I was recently watching a professional football game where they had a family down on the field honoring them for the service of their son who was serving our country in Afghanistan. As the announcer was describing this impressive young man, he appeared on the field and surprised his family who thought he was still overseas fighting for our country! The joy that they had was contagious and I found myself tearing up at this wonderful reunion.

This also made me think of all of the veterans we serve at Legacy Safeguard that believe since they are veterans that their funeral expenses are completely paid for because they served our country. In fact, many veterans believe that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will pay for their funeral expenses.

While the VA does provide burial allowances, they are in fact partial reimbursements of an eligible veteran’s burial and funeral costs. When the cause of death is not service related, the reimbursements are generally described as two payments: (1) a burial and funeral expense allowance, and (2) a plot or interment allowance.

According the VA website, http://www.va.gov, if you are a veteran you may be eligible for VA burial allowance if:

• you paid for a veteran’s burial or funeral, AND

• you have not been reimbursed by another government agency or some other source, such as the deceased veteran’s employer, AND

• the veteran was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

In addition, at least one of the following conditions must be met:

• the veteran died because of a service-related disability, OR

• the veteran was receiving VA pension or compensation at the time of death,  OR

• the veteran was entitled to receive VA pension or compensation, but decided not to reduce his/her military retirement or disability pay, OR

• the veteran died while hospitalized by VA, or while receiving care under VA contract at a non-VA facility,  OR

• the veteran died while traveling under proper authorization and at VA expense to or from a specified place for the purpose of examination, treatment, or care, OR

• the veteran had an original or reopened claim pending at the time of death and has been found entitled to compensation or pension from a date prior to the date or death,  OR

• the veteran died on or after October 9, 1996, while a patient at a VA-approved state nursing home.

Now for the big question…How Much Does VA REALLY Pay?

Service-Related Death. VA will pay up to $2,000 toward burial expenses for deaths on or after September 11, 2001. If the veteran is buried in a VA national cemetery, some or all of the cost of transporting the deceased may be reimbursed.

Nonservice-Related Death. VA will pay up to $300 toward burial and funeral expenses and a $300 plot-interment allowance for deaths on or after December 1, 2001. If the death happened while the veteran was in a VA hospital or under VA contracted nursing home care, some or all of the costs for transporting the veteran’s remains may be reimbursed.

While these are good benefits, they won’t usually cover the cost of a funeral. Many veterans are disappointed when they learn that the government doesn’t pay more for their funeral expenses. This false sense of security can lead to a lot of stress for families when a veteran passes away. This is why proper final expense planning is so important for all of our clients. Therefore, be sure to educate your veteran clients about the reality of the benefits that they are entitled to, so this doesn’t happen to them.

Funding a Funeral Trust and enrolling your veteran clients in Legacy Safeguard is another service you can provide not only for the veteran, but for their family. This will not only ensure their family is not left with the burden of having to pass the hat to pay for their funeral, but gives them a powerful venue through the Legacy Safeguard to detail the memories they want to pass down to their loved ones. Legacy Safeguard can also assist the family as they plan to honor their veteran when the need arises. We will be proud to stand by you and assist you as you support those who have done so much to preserve the freedom of our great nation.

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

The recent death of Steve Jobs really made me stop and think about how I will be remembered long after I’m gone. I think this is a fundamental question that we all have. We all want to be remembered well and not just be another faceless name on a family tree or a name on a headstone in some remote cemetery.

When Steve Jobs passed away, I was amazed to see the immediate shift in the news cycle on every major channel. One minute I was watching Piers Morgan on CNN, and the next minute the news that he had died changed everyone’s news coverage to Steve Jobs and his legacy. It was pretty incredible for a business leader to receive this much attention. I can understand this type of attention for a US President, a famous actor or a member of the Royal family, but this type of coverage shows the impact he has had on our society.

I was also encouraged by the impromptu memorials that popped up at Apple stores all over the world. It reminded me of what we saw when Princes Diana and Ronald Reagan died. It was a very impressive show of love and support for this great man.

Now, whether you’re a fan of Apple or not, you have to agree that Steve Jobs was a visionary man that changed the way we all live, work and communicate with others. Very few people can impact one industry in their lifetime and yet he was a pioneer in many. He revolutionized the personal computing industry with Apple and the Macintosh computer. He changed the animation world forever through Pixar. He turned the music industry upside down with iTunes. He shook up the portable music market with the iPod. He woke up the mobile phone industry with the iPhone. And, he made the mobile computing industry available and fun for millions of people with the iPad and the iPhone.

I really liken him to someone like Michelangelo, Galileo, Christopher Columbus, and others that not only impacted our lives but changed them forever with their art and discovery. I really don’t think we realize now how future generations will remember this man and all that he’s done for our society.

Now the tough question is, “How will you be remembered?” I don’t ask this to discourage you. The reality is that most of us won’t have this type of impact on our entire society, but we can on our families. I encourage you to take chances in life, be bold and most of all love your family with all that you have. You may not invent the iPhone, but to your family you are just as important. So start working now on your legacy to ensure that you are remembered well by all those that matter to you!

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Every day we work hard to help people leave a lasting legacy at Legacy Safeguard. We’ve created some of the most comprehensive legacy planning and end-of-life planning services in the legacy planning industry and we’re proud to help people be remembered long after they’re gone.

I also travel frequently across the country speaking to groups about the importance of legacy planning and I’ve found that people always want to talk about their family when thinking about their legacy. People want to talk about their kids and grandkids, and the hope they have for the next generation of their family. Over the years, I’ve realized that legacy planning is all about your family and the generations to come. This may sound obvious to most of you, but it has really hit home for me recently.

My wife and I started trying to have a family and we have struggled with infertility issues for over two years now. At first it wasn’t that big of a deal. We kept thinking it would work the next month. However, one month turned into a year and half. The disappointment each month was really unexplainable. Then Robyn finally got pregnant and we were overjoyed! I immediately started thinking about my hopes for our children and who they would become. I even went to see my estate planning attorney, John R. Vermillion, to make sure that we had everything prepared, so that if something happened to me that my family would be protected.

That joy and excitement that we felt quickly faded when Robyn miscarried and we lost the child we had hoped and prayed for. After recovering from the grief and loss of losing the pregnancy we started trying again with the help of fertility specialists. Again, Robyn got pregnant, and again we lost the pregnancy. We were devastated. It has been the hardest thing we’ve ever had to walk through. The hope of having children, and the hope of leaving a legacy through our family has been more challenging than we ever expected, but we remain hopeful that one day we will be blessed with children of our own.

Remember as you help people plan for their legacy through proper estate planning, that it all comes back to the basic needs of family and providing for the future. Make it personal, and encourage your clients to share with you about their hope for the future of their family. Estate and legacy planning really comes down to everyone’s hope for leaving a legacy!

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

My wife, Robyn, and I just returned home from a wonderful vacation in Paris and London where we had an incredible time. We made sure we saw all the typical tourist stops on our trip. We went on several tours, ate all the local foods (especially crepes in Paris, and fish and chips in London), and we took pictures of everything… and I mean everything! Our cameras, backpacks, and tennis shoes easily gave away that we were tourists!

As we were touring around, I was amazed by how many massive monuments and intricately carved statues have withstood changes in leadership, world wars, and ultimately, time. Most of the structures we saw were built to remember an important person, or a great leader of England and France and their accomplishments. Another thing we were surprised by were the amount of grave sites inside the various churches we visited. There are burials of kings and queens dating back hundreds of years. There are also burial sites of politicians, civic leaders, artists and poets all within the walls of the churches. To us, this signified the place they held, and still hold within our society.

Since I grew up around the funeral industry, I was very intrigued by the amount of burials that took place within the churches. From Westminster Abby and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London to Notre Dame and Les Invalides in Paris, these magnificent structures were not just a place to worship, but also a place to remember the greatest among them who had passed on. They were a place to leave a lasting legacy for some of the most important historical figures in the world.

Seeing all of this really made me realize how important funeral planning and legacy planning really is to our society. For thousands of years people all across the world have built monuments to honor those who have passed. From the pyramids in Egypt to the catacombs in Rome, and from the cathedrals in Europe to the hallowed grounds of Arlington Cemetery, burial sites are an important way for us to remember those who’ve come before us.

Walking around and seeing the burial places of former kings and emperors of Europe really made me want to know more about their lives, and their legacy. It compelled me to read about who they were, and what they stood for. It inspired me to do more in my life, and in some cases, it made me want to make sure that I didn’t make the same mistakes they did.

It also made me realize how important sharing our personal history, values, traditions, and wisdom really is. We may not be kings and queens, but we have the opportunity to influence the future generations of our family. They will want to know “our story,” so we need to work now to share it with them and to help them remember us long after we’re gone.

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
6050 Santo Rd Ste 240
San Diego, CA 92124
858-453-2128
www.aaepa.com

When my grandmother passed away recently I was humbled to be asked to speak at the funeral. It was a rare honor to be able to eulogize someone who meant so much to me. As I prepared for the funeral, I was reminded how much my grandmother meant to me and how much she helped shape my life. I was also reminded how short life really is and how quickly we can be forgotten.

Reading my grandmothers obituary was the first time I knew my great grandmother’s real name, Ethel Moore Frisbie. My Great Grandma Frisbie is a legendary figure in my family. My mom and her three sisters talk about her often and they tell stories of all the things she did to help them become who they are today. She was a boisterous person that was full of life and always challenged them to do their best. She showered them with love and blessed them in many ways, but to me she was just a faceless name on our family tree and I didn’t even know her real name!

Thinking about how important my own grandmother was to me and how she made me feel like I was loved more than any other person in the world, really made me realize how brief our time on earth really is. My kids will never know my grandmother. They will never know how much she indirectly will impact their lives through all that she has taught me and the love she showed me and my family. One day, she will be just another faceless name on a family tree… and so will I.

With this in mind, I have new motivation to live well and celebrate often with the people that mean the most to me. I am also excited about recording the important events in my life, the life lessons that I’ve learned, the advice I want to leave to the future generations and the values that I hope they keep. At Legacy Safeguard, we have created numerous tools to help accomplish this with our one-of-a-kind Legacy Safeguard Planning Guide Software, the Legacy Planning Archive, our Legacy Safeguard Portfolio and many more benefits to help leave a lasting legacy and be remembered long after we’re gone.

I encourage you today to start recording your legacy so that when your day comes, you won’t be just another faceless name on your family tree.

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
6050 Santo Rd Ste 240
San Diego, CA 92124
858-453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Some days are better than others. This day started like every other day, arrive at the office, grab a quick up of coffee and hit the ground running. As the morning was getting up to full steam, one of our Legacy Safeguard Advisors came to my office and asked if she could share with me a call she had just taken for one of our members. The following is our advisor’s account of a call she took that day.

The phone rang first thing this morning. As our Legacy Safeguard Advisor answered the phone and started to gather some information to help the caller. As she began asking basic information, she very quickly knew the person on the other end of the line had a story he wanted to tell. He introduced himself and said that his father passed away. When the family arrived at the house today to start making plans they found a portfolio with the words Legacy Safeguard on the front. Inside they found a life insurance policy, the Legacy Safeguard gold card with our number, all the detailed information they needed, and what they called “the gift.” Not wanting to be rude, the Legacy Safeguard Advisor didn’t ask about the gift, but somehow she knew he was going to tell her.

He began by saying his father was a private man, especially since his wife passed away. He still came to family events but always seemed to feel uncomfortable and like part of him was missing. As he got older and still living alone, they never talked about what would happen if he got sick or passed away. There just never seemed to be the right time to talk about those sorts of things, especially since it brought back such painful memories of losing his wife and their mother.

There are three siblings and for the most part they are scattered around the United States. He lived the closest and was the oldest child, so he was the one that received the call that their father had been taken to the hospital and had suffered a heart attack. He contacted his brother and sister and all began planning their trip home. As they began to arrive one by one they made their way to the hospital. He didn’t last through the night.

The next day they gathered at the house to begin to try and sort things out. They really had nowhere to start. They said over and over to each other, why didn’t we talk about this? And remembered when their mother had died, their father was the one that made all of the arrangements. They wondered if that was his way of protecting them. But, nevertheless, there were plans that had to be made.

His sister began by digging through filing cabinets, searching his bedside table drawer, and looking on the bookshelf where they kept the family Bible and family photo albums. That is where they found the Legacy Safeguard portfolio. It was almost like their dad put it there knowing that it would be one of the first places they would look. Not really even knowing what this was, his sister sat down and opened it up. The two other brothers were in various locations in the house all doing the same thing, looking for anything that might assist them with this daunting task. All they heard was, “Oh my gosh! I think I found something.” They all gathered around as their sister started to read what she found. First, they found a letter. Their Dad had written a letter with all their names listed at the top. It started with how much he loved them and then apologized for the last few years. He went on to say that he knew they had been worried about him but he was just so sad. He had tried to make the best of it, but never really got the hang of being without their mother. He talked about their lives together, how much he remembered each of them as children, and what joy they had given them as parents. He talked about their lives after they were grown and left home and how much fun he and his wife had rediscovering things they enjoyed like traveling. He detailed how he had filled out the portfolio they were looking at with all the information we would need to locate everything and then plan for his memorial services, and how he had a life insurance policy that would take care of all the final expenses. He really didn’t want much, just to be laid to rest next to their mother. He closed the letter with what he called “the gift.” For each of them, he made a special box. The caller said this was so much like their Dad because he used to smoke those fancy cigars that came in those wooden boxes. He always saved them for some reason. Now they knew why he saved at least three of the boxes. He said we would find them under his bed.

Just as if they were kids again, they ran to the bedroom to find the boxes. As they pulled them out each box had our names on the top. Inside their dad had gathered up things that reminded him of each of them or things that were his that we wanted each of them to have. For the son that called in, it was his father’s pocket watch, a ticket stub from their first pro football game they went to together, a picture of the two them when he caught his first fish, his dad’s pocket knife, a Father’s Day card he had sent to him when he was in college when he needed money, and a note thanking him for being his first born son.

They sat that evening and poured through all the memories and made plans to call the number on the Legacy Safeguard gold card the next morning. When the Advisor answered the phone along with this heartfelt story, what the son wanted to convey was thank you. Thank you for giving us this gift of our father and his Legacy. Without this we would have been lost.

Every day Legacy Safeguard works with families at the most difficult time of their lives. Some are more prepared than others. The person on the other end of the line, no matter what level of preparedness, needs a comforting voice and the ability to take the burden of planning out of their hands, at least for a little while. The gift we want to pass along to our members is the gift of leaving a lasting legacy. This was a good day, and we hope this story helps you leave “the gift” for your family!

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
6050 Santo Rd Ste 240
San Diego, CA 92124
858-453-2128
www.aaepa.com

My grandmother recently passed away, and as I reflect on her life, I’m amazed by how much care my mom and her sisters provided to her in the final years of her life. Every day one of them would go and sit with her, feed her and care for her even though she didn’t remember them most of the time. My mom and her sisters were literally exhausted from the care that they provided, and it made me realize how real of an issue that this has become for many families.

A USA Today/ABC Gallup Poll of Baby Boomers finds that 41% of those who have a living parent are providing care for them either financially or personally, and 8% said their parents have moved in with them. Of those who are not caring for an aging parent, 37% say expect to do so in the future. About half say they are concerned about being able to provide such care. This is the first time in history that American couples have more parents than children. Today, the average woman can expect to spend 18 years caring for an older family member, compared to 17 years caring for her children.

As our parent’s age, and rolls become reversed, it is important families are prepared and as they move into this phase of their both of their lives. A parent’s our primary duty is to strengthen the body and mind of their children. Parents, however, do not accomplish this task alone. They depend on Grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and the community to help them care for their children. This level of support creates a supportive and nurturing environment. This same philosophy is needed as we begin to plan to care for and our parents as they age.

So as we prepare to switch rolls from child to caretaker, as a family and community, it is necessary to create a compassionate nurturing environment while preserving as much independence as possible for as long as possible

Here are 10 things to consider as you prepare.

1. Gather the support and assistance of others. Caring for your parent is not a one person job. Include friends and neighbors, each with a specific job to assist the aging parent. It is important to identify a point person to coordinate everyone’s task. Having a team strategy can reduce the burden of the caregiver significantly. Sharing these responsibilities can even bring the family closer as they care for the aging parent.
2. Listen. Take the time to sit down and listen to what they have to say. This is difficult time for everyone, especially them. Discuss freely their needs and at the same time stating your positive beliefs and commitment to maintaining as much independence and activity as is feasible, but ensuring them your commitment is to their well being.
3. Do your homework. Read about the aging process so you are informed. Understand what is happening to their body and mind. Meet with physicians and medical providers and understand their concerns.
4. Stage a family meeting. Bring the family together with a specific agenda. Define a program to maintain the parent’s independence, activity, and medical needs. From this session, begin to assign tasks. Talk openly about expectation and commitments and begin to assign tasks.
5. Check out Community Services and Support Systems in your area. There are professional and volunteer services in every region of the county. These services can be your biggest ally. They are well versed in the needs of this population.
6. Watch for changes. Schedule a time for all caregivers to meet regularly or ask each to journal any changes in behavior or physical condition. It is important to address issues quickly.
7. Cover your bases, legally. With changes in the laws and HIPAA regulations, legal authorization must be signed by the parent for each family member who is authorized to discuss their care. Medical professionals are able to provide those forms at no cost. It is best to contact an attorney to ensure all legal matters such as Durable Power of Attorney and other legal documents have been prepared.
8. Know where all important papers are located. This should be addressed in the family meeting. Ensure insurance policies, bank accounts, stock certificates, ect are easily assessable by a designated family member.
9. Know your loved ones final wishes. Careful planning and funding can avoid almost frantic decisions at the time of need. Meet with a professional that can assist you making these arrangements in advance.
10. Know your own limits. This can be a very difficult time for the caregiver. Watching your parent’s age is not only sad but lonely. Find someone to talk with about your feeling and make time for yourself as much as possible.

This is a long, hard journey for anyone as it was for my mom and her sisters. But this is also a time that you will never get back. Savor the memories and savor those special days together. You will not get another chance. At Premier Planning and Legacy Safeguard we are there to help you in planning for final expenses and leaving a last legacy. There is no greater gift than leaving something to pass along to your children and your children’s children. Taking the time to make those decisions and making wishes know can reduce precious time and take the burden off those left behind.

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
6050 Santo Rd., Ste. 240
San Diego, CA 92124
858-453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Martin Luther King made this statement about Hope: “We must accept finite disappointment, but we never lose infinite hope.” There is something about the New Year that echoes the thought of hope and new possibilities. As each year draws to a close we look forward to a fresh start. The things that seemed out of our grasp in December now have a new look and definition as the New Year begins.

In Greek mythology, hope was thought to be a young woman, Elpis, often shown carrying flowers. When Pandora opened her box, she let all the evils out in into the world. The only one left in the box was hope. The Ancient Greeks believed hope to be a dangerous thing, equal to the other evils of the world. However, without hope there is only despair, and Pandora finally released hope from the box as well.

It’s quite easy to become skeptical about the hope that a New Year might bring. The news brings tragedy and sorrow each day into our lives. Not a day goes by that we don’t hear of something that makes us stop and take pause. But somehow hope always seems to arise, and we respond with something like, “I hope everything works out, or, hopefully, things will get better.” Hope seems to be a part of our daily conversations and thoughts.

As we hope and plan for a New Year, we begin 2011 with the question, how will this year unfold? What will define this year as something special? As we all know, all the hope in the world without action is just meaningless. So as we plan for the New Year, we need to make sure that we add action to our hope.

We might want to lose weight, but if we don’t add the action of eating less and working out more then we will be having the same wish next year. We might want to market more to our community, but if we don’t take action by creating a marketing plan and executing it, then we will continue to be frustrated by our lack of productivity. Or, we might want to create a deeper relationship with our family, but if we don’t turn off the TV and spend some time together then we’ll continue to disappoint ourselves and those around us.

Make 2011 different by resolving to add action to your hope and really make an impact on the goals you set!

At Premier Planning and Legacy Safeguard, we resolve to build deeper relationships with the advisors we work with and work consistently to make a difference in the lives of others. We further resolve to work hard daily for those who entrust their clients to us to help them leave a lasting legacy for their families. Our desire for 2011 is that this year brings hope for a renewed spirit of community, partnership, and commitment to making a difference for those who have chosen to partner with us.

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
6050 Santo Rd., Ste. 240
San Diego, CA 92124
858-453-2128
www.aaepa.com

The holiday season brings people together; whether you are spending time with family to enjoy a holiday meal, out shopping with friends, or working on a community project. Whatever the reason, people use this time of the year to reconnect.

There are so many things each of us take for granted. One of the first things we do each morning is select what we are going to wear that day. For many people it is not so much what am I going to wear, but do I have something to wear? Do I have something to wear that will protect me from the elements, shelter me from the rain or cold, or block the blowing wind?

Our company gives back by participating in a local coat drive to aid a homeless shelter in Dallas, Texas. Every year we collect coats, blankets, socks, hats, and other winter attire that will keep someone warm. Items are collected, sized and sorted for months, all in preparation for this one evening. Each time we go to the shelter, there are so many memorable stories, but I wanted to share this one:

One evening, a very tiny, little lady approached a table that was designated for extra large men.  The volunteer assigned to the table attempted to redirect her, but the lady was insistent. She looked very determined. She knew what she needed and she was not giving up. The volunteer tried to help, and after much coaxing, the lady finally told her what she had in mind: She was looking for a coat for a friend who could not come with her that night because he was outside with all of her belongings. She wasn’t interested in anything for herself, just for him. She said he does so much for me; I just want to do something for him, “he’s proud, you know.” The volunteer held up several coats until they found just the right one. When they settled on one, she let out a big “hallelujah” as to say her job was done. She hugged the volunteer and quickly left the building.

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful and showing appreciation. This tiny, little lady was so thankful for the kindness her friend showed her each day; she put her very real needs aside for him. She did it cheerfully, generously, and willingly without any thought.

Isn’t this something we could focus on especially at this time of the year? Expressing gratitude is a rewarding habit that affirms the grace of the giver. Gratitude opens our hearts and encourages us to take a moment to reflect on each gift that crosses our lives.

We are so grateful for this time to reflect on our many blessings of hope and thankfulness.  We are thankful for our association with the outstanding group of men and woman of the Academy and look forward to our continued partnership.

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
6050 Santo Rd., Ste. 240
San Diego, CA 92124
858-453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Every year around Thanksgiving I think about the wishbone tradition. My dad always made a big deal about it, and my sister and I would always try to be the one who got the long end of the wishbone. That was always a special time for us and even though we had no idea what the tradition was all about, it was fun to have our mom and dad laugh as we tried to strategically break the wishbone in two.

We always thought that this was just our family tradition, but did you know that the tradition of breaking a wishbone dates back for over 2,400 years? During that era, the Etruscan people believed that fowl could predict the future. Each day the hen’s squawking would announce that she was laying an egg and the dawning of a new day was then broadcast by the early morning crowing of the rooster. The Etruscan people also believed that the way chicken’s selected the grain they ate was prophetic. They drew a circle in the dirt and divided it into twenty wedges; each represented a letter in the Etruscan alphabet. A piece of grain would be placed in each wedge. As the hen ate, a scribe would list the order of the letters the hen pecked and the letter order would be used by the high priest to answer questions. If a chicken was killed, the collarbone was thought to be sacred, thus it was not touched and was left to dry in the sun. The people gathered around to hold the unbroken bone and made a wish in hopes of it bringing them good luck. The “wishbone tradition” was derived from this early practice.

The Roman’s embraced many of the Etruscan customs. The people of Rome began fighting over the unbroken bones of chickens because they wanted good fortune. It was said that the phases, “I need a lucky break,” or “I never get a break,” came from the looser in the tug of collarbone contest. This quickly spread throughout England, and the English people referred to the breaking of the bones as “merry-thoughts.”

When the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, they brought the custom of breaking the wishbone with them. As they looked around at their new surroundings in the woods of North America, there were no chickens, but turkeys were abundant. They changed the custom from the chicken to the turkey.

This custom is certainly alive and well with families like mine all across the country. Families gather around the Thanksgiving table each year and watch as dad very skillfully removes the U- shaped wishbone. Unlike our forefather’s the tradition is far too exciting to let the wishbone dry out. One family member is usually charged with detailing the rules of the wishbone break to the chosen contestants. The anticipation builds and the breaking of the wishbone contest begins. The declaration of the lucky one is decided by who ends up with the largest part of the bone. The winner is awarded with the anticipation of good luck for the future.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if our future could be shaped by the lucky break of the wish bone? We all know that is not true, but what shapes our future is surrounding ourselves with people that will help guide and assist us in making those hard decisions. Much like the father that carefully carves out the wishbone each year, you as estate planning attorneys, help families carve out and secure your clients financial future and protect their legacy. Legacy Safeguard is proud to be a part of team assisting families in their time of need and insuring their memories and traditions are passed on to future generations. Getting the “lucky break” is finding the right support system that can help secure your family legacy, and we are thankful that we can have some small part in that at Legacy Safeguard.

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
6050 Santo Rd., Ste. 240
San Diego, CA 92124
858-453-2128
www.aaepa.com