What are you thinking about as we head into spring here in Anchorage? What are you hoping to do this spring, this summer, this year, next year? I am really looking forward to everything I want to do and add to my calendar.
The dump trucks are driving down my street as I am writing this. I am hoping that means they will be taking the snow along the edges of my street away. I always secretly hope the plows and graders will take a bit more of the snow along the edges of my lot so that my grass greens up sooner.
I have already planted some flower seeds in my front room – sapphire trailing lobelia, columbine, livingstone daisies and bacopa. Wish me luck! My mom loves the livingstone daisies. I do too. I want to use the lobelia and bacopa in hanging baskets with a begonia in the middle for my mom’s house. I am just hoping the columbine grow and I can plant some in both of our gardens.
Last spring, I took lots of walks in my neighborhood as the flowers emerged. I loved seeing the changes in the gardens throughout the summer. This summer will be better, because my mom has had her second covid vaccination and so have I. She and I will be able to get out and do some sightseeing, maybe go to Homer for a weekend. We both enjoy the beach!
Simplifying a Complex Subject
My office is providing estate planning services just the same as always. I am giving estate planning workshops virtually for now that help the attendees learn:
- the difference between a power of attorney and healthcare directive and when they are used;
- the difference between a will and a trust;
- what is probate;
- how a trust avoids probate;
- what is a pour over will;
- that a beneficiary’s interest can be protected from their own creditors or even their own divorce.
Workshop attendees have shared that the workshop was more than they had hoped for. One gentleman recently shared that I took a complex subject and broke it down into understandable concepts.
He enjoyed the real-life examples that illustrated the legal concepts. He immediately requested a vision meeting with me for his mom who was also at the workshop. And he and his brother both want to meet with me after they help their mom create her estate plan. It warmed my heart to hear how well my workshop was received.
Another workshop attendee shared that she was so glad to get this information and now knew how to start her estate plan. She made an appointment to meet with me for her vision meeting, which is the second step in starting your estate plan right after the estate planning workshop, the first step.
I am hoping to start giving my workshops at the senior centers in Wasilla, Eagle River, and Anchorage later this year. If you would like to attend one of my free estate planning workshops, then please call my office at 907-334-9200 or go to my website at www.akwillstrusts.com to register.
I hope you are doing well and have lots to look forward to.
Sincerely,
Connie Aschenbrenner
