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort,
?????????????? Jeff Nobers, Vice President ? Marketing & PR ? 412.977.1263

SOURCE Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc.

http://www.islecorp.com

Source: http://news.gnom.es/pr/pennsylvania-supreme-court-affirms-pgcb-selection-of-isle-of-capri-nemacolin-woodlands?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pennsylvania-supreme-court-affirms-pgcb-selection-of-isle-of-capri-nemacolin-woodlands

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Hosting : ? Create your business online | Hikari's Tools Collection

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Source: http://www.hikari-tools.com/technology/hosting-create-your-business-online

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EconoSpeak: Consolidation in the Health Insurance Market

Dealbook notes the acquisition of Coventry Health Care by Aetna as a trend in this sector:

Aetna?s acquisition of Coventry is the latest deal in an industry that has been spurred to consolidation in part because of the Obama administration?s sweeping expansion of health care coverage in the country. Last month, WellPoint agreed to buy Amerigroup for about $4.9 billion.

Before Mitt Romney decided that Medicare cost containment was something to dishonestly campaign against, Paul Ryan and President Obama were both proposing that cost containment was a good idea. The difference perhaps was that the President?s idea for doing so involved price controls while the Republicans wanted to rely on more competition. Consolidation, however, is often a euphemism for the larger players to increase their market share on the hope of reducing competition. If these Republicans are serious about relying on competition ? shouldn?t they be condemning this consolidation? Update: A hat tip to a devoted reader of Mark Thoma?s blog named Anne for providing us with a link to James C. Robinson who discusses the consolidation in the hospital sector.

Source: http://econospeak.blogspot.com/2012/08/consolidation-in-health-insurance-market.html

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