navigating life after the kids have grown
“If you leave a child’s share of an inheritance outright (i.e., no trust) and the child is divorced or sued after you pass, that entire inheritance might be lost. Many inheritances have been wiped out by IRS liens, malpractice claims and other risks that all could have been avoided with a simple trust… Using those magical words in a precise manner that the law requires can let the child inherit money in a trust and be the sole trustee but have those assets outside his or her estate and out of the reach of his or her creditors. That is a smart move. Use trusts.” Hedge Life Law
Here is a link to a great article on estate planning from Martin Shenkman, a contributor to Forbes Magazine
from good vibes
An elderly man was once asked what it was like to be old and to know the majority of his life was behind him.
He said that he has been the same age his entire life. He said the voice inside of his head had never aged. He has always just been the same boy.
His mother’s son. He had always wondered when he would grow up and be an old man. He said he watched his body age and his faculties dull but the person he is inside never got tired. Never aged. Never changed.
Our spirits are eternal. Our souls are forever. The next time you encounter an elderly person, look at them and know they are still a child, just as you are still a child and children will always need love, attention and purpose.” ❤️
By Karen and Erica from Lustre
We first became aware of Jamie Lee Curtis when we laughed atA Fish Called Wanda, accurately described by Rotten Tomatoes as a brainy comedy with widespread appeal. She was smart, tall, beautiful, funny, quick, and had fabulous short hair. We loved her. But she never won an Oscar. Finally, in 2023, after about 45 years of acting, she won the Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once, apparently the eighth oldest actress to win the award.
Why do we care about Jamie Lee Curtis? Because we have continued to love her over the years, as she has remained smart, tall, beautiful, funny, quick and has kept wearing fabulous short hair. (Except in her Oscar role.)
We also care because for most of our lives we have not seen older women (by which we mean older than about thirty) playing anyone remotely attractive in films. Let alone powerful. Such roles as there were often portrayed older women as mentally incapacitated or murderous, or a dying patient or a meddling, horrible mother-in-law.
That era seems finally to be on the wane—we were thrilled to see The Woman King. Perhaps studios have begun to realize that older people, including older women, like to see themselves in authentic roles, and have plenty of money to spend on movies.
As we age, nearly all women notice that they become somewhat invisible in the world, but in the golden era of the women’s film, older women really were expected to fade quietly into the wallpaper. Aging actresses would be relegated to playing anonymous matrons and dowager aunties. But the women in 80 for Brady and Book Club want to be seen on their own terms, whatever those might be.
this for a taste! Tom Brady, playing himself, shares our ideas about retirement—try not to do it but if you have to then start something new. And because of the star actors—and Mr. Brady—-this is not a sacharine story about the doyenne of a large family with nothing to do but cook for them. As Time magazine put it:
Do we really want to see them [i.e. women over 40] stuck playing wise matriarchs of big, sprawling families? Ho-hum to that.
Time also has the best line, about dressing up:
Fonda’s Trish, a beauty queen who’s still got it, comes decked out in a great wig (she travels with a suitcase full of them) and some sort of evening garb. But Tomlin strides in, leggy and elegant, in a drapey black sequined tuxedo that, rather than coming off as an effort to turn back the clock, merely stops time. It’s a statement look that whispers rather than shouts, a kind of shorthand for all the ways it’s possible to assert your space in the world, through word and deed as well as the way you present and carry yourself.
That’s how we see Jamie Lee Curtis, too. Leggy and elegant, not trying to turn back the clock but instead stopping time.
Ms. Curtis, we are your best fans, and so happy about your Oscar! Even those of us older than you see you as a role model. That’s why we are issuing an open invitation: please come and speak with a group of fabulous women, here on Lustre’s platform. If you say yes, we think Tom Brady will come too. Imagine the conversation! No stepping back for this crowd!
I have moved my fair share of families with kids over the years. But if you think it gets easier to move as as we grow older, sometimes it doesn’t. Moving from where you raised your family can be difficult for Seniors too. So if it’s time for you or an older family member to start a new chapter in life, an SRES can help with the transition with knowledge, empathy and a slow but steady hand. Call me at 616.292.3712.
Treadstone Funding, one of my recommended mortgage lenders, publishes a magazine which has several great articles geared toward our local real estate market and interest rates. I encourage everyone to take a moment to read it, especially if moving is one of your goals for 2023. Bottom line, don’t wait.
There are condominiums available in the Grand Rapids Metro area ranging from $100,000 to over $1,000,000. Depending on your needs and your budget this could be a great option if you want to leave exterior maintenance behind you and live in a community with like minded neighbors. Some offer amenities such as swimming pools, community centers, walking paths and exercise facilities with their association fees.
There are all types of architectural styles. Top left is a 2 bedroom 1 bath condo in a manageable 1,050 sq. ft. setting. Priced in the $150’s it’s a good alternative to apartment living in that you still own your own home.
Top right is a totally different choice of lifestyles. It’s for social people who would love to live where things are happening downtown. Walk to restaurants, Broadway Grand Rapids, events in DeVos Center, concerts in VanAndle Arena and museums. This particular condo has 1 bedroom and 1 bath and under 1,000 sq. ft. and priced in the $250’s.
The one in the middle on the right is new construction, townhome style in the suburbs with 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and over 1,500 sq ft. It has an attached 2 stall garage. It may not be your choice if aging in place is your top concern, since bedrooms are upstairs, but a great choice for newly empty nesters that travel and don’t want to worry about a home while they are away. Prices starting in the mid $320’s
Finally, the lower home is a stand alone condo, which is much like single family living without exterior maintenance. This is a popular option for many of my senior clients. They like the idea of their own home, with neighbors in the vicinity to form friendships with, and still have beautiful landscaping that they don’t have to be concerned about. This particular home is $414,900 with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths in an open floor plan with a 4 season room for gatherings. The lower level is unfinished so if you frequestly entertain family that stay overnight, you can finish that so that they have their privacy, but all of your living is on the main floor.
