Dear Just Be Personal Assistants

Answering your questions on life's details. Whether it is vacation ideas or tips for saving time and money, we've got 'em.

May 16, 2012

Dear J.B. Assistants: Why do I need a will, and where do I get started writing one?

Without getting into a great level of detail, you need a will if you want to decide how to distribute your assets at your death. It’s also the best place to designate who will take care of your children. Otherwise, the courts will do it for you, and it won’t factor in your wishes or the needs of your friends and family. In general, if you die and leave a spouse and kids, your assets will likely be distributed between your surviving mate and children, but even this “simple” outcome can have important tax implications. Regardless of your situation, it’s very important that you have a will.

Having a will often saves money and time because it keeps your estate out of probate court, an expensive and often time-consuming judicial affair to distribute your assets. It also allows you to make tax-free charitable and educational donations.

A will also helps reduce conflict and misunderstandings between your heirs. Relationships are less likely to suffer as a result of your death.

Writing a will can be as simple as typing out how you want your assets to be transferred to loved ones or charitable organizations after your death. You may want to get legal advice however, particularly when it comes to understanding all of the rules in your state. Many people purchase software programs that help them write their wills, but Consumer Reports studies for the leading software packages urged caution. For example, some software packages had outdated federal estate-tax limits, did not offer enough options for particular situations, had no guidance on how states treat wills that fail to leave property to children born after a will is signed, or allowed full will editing which might allow you to contradict other parts of your will.

If you’re considering a will now, a software package is helpful in terms of general education. Going through the interviews forces a reader to think about issues like, “Who should be the alternative executor?” and “Who gets your estate if your spouse and kids don’t survive you?” It also helps you save time and money at an attorney’s office, because it serves as a practice run before you meet with an expensive professional.

Your local library is also another great resource for information about writing wills. While the literature may not help you write a will, the educational aspects will allow more fluent conversations with your legal advisor.

When you’re ready to find a lawyer, references from friends and family may be helpful. You may also read through the Colorado Bar Associate website, which provides a directory of lawyers as well as many other legal resources. Legal Shield is a service which negotiates with law firms nationwide to provide legal services to members at a lower fee.

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May 9, 2012

Dear J.B. Assistants: With Mother’s Day just around the corner, do you have any creative and simple gift ideas?

This question reminded me of the best gift I ever gave my mother. What I love is that she still talks about it to this day. And yes, it was flowers, but with a twist!

If you work with bulb flowers, you’ll know that these little gems need to be harvested and planted in the fall. I ordered and paid for a collection of tulip bulbs in May, and then had the bulbs shipped directly to my mother in the fall. I simply gave my mother a Mother’s Day card with a picture of the tulips she could expect later that year. While this required some effort on my mother’s part to plant the bulbs (and didn’t have the effect of a vase full of flowers), she calls me every spring to tell me how brilliant her yard looks. That was almost 10 years ago. Google search for tulip growers (look for Dutch tulips, many of which are grown in Washington State) and you’ll find that many growers offer a delayed harvesting and shipment plan much like the one I described above.

Another idea I’ve always liked is letting mom do whatever she wants on her special day. While this sounds quite obvious, the reality of it is that it means getting the kids out of the house or simply taking over all of the tasks that mom would otherwise be doing. If she wants to bake or read books or take a nap, make sure it happens by setting up a plan to free her time. What I love about this idea is that it’s cheap, it’s personal, and it speaks to each mother’s deeper desire for herself.

If you’re looking to involve children in making something creative and memorable, consider a beaded key chain. They’re easily accomplished by small hands and materials can be found at a local beading or craft store. You’ll need: (a) one round key chain, (b) beads of any size or quality to make approximately a 3 to 5 inch string (c) jewelry thread or wire (d) and a charm… or not. To make the key chain, simply cut a length of cord (with extra) based on your beads, and attach one end securely to the key ring. Have the child put on the beads, charm, letters or other adornments, then tie, crimp or knot the other end to the key ring. This design is nice because the circle of beads makes it easy to “grab and go”– a useful and sentimental homemade Mothers Day gift idea for kids!

I’ve always loved the idea of helping mothers support the causes they love. Most charities now allow you to donate on behalf of someone, or in their name. Instead of adding something material to her home, support your mother’s cause.

And finally, if you absolutely must give your mother something grand, consider the gift of an experience. In this instance, you don’t wrap any “gift”; instead, you share time together. Perhaps you both go to the spa together, or you see a fabulous theatre show together, or you take a cooking class together. Ultimately, you get to enjoy your mother for what she is: an amazing woman who shared her life with you.

Happy Mother’s Day!

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May 2, 2012

Dear J.B. Assistants: I’m leaving for vacation soon. Do you have any home security tips before I lock up?

1. Tell a Neighbor or Your Favorite Personal Assistant
Yes, yes, another little bit of shameless marketing. Just Be Personal Assistants frequently house-sits and pet-sits for folks on extended vacations. Consider Just Be Personal Assistants the next time you need this kind of peace of mind. Regardless of who you ask, make sure the person drives by your home once a day to check on your home. Give this person a key in the event they need to attend to any problems: a broken water pipe, damage from a storm, your car that needs to be moved. Ask that they do any chores that might make your house look occupied: rake leaves, open/close curtains, or water outdoor potted plants. He or she should also have your contact information and a copy of your itinerary in case of emergencies.

2. Don’t Announce Your Absence
As anonymous as the internet might feel, criminals are using Facebook and Twitter more frequently than ever to identify folks who aren’t at home. Don’t post vacation plans until you’re back at home, even if you think that the information is only being read by friends and family. Be careful what you say on your answering machine or voice mail too. Callers don’t need to know that you’re not home — they just need to know that you can’t come to the phone right now.

3. Post Alarm (or Dog!) Information
Some statistics indicate that prominent signs or decals of an in-home security system can deter would-be burglars, even if you don’t have a security system installed. Others suggest posting “Beware of Dog” signs on fences or other perimeter locations to give the trespasser pause.

4. Curtains Closed — or Open?
It’s recommended that you have your neighbor change the curtain position you would normally use if you were at home. Noticeable changes could hint that you’re not around anymore — especially if your curtains are uncharacteristically left closed for two weeks. Keep jewelry, cash and other valuables out of sight.

5. Lighting
A light switch timer that turns your lights on and off automatically according to a programmed schedule is one of the most frequently recommended security measures. Make sure that they turn off at night, as this would alert criminals if your house was lit up all night long.

6. Stop the Mail and Newspapers
Place a “stop” order on mail and newspapers, or arrange to have a friend or neighbor pick up your mail while you’re away. A stack of mail or newspapers is a clear sign that the homeowner is out of town. Just go to the United States Postal Service Web site and you can place a “stop” order in a matter of minutes.

7. Remove Your Spare Key
Don’t keep your spare key under the front mat, ever. But if you do, remember to remove it before you go on vacation. It’s likely that a criminal will look for a spare key in the likely locations: under the mat, in the mailbox, above the doorframe, or in a plastic rock on the patio.

8. A Baby Monitor (Without the Baby)

The idea is to leave a baby monitor receiver in your home, then give the receiver to your neighbor so they can eavesdrop in your home – real time. While this isn’t a deterrent, it helps your neighbors keep a more watchful eye on your home. This only works if the neighbor’s house is within the operational limits of the monitor.

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April 25, 2012

Dear J.B. Assistants: Yea, I’ve finished and filed my taxes! Now what do I do with all of last year’s paperwork?

Whether you’re expecting a refund or writing a check, it’s always a relief to get through Tax Day (especially if you’re an accountant!). But now there’s a heap of paper sitting in your file cabinet, and you’re wondering if it’s time to turn on the paper shredder.

Not so fast, according to Chuck Jaffe of MarketWatch. He writes columns that are published throughout the United States regarding money matters, and I recently checked in to see what he would recommend.

Investment Papers

If you hold shares or securities in a taxable account, you’ll need to tell the IRS how much you paid for it so you can calculate profit or loss when you sell it. New rules have or are about to kick in for financial services firms, and the rules require them to start providing cost information to their customers. Firms must only establish and maintain records about investment costs purchased beginning the year the rules went into effect. Many firms are providing cost records for purchases made prior to the rules, but some aren’t. Until you are sure the investment firm has records of old transactions — it would never have had cost information for securities you transferred into the account, and it might not have records of stocks you bought-and-held for decades — don’t get rid of the confirmations.

But that can still be a lot of paper. Instead, see if the final statement for the year shows all transactions for the year; if it does, shred all monthly statements.

Tax Records

Thankfully, you don’t have to keep your records for life, but you shouldn’t use the shredder just because you’ve gotten the refund check or written a check. Let’s consider the essentials. Old tax returns — especially those covering the purchase or sale of property — can be important for future returns, possibly decades into the future. And all of the backup and support information – from receipts and canceled checks to bills and tax forms — must be kept for three years after the return was due. You can purge your 2008 return right now (which you filed in 2009) because the three-year holding period is ending now. Just make sure you pull out anything related to home improvements and any investment records that weren’t part of year-end investment statements. Those documents may come in handy for calculating profit or loss when you sell the home or investment.

You will want to keep forms related to income (1099s and W-2 forms, for example) for six years, the length of time the IRS has to challenge returns on which it believes gross income was underreported by 25% or more.

Consumer Bills

You can probably cull your credit-card statements, utility bills, and various expense records, as long as you were able to verify the information and make sure payments were properly credited. The exceptions, of course, are bills covering tax-deductible expenses such as electric bills for an in-home office, or medical expenses that you are claiming. In this case, the bills must be kept for three years after the tax return is filed.

Other exceptions include: (a) divorce cases where records might be used to determine who pays the child’s expenses and can claim the child as a dependent on a tax return, (b) home-improvement expenses for the future day you sell the house, (c) bills on which there were disputed or fraudulent charges, including notes on how and when you resolved the issues or got extraneous fees or charges waived – in case negative information shows up on your credit report, and (d) credit-card issuer’s buyer-protection programs for as long as the product is protected, including receipts for big-ticket items so if the item is lost or stolen, the receipt/bill combination is a clear proof of purchase.

Pay Stubs

If you have no dispute with your employer, dump the paycheck stubs. Exceptions include if you want to cross-check your employer’s tax reporting or want a record of donations or health-care deductibles that you made through your employer.

Bank Statements, Canceled Checks, and ATM Slips

Most of us just get images on a bank statement of cancelled checks. Unless they have tax ramifications – childcare, charitable contributions, mortgage or tax payments, medical expenses, etc. – they don’t have any need to stay in your long-term file. Highlight or clip the appropriate ones for your tax file, and you’re done.

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April 18, 2012

Dear Just Be Assistants: What exactly does ‘whole grain’ mean on a food package label, and how much should I be eating?

Whole grains consist of the entire grain seed or kernel, which means the bran, germ and endosperm. Usually the kernel is cracked, crushed, or flaked during the milling process, and refining removes the bran and germ, leaving just the starchy endosperm. Most refined grains are “enriched” to add back some of the iron, thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin that were lost in the milling process.

If a whole grain is cracked, crushed, or flaked, then it must retain nearly the same relative proportions of bran, germ and endosperm as the original grain to be called whole grain. Many breads and wheat products add back pieces of the wheat seed, but not necessarily in the same proportions as the original. And that’s why food labels get confusing. Foods labeled with the words “multi-grain,” “stone-ground,” “100% wheat,” “cracked wheat,” “seven-grain,” or “bran” are usually not whole-grain products. They’re really just a refined product reconstituted to a lesser or greater extent.

If you really want a whole grain, you’ll need to look for the word “whole” before the type of grain in the ingredient list, such as “whole-wheat flour,” “whole durum flour,” “whole-grain barley,” “whole cornmeal,” or “whole white wheat”. The term “berries” or “groats” also indicate a whole, unrefined grain – for example, rye berries or buckwheat groats. The whole grain should be listed as the first ingredient in the ingredient list. If you’re looking for a completely whole grain product, look for 100% on the product label.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends we consume at least half of our grains as whole grains. “Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products.”

An ounce means one slice of bread, one cup of dry cereal, or one-half cup of cooked rice, pasta, or cereal. On a 2,000 calorie diet, this is six ounce-equivalents of grains. So half of these grains are supposed to be whole grain. If you eat a large bagel, which can weigh 6 ounces, you will be eating 6 ounce-equivalents of grains – the full day’s allotment. If the bagel is 50 percent whole wheat or more, it takes care of your three whole-grain equivalents for the day.

You can incorporate whole grains in your day-to-day cooking in many delicious ways, and it needn’t just be whole-wheat flour. These are all whole grains:

Oatmeal Pearl barley Popcorn Wild rice

Brown rice Bulgur Rolled Oats Quinoa

If you’re looking for more information about the USDA recommendations for healthy eating, check out the following website http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/. This goes well beyond whole grains, but is a great resource for decoding the grocery store aisle. “What to Eat” by Marion Nestle is also a fabulous and in-depth resource about food, particularly the marketing efforts that distort our understanding of food.

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