Celebrate Your Dad

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Offered by: Melissa Rippy – Rippy Insurance Agency / Allstate

In April of 2017, I was on vacation in Cancun with my mom, walking on the beach. We came upon a wedding that was being setup, right there in the sand. I told my mom when I got married, that’s exactly what I wanted – to be surrounded by the people that meant the world to me, the beach and the waves for a ceremony. I asked my mom if she thought Dad would walk me down the aisle and she said I should ask him. At the time, I was not engaged but I called my dad who was in Arizona and asked, “Dad, when I get married, I want to get married on the beach. Would you walk me down the aisle?”

He didn’t hesitate and said, “Of course! But wait – can I wear my Converse?”

In September of the same year, Dad was diagnosed with Acute Myleoid Leukemia. I met my spouse about a month later on November 5th. Two days after Christmas, we lost my dad.

In October of 2019, I was married in the sand next to the love of my life, the Pacific Ocean and surrounded by those that love and support us. I held a pair of my dad’s Converse as I walked myself down the aisle.

This Father’s Day, I hope you can celebrate your dad and treasure all of the things you love about him. I plan to celebrate my dad in memory and spirit. May each of you have a wonderful Father’s Day as you celebrate yours!

Click here to view Melissa Rippy, Rippy Insurance on The Brighton Buzz Business Directory

Allstate Rippy Insurance

Why a Living Will?

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Offered by: Michael A. Dolan – Dolan & Associates, P.C.

A Living Will has nothing to do with living and is not a will. A Living Will provides specific guidance and direction to the medical community regarding what you want to happen in two very narrow circumstances. It does not give someone the right to make a decision for you. It’s you, making the decision today, regarding a possible event in the future.

A Living Will provides specific direction in the following situations: First, when you have a Terminal Condition and you are unable to effectively communicate decisions; Second, when you are in a Persistent Vegetative State. The law provides specific definitions for these conditions.

Your Living Will should provide direction for each of these specific circumstances. It should include direction to continue or discontinue Life-Sustaining Procedures. A Life-Sustaining Procedure is a medical procedure that would serve only to prolong the dying process, and does not include anything necessary to alleviate your pain.

If you choose to discontinue Life-Sustaining Procedures, your Living Will should also include directions to continue or discontinue receiving Artificial Nutrition. If you choose to discontinue Artificial Nutrition, your Living Will should also include directions to continue or discontinue receiving hydration.

If you have an existing Living Will that was signed before 2011, you should update it to reflect the new law and definitions. Remember, these are important decisions that should not be trusted to a preprinted form. If you make a mistake on the form, the medical community may be unable to interpret your decisions and your wishes may not be fulfilled.

If you provide clear direction in advance for these unfortunate circumstances, you can relieve your family of the guilt of making hard and sometimes heartbreaking decisions.

A Living Will is just one piece of a comprehensive estate plan. If you would like to learn more about available estate planning options, visit:
www.EstatePlansThatWork.com to sign up for a complimentary online educational workshop.

Click here to view Dolan & Associates on The Brighton Buzz Business Directory

Dolan Associates

Why Should You See a Financial Advisor?

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Offered by: Tim Roberts – Edward Jones

The social distancing and stay-at-home orders necessitated by the coronavirus have led many of us to feel isolated. Still, we’ve fought back through social media, “virtual” gatherings and walks in the neighborhood, where we could greet friends and neighbors (from 6 feet away). But when you’re dealing with the financial effects of the virus and you’re investing alone, you could encounter some problems that may prove costly.

Of course, with so much investment-related information available online, on television and in any number of periodicals, it’s not surprising that some people feel they can invest without any assistance. But the volatility of the financial markets over the past few months has also pointed to the dangers of going solo in the investment world. And you might find that a professional financial advisor can help you in several ways, including the following:

Taking emotions out of investing. During this period of market turbulence, many self-guided investors are letting their emotions drive their investment decisions. As a result, they sell investments when their price is down, “locking in” their losses. Furthermore, if they then stay out of the financial markets, they will miss out on the eventual recovery – and some of the biggest gains in market rallies usually occur right at the beginning. But if you work with a financial advisor who has helped you develop a personalized investment strategy based on your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon, you will be far less likely to react to extreme market conditions by making ill-advised decisions.

Maintaining perspective. When you’re putting away money for the future and you suddenly have a lot less of it, you might start to wonder if that future is somehow in jeopardy. But if you’ve been working with a financial advisor and following your investment strategy, you’ll know that you don’t have to immediately cash out those investments that have lost value, and you may not need to liquidate them for decades if they were designed for a long-term goal, such as retirement. By the time you do need to sell them, their value may well have appreciated significantly. And if you’ve got a well-constructed portfolio, you’ll also own shorter-term, less volatile investments to help meet your current cash flow needs.

Understanding the history of investing. The recent market instability is unique in the sense that its cause – a worldwide pandemic – is so highly unusual, and it hopefully will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Typically, prolonged market downturns are triggered by explainable financial or economic factors, such as the bursting of the “dot-com” bubble in 2000. However, market drops of 20 percent or more – generally referred to as bear markets – are not at all unusual and have happened every few years over the past several decades. Financial advisors are well aware of this history and share it with their clients. And for many people, the knowledge that “we’ve been here before” is reassuring and makes it easier for them to continue following their investment strategies.

The road to your financial goals is a long one, with many twists and turns. So you might like to have some experienced company along the way.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones. Member SIPC.


3 – 2 – 1 Wait… How can I Enroll in Medicare during COVID-19?

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Offered by: Jennifer Bell – Bell Benefits, LLC

About to turn 65 or retire? If so, you’re probably like a lot of folks I’ve been talking to lately and wondering how to apply for Medicare.

The first option is through the online enrollment tool. You can do this at www.ssa.gov. There is a link on the home page titled “Medicare Enrollment.” This will allow you to enroll in both Medicare Parts A & B at the same time or just Part A.

If you are about to retire and already have Medicare Part A, then you will have to fill out a paper application to add Part B.

Adding Part B: First, complete form CMS 40-B, Application for Enrollment in Medicare Part B. Second, complete form CMS L564, Request for Employment Information – this form is proof of employment coverage. CMS L564 helps you avoid a Part B late enrollment penalty. Both forms can be found easily in a Google search or on www.CMS.gov.

Be sure to turn these forms in together to avoid any problems. Once complete, you can send them to your local Social Security office by mail or by fax to 1-833-914-2016. Keep copies.

Note: When completing CMS L564: (1) State on the form “I want Part B coverage to begin (MM/YY)” (2) If possible, your employer should complete Section B.

If your employer is unable to complete Section B, please complete that portion on behalf of your employer without your employer’s signature and submit one of the approved forms of secondary evidence. Please call me for that list.

As always, I’m available to answer questions.

Homeschooling: An Unconventional Choice

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Coloradans have seen unprecedented times in recent months. COVID-19 has forced all students to do what only a small percentage of Americans practice already: school at home. Unexpected and sudden remote learning has been challenging for students, teachers, administrators, and parents, but the experience has been eye-opening for some. Some have been hit with the realization that classwork often does not take as long to complete as they assumed, time together at home has strengthened familial bonds, and students might be thriving in their new environment. Some have that persistent feeling that schooling at home might just be possible. If you fall into that group, it’s time to take control of your child’s education. You CAN do it!

In a nutshell, homeschooling is legal and varies from family to family, child to child, curriculum to curriculum, but its common element is control. You control your family’s time, values, ideologies, education, successes, and failures. In a time when our biggest fear is the loss of our sense of control due to COVID-19, take this opportunity to regain some authority over your life.

Although millions of students in America homeschool, the choice is unconventional. You have questions and concerns, but help is available. You already have a large number of homeschoolers in your community, novices and veterans alike. At CEC’s Everest Point Homeschool Academy
(www.EverestPoint.org), we can help answer your questions, give guidance, and provide tuition-free educational and social supplementation that you might be seeking in your homeschool program. Take the reins and give homeschooling a try to go from surviving to thriving!

Doing Our Part…

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Offered by: Joy Thollot – Thollot Diamonds & Find Jewelry

The Thollot Diamonds and Fine Jewelry team is committed to our community during these unprecedented times. For the many families facing financial uncertainty, our jewelry buying service provides immediate cash and some financial breathing room. The price of gold is reaching an all-time high, making this an especially good time to look through unwanted or broken jewelry. If you’ve been dreaming of something new that sparkles, now through June 30th, we are adding a 20% bonus amount to our offer for customers who trade their items in for something new. If you have in mind a unique creation, we offer custom jewelry design services with computer generated renderings and 3D models. You’ll also have the ability to “Pour Your Heart Into” your piece of jewelry by casting it yourself in our jewelry studio.

As we all pull together to get through this pandemic, Thollot Diamonds wants to do our part for the health of our community. To that end, we are offering curbside service, virtual appointments, and special accommodations for the elderly and those with additional health concerns. Our staff is screened daily for symptoms and wear masks, our showroom is routinely cleaned and sanitized, and jewelry is sanitized after each showing.

The Thollot Diamonds and Fine Jewelry family is committed to doing our part to fight the spread of Covid-19 while still providing our customers with high quality, beautiful jewelry. Now more than ever, it’s important to celebrate life’s special moments and remember the importance of relationships. At Thollot Diamonds and Fine Jewelry we have always loved being part of those celebrations and we are here during this pandemic to help them continue.

Click here to view Thollot Diamonds on The Brighton Buzz Business Directory

Thollot Jewelers

Cruise Cancellations

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Were you planning to cruise this spring/summer, only to have COVID-19 dash your vacation dreams away? You’re not alone. Millions of prospective passengers are in the same ship with you. The cruise industry has cancelled thousands of sailings from mid-March through the end of August, and in some cases ever further out.

If you wanted to cancel your booking amid the pandemic, many cruise lines offered incentives in the form of FCCs-Future Cruise Credits. You could get the value of your cruise plus a bonus as an FCC. Or, if you wanted a refund, you could follow the standard cancellation policy and receive some money back with the ‘penalty’ amount in the form of an FCC. Many people took advantage of these offers, only to find out at a later date that the Cruise Line cancelled the cruise anyway.

For those of you who cancelled your booking ahead of time only to find out the cruise line cancelled the cruise anyway, I urge you go back to the cruise line website and read the new policies. Many of them have modified their policies to include previously cancelled bookings. You could, in some cases, get a full refund or higher FCC. It’s worth the time to check it out!

Those of you that do have FCC’s, please don’t wait to rebook your cruise. 2021 cruises are selling faster than previous years, and prices are at their best to encourage people to come back to the water! You could use the FCC with a bonus you’ve earned for an inside or oceanview cabin and move into a balcony in many cases. Now is definitely the time to rebook.

Wherever, whenever you choose to travel, please be safe and follow all CDC guidelines. – Karen Mealy

Opening Up To A New World

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Susan Kline

The moment we’ve been waiting for is now here! Steps are being taken in most states to lift our Stay At Home connement and restart our lives during this all encompassing Covid-19 experience. The weather is getting warmer and the feeling of breaking out and enjoying life seems imminent. Hurrah for us! Admittedly, it will be wonderful to expand our horizons, but, there still needs to be caution in how we do it. We can welcome our summer with a focus on staying healthy and embracing safe activity!

This past weekend, many of our seniors were celebrating their graduation.
Such a wonderful time in their lives! I could see a parallel as to how perilous it can be to enter another phase of their lives as it is for many of us to sort out how things will progress coming out of this pandemic. As a graduating senior, so many possibilities lie ahead and it’s often difficult to think through them and know what direction to take. Those of us further along in our life experiences have taken numerous paths and often ll our days with accomplishing as much as we can. Our schedules frame non-stop motion from one meeting to the next nding there never seems to be enough time. Those activities determine our feeling of success.

The “slowing down of the universe” of the last few months has caused us
to review how we do just about everything. Some of the normal processes for work environments, education, sporting events, social gatherings, etc., are being evaluated largely for safety reasons, but, we’ve found many of our life’s activities could be simplified in a way that might prove better in the long run. Through the ages, such times have altered how generations approach their progress and this surely seems like that kind of opportunity to learn. It’s interesting to me that we’re all in this growing process together! Congratulations to our seniors and best wishes to us all in how we approach our new world!

Enjoy A Safe & Healthy June!

Real Estate Bust or Boom? What’s Next?

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Offered by: Scott & Lora Nordby – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Real estate has had quite the year, so far. 2020 started out strong, with one of the best spring markets Colorado had ever seen. Early in March, it was business as usual. There were some discussions about the virus, but it was mostly people wondering what was ahead. Very quickly, things began to change. It went from normal behaviors, with some added precautions, to online showings only. Even so, real estate adapted, and people were still getting to closing. With the goal to get the economy up and running again, the governor has relaxed some restrictions and is allowing in-person showings to resume (with some of the extra precautions we’ve gotten more used to in recent weeks).

It should be noted that the state’s response to COVID-19 is still very fluid, as it should be. The safety and health of our communities is very important. That said, we’re beginning to hear some questions from clients about what to expect in the coming weeks and months..

Goals Matter Most
Your decision whether to list your home or buy a new home depend entirely on your goals. The economic impact is being felt by everyone, in every household. Students who depend on entry level jobs to pay rent may be moving home. You may have a mortgage that you can’t afford without a better income stream. Talk with your REALTOR® about your challenges so you can make a plan that works for your family.

Be Cautious
In times of difficulty, fraud tends to increase. Desperation can blind us to potential risks. When you make the decision to buy or sell a home, do your homework. Ask people you trust for referrals. Interview them carefully. If something sounds too good to be true, ask for more information or just walk away. A REALTOR® can offer you some peace of mind, so whatever decision you make, you know you are making it with the most current information.

Don’t Cut Corners
We’ve all heard the old adage “You get what you pay for.” Even a smooth real estate transaction can be stressful. With other difficulties factored in, there’s never been a better time to work with a REALTOR® who is knowledgeable and experienced. There are so many moving parts to a real estate transaction, in addition to the changing economic landscape. Work with someone who keeps your best interests at the forefront of every decision.

If you find yourself overwhelmed and need help making a decision, there’s never been a better time to talk with a REALTOR®. If you don’t have one, or just have questions, please call 303-905-8850. We’ll make sure you talk with someone who is knowledgeable about real estate and your local market.

Where is Your Joy? Really?

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Offered by: Willy Strohmeier – Colorado Karate Club

I don’t know how many times I have put on a Karate uniform in my life, and over the past forty some years I’ve gone through so many Karate uniforms and belts that I’m sure I could fill rooms with them.

Now, I’m not a touchy-feely kind of person, so I was surprised when, while getting ready for Karate class the other day, this odd feeling came over me. I was tying my belt in front of the mirror, and my Karate uniform caught my eye (weird since wearing it is second nature). But at that moment, I felt a special joy to be putting it on… To be able to wear it and go teach. It was as if a voice in my head said to me “Wow you get to teach Karate, how awesome is that?!”

You may be thinking, “Wait, isn’t the Karate school closed due to the pandemic?” Well, yes, and no. The doors to the building may be closed for now, but our school remains open and very active, with live virtual classes and other assignments. Our students keep training, and we hold them accountable for their progress.

Sure, virtual classes are not our preferred choice, and we can’t wait for a return to normal. But good heavens, I am just so happy that we still get to work with our students, train together, share our knowledge, and continue to witness the strengthening of their character week over week.

What struck a chord for me was that in that short moment, I subconsciously realized what a privilege I still enjoyed in teaching, even on-line. I set aside what was not there (our school building full of students) and went on, happy and grateful for the opportunity to still be with our students and teach.

I think that way too often, we spend time and energy bemoaning what we don’t have, that we may miss the wonderful things we do have. They are there, all you have to do is open your eyes and see, truly see them. For me, on that reflection of my uniform, I realized that my joy was not anchored on a school building, but on the success of my Karate students.

So I invite you to ask yourself…Today, truly, where is your joy?

Click here to view Colorado Karate Club on The Brighton Buzz Business Directory

Colorado Karate Club