What’s Next? Navigating Life and Legacy in Alaska

When a person is no longer able to make healthcare decisions for themselves, they appoint someone as the power of attorney to make decisions on their behalf. As the power of attorney for both her mother and her aunt, it is important for Liz to be updated on their healthcare preferences. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with her mother and her aunt to discuss their personal healthcare wishes.    These conversations can be messy and difficult, and it can be challenging to put aside your own beliefs and desires for your loved one’s healthcare. When Liz’s mom explained that she did not under any circumstances want any form of life support, Liz’s own beliefs toward short term interventions colored what she heard rather than allowing her to really accept what her mom had said at face value. As power of attorney, you have to put aside your own personal preferences to prioritize your loved one’s choices.    If you are appointed as power of attorney for a loved one, it is important that you have these tough conversations and stay current on their healthcare preferences. Whether you are asking about their opinions on receiving life support, taking certain medications, entering a long term care facility, or having a surgery, it is important to talk things out and be clear on their desires.    Quotes “Discuss your health care preferences with your healthcare representative periodically to ensure that he or she knows what your current preferences are.” (2:16-2:23 | Liz) “What I often do for clients is a living will or Advanced Directive, which says if you have a terminal and incurable condition, then you don't want continued life support.” (5:12-5:23 | Liz) “Your health care representative had broad powers to make health care decisions for you if you're unable to make them. Because of this, it's important for your health care representative to know your wishes regarding your health care preferences.” (16:24-16:37 | Liz)    Links: For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Legacy interviews are offered to estate planning clients so that they can pass on their loved one’s stories whenever someone passes away.  In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with her own mother guided by the legacy interview questions. She shares her life experiences, how she wants her body handled when she does pass, who she’d like to take care of her cats, and more. This is a difficult conversation at times and contains explicit language and discussions of past illegal activities.   In interviewing her mother, Liz discovered new things not only about her mom’s past, but about her own. When family members are given the opportunity to share their stories and the stories of their loved one’s, everyone benefits. These stories will be cherished by those who remain after a loved one passes on as a way to celebrate and honor their life. Liz’s mother tells of her own childhood experiences with her parents and half-sister, along with memories of parenting Liz. She expresses her desires to be cremated and for her cats to be looked after. When asked about her role model or hero, she responds with one powerful word, ‘you’.    Even though this conversation was difficult for Liz to have, she is happy to have had it. This legacy conversation will be incredibly meaningful for Liz and her family members when her mother does pass away. Use the questions from the interview as a guide and have these types of conversations with your loved ones in order to help keep your family’s history alive.    Quotes “The reason I tell you I love you a lot is because I don't remember ever hearing either one of my parents tell me they love me ever.” (9:21-9:29 | Liz’s mom) “One day, my mother was right next door visiting Meg, her friend. And I walked in the kitchen and my father and my sister were kissing.” (13:50-13:58 | Liz’s mom) “I would imagine cremation would be easier, I just want you to please make sure I'm dead, dead, dead and not just dead.” (17:51-18:00 | Liz’s mom) “It was definitely hard for me at times, but I am very glad that I took the opportunity to do a legacy conversation with my mom. And I'm sure I will be even more glad later when she does pass away.” (24:05-24:16 | Liz)   Links: For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Many people struggle with how to talk with their loved ones about planning for funerals or memorial services. It can be hard to know how to start the conversation or might just feel too morbid to talk about. However, talking about how someone wishes to be remembered is not inherently morbid. It may feel like you’re talking about death, but really you’re talking about life and how you or your loved ones want to be remembered.  In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Dean Lambert, who has worked with funeral professionals for nearly 30 years helping them connect and serve families facing one of the most challenging moments of their lives.    There is a lot involved with planning for a memorial service. It is much easier to approach when you’re not also trying to cope with a death and the time constraints around what to do with the body. A memorial service should honor not only the wishes of the deceased, but also be a meaningful celebration for the living. Depending on your or your loved one’s religious beliefs and preferences, there are many different options for memorial services, burial, and cremation. Talk with your family members about their lives before death is even on the table, that way you will be better prepared for knowing how they might like to be remembered and celebrated.    It’s important to be able to talk about death with your loved ones, as it is a natural part of life. Anything that can be done in advance to prepare such as conveying your wishes or setting money aside for a funeral, will be a big help to lessen the financial strain and emotional stress for surviving family members.    Quotes “Whatever your beliefs are about what you want for yourself, you should honor those to the best of your ability. However, if you love your family, and you love your friends, doing in advance allows you to gain their input. And in that way, they can celebrate you and go off into their journeys and into their lives in a way that was meaningful to them as well.” (24:18-24:44 | Dean) “It's important for us to realize it is a part of life, and we need to pay attention to the way people are remembered.” (29:12-29:17 | Dean) “You're not thinking about death. You're thinking about how you want to be remembered, and you're thinking about how you want your life carried forward.” (29:43-29:50 | Dean) “I encourage people to be curious about your family, your parents, your grandparents, and just ask questions about it. They love talking about that history.” (34:11-34:18 | Dean) “The grieving process is an extremely individual personal thing for everybody. And for some, that means not to grieve.” (41:36-41:42 | Dean) “If you don't have to be surprised by a death and then have to make decisions afterwards, if there's a way to make it any easier, you should.” (42:44-42:53 | Dean)   Links:   The Love Always Project: https://www.lovealwaysproject.org/   For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw      Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Many people feel uncomfortable talking about death, and this can lead to a lot of difficulty when a loved one passes away if they have not yet had a chance to discuss their wishes with their family members. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Tracy Foster, a long-time resident of Juneau and family service counselor with Legacy Funeral Homes.   As Tracy explains, when someone dies, there is a whole lot of planning to do, and it can be extremely taxing on the family of the deceased to have to simultaneously sort out all the little details and grieve. By planning ahead for what you would like done after your death, you are saving your loved ones from added stress and ensuring that they will not feel any remorse for having had to guess about your wishes. Whether you choose to be buried or cremated, or you prefer a viewing over a memorial service, and even down to where you get buried, and what you’re wearing  there's much to consider before you die. To make the process easier, Tracy suggests writing down your wishes ahead of time or having a discussion with your next of kin.   Planning ahead for your funeral can be daunting. But as daunting as it may be, having a plan made in advance can take a huge weight off of your family’s shoulders and help them to feel more at ease throughout the process. By discussing your wishes with them before your death, you can ensure that you will get exactly what you want and your family will not have to wonder if they made the right choices.    Quotes “When I first started in this business, there were a lot more burials than there are today. I've noticed over the years, it's really changed and we now have mostly direct cremations.” (4:12-4:28 | Tracy) “Those that didn't plan ahead, it gets left to the family members, or friends or community, depending on where that person is in life, to make the final decisions to try and figure out what that person would have wanted. And I've had a lot of people come back to me, and they don't have peace about the decisions they made because it was never talked about.” (6:27-6:55 | Tracy) “The more that we can talk about death and plan ahead, the better it is for the ones that have to deal with the aftermath.” (7:17-7:24 | Tracy)    Links: Connect with Tracy Foster:   To set up an appointment with Tracy, please call 907.789.0611  Legacy Funeral Homes - https://www.legacyalaska.com/ Juneau Contact - https://www.legacyalaska.com/contact/juneau-ak-alaskan “Preplanning checklist” including notes for creating your obituary - https://www.legacyalaska.com/advanced-planning/preplanning-checklist   For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw      Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Grief resulting from loss is a natural part of life that can be difficult to navigate. After the collective experience of the global pandemic, grief is a more common emotional state than ever. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Katie Cranor, a local psychotherapist, to talk about resources for coping with your grief and how to best support your loved ones.    Grief is a process of saying goodbye and that process looks different for everyone. Though there are commonly known stages of grief, not everyone experiences each stage in the exact same way. Having someone to grieve with who really understands what you are going through is critical for long-term healing. Unfortunately, the majority of people who extend their support will only do so for a short time. They will not reach out at that first anniversary of the death or for their first birthday, and then you will be left to face these challenging days alone. This is why it is sometimes best to have a professional that you can speak with so that you know someone always has your back.    It’s important to understand that you are not alone in your journey to healing. Join this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about coping with grief and the available mental health resources and support groups in Alaska.    Quotes “I think we can count ourselves among the truly fortunate if we have a friend or family member, or a neighbor or companion of some kind, who knows how to truly ask, how are you? Because the lifespan of friendship, relationships, and knowing how to ask ‘how are you’ in the wake of losing someone that you love is actually quite narrow.” (13:42-14:32 | Katie) “Because it can be so rare to have somebody that you can genuinely talk to and genuinely confide in, it can be a really good idea to find a professional to speak with that can be a really invaluable resource to just know that you have somebody out there who's going to have your back.” (18:10-18:27 | Katie) “The common denominator for having someone to speak with and having community to grieve with, is being able to know that a person is not alone in their grief.” (21:23-21:33 | Katie)  “Let's talk about the person that you're saying goodbye to. What do you miss about them? What do you not miss about them? What's going to change in your life, because they are now dead? And what parts of them do you want to capture and bring into everyday life? Whatever those elements of that person are that you want to capture and bring into everyday life, those are the things that you want to do to keep their memory alive.” (35:14-35:53 | Katie)   Links:   Connect with Katie Cranor:   Catholic Community Service Grief and Bereavement Support: http://www.ccsak.org/grief--bereavement-support.html Juneau Counselor and Therapist List: https://www.juneaumentalhealth.org/copy-of-private-practice-mental-hea Somatic Regulation Exercises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RsMwG2YKyE   For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Social Security can be a complicated system to navigate, especially because the rules differ so much from person to person. Depending on your own personal circumstances such as where you live, what kind of job you have, and if you have a spouse that is working, there are different requirements for claiming Social Security benefits. In today’s episode host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Cynthia Gibson, Certified Financial Planner and Owner of Wayfinder Wealth, to discuss in detail how to navigate the Social Security retirement system.    Typically it is best to wait until your full retirement age to begin taking Social Security benefits. Your retirement age is based on the year of your birth and is the age at which you qualify for your full benefit amount. You can technically start receiving benefits early at age 62, but then you are reducing the amount you could have received had you waited. Likewise, if you put off taking your benefit, it will grow over time. Depending on your career, you may be ineligible for benefits. Jobs such as teachers and most employees for the state of Alaska, generally do not pay into Social Security. In Alaska, there are additional provisions in place such as the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision that must be considered in certain cases, adding another layer of complication to navigating the system. The best rule of thumb is to keep asking questions because the rules change as you age and as your circumstances change.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about how to best navigate the Social Security system. Learn about spouse survivor benefits, the pros and cons of waiting until a certain age to begin receiving benefits, and how the system differs in Alaska versus other states.    Quotes • “Here's the Social Security rules. The rules change from your full retirement age. Your full retirement age is the magic age where once you hit that almost anything is possible for you. So that full retirement age is based on your year of birth. So if you're born anywhere between 1954 and 1960, is going to be 66, 66 and two months, 66 and four months, they step it up. So whatever your full retirement age, you figure that out for yourself. And you know that the rules before you turn your full retirement age are going to be different than that year that you turn your full retirement age, and then they're going to change again after that birth month. So say you turn full retirement age, June of 2022. Well, now, you're free and clear, almost anything goes.” (16:16-17:09 | Cynthia)  • “Once you hit your full retirement age, then you get the full amount that's stated on your statement. And if you want to delay, you can delay and you're going to get more out of that benefit.” (18:59-19:12 | Cynthia) • “General rule of thumb is if you can't work for a variety of reasons, but you're not disabled, and you need the cash flow, then generally people are taking it earlier. They're not working. Even though most of the literature is going to encourage you, especially from Social Security to delay till age 70.” (21:17-21:50 | Cynthia) • “If you wait till 70, you're giving up all those years of not taking it. Right? So that could be, say you're giving up $2,500 a month, that's 30,000 a year for three years, that's $90,000 that you're giving up. So to break even you've got to at least make it to 80 and there are many people that don't live that long.” (24:04-24:25 | Cynthia) • “It's always important to ask. Just keep going back and asking questions. Don't just take what somebody tells you, not even Social Security.” (29:16-29:26 | Cynthia) • “People forget that the rules change. Remember that once you turn your full retirement age, you can make as much money as you want. And in the calendar year in which you turn your full retirement age, whatever month that is, up until that month, you can make more than double what the other number is.” (36:54-37:18 | Cynthia)   Links:   https://www.ssa.gov/ To get your statement: https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/statement.html Windfall Elimination Provision: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf Government Pension Offset: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw    Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

When thinking about how and where you are going to invest money, it may make sense for you to think about the causes that matter the most to you. There are ways to invest that will help you not only reach your personal financial goals, but will also align with your core beliefs. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Jonathan Thomson, Certified Financial Planner with First Pacific Financial to talk about sustainable and responsible impact investing.    Jonathan belongs to a specialized team that focuses on ESG portfolios which stands for environmental, social, and corporate governance. By using the ethos ESG tool, Jonathan and his teammates can discover what causes clients care about most and use that information to build their ideal investment portfolio. There is a diminished faith in institutions on a whole right now and ESG investing is attractive to consumers because they are more likely to put their faith in individual companies. By getting people invested in companies that they really believe in, people are more likely to stick out the hard times in the market and stay invested for the long term.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about ESG portfolios and how to align your investments with your values in a way that is both sustainable and impactful.    Quotes • “We'll use the ethos ESG tool to give us a little bit of insight into what types of causes clients really care about and might like to include more in their investment portfolios. At this time, we're not customizing every client's portfolio specifically for them, but this may be something that we're able to do in the future.” (27:46-28:09 | Jonathan) • “Depending on the size of the portfolio, we have an additional layer which does allow for a little bit more customization that's called the resilient portfolio. And that's a collection of about 65 individual company stocks that are chosen for their resilience and for their sustainability long term.” (31:54-32:17 | Jonathan) • “Part of the reason we believe so much in this ESG investing is because public faith in institutions is just at a low point. There's so much gridlock in the Senate, particularly right now. I would say that people are actually more loyal to individual companies.” (36:08-36:30 | Jonathan) • “The best thing that our clients can do is just stay invested for the long term. So if we can get the best quality investments from the onset, and if we can identify those causes and those companies that they really believe in, that's going to help them stay invested during those difficult times.” (37:26-37:43 | Jonathan) • “I would just say be bold. I think it takes a lot of courage to attempt something. I mean, obviously failure is okay, but I think it takes inner strength to even start the process of voluntarily undergoing a transition.” (1:01:45-1:02:05 | Jonathan)   Links:   Connect with Jonathan Thomson:   https://fp-financial.com/ https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/ For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw      Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

After someone dies, taxes and paperwork are probably not the first concern on their loved ones’ minds, but they are unavoidable. It’s important to learn about different types of taxes and what forms you may need to file in the event of a loved one’s death, so that you are prepared when the time comes. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Ryan L. Beason, Certified Public Accountant and Partner at Elgee Rehfeld.    The first important concept to understand is your basis which essentially boils down to what you initially paid for something. Any money you make off that purchase minus the amount you spent initially is your capital gains. This provides an incredible opportunity to gain when someone passes away and their personal residence enters their estate, because the basis is stepped up to the fair market value from the date of their death. In Alaska, people have the unique opportunity to opt into a community rental agreement, and it is typically highly recommended to do so as a way of reducing taxes. There are several different tax forms that need to be filed after a loved one’s death, and Ryan explains the different reasons for filing each one in addition to extra forms for things like certifying someone as the official handler of the estate.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about different types of taxes, capital gains, community property agreements, and what forms need to be filed after someone dies.    Overview:   Quotes • “Anything above your basis, or what we call your purchase price, would be capital gains.” (11:30-11:34 | Ryan) • “When one spouse passes away, say five years previously, they get what's called a one half basis step up to fair market value. So whatever the fair market value is on that date of the first spouse’s death, half of that basis gets stepped up to the fair market value.” (23:12-23:28 | Ryan) • “Alaska is one of the unique states where you can elect into a community property agreement. Most states are either community property or not community property. So this is something that we kind of recommend that as people kind of update their wills and estate plans they do go add the community property agreement in place.” (25:07-25:27 | Ryan) • “The tax brackets are pretty high at low income levels.” (35:23-25:27 | Ryan) • “Be aware that if you do have a refund coming in that final 1040 and you have to paper file, it's going to be a while before you see that money.” (38:23-38:30 | Ryan) • “It's not that you have to know all these concepts or how they work, but it's good to know that maybe I need to go talk to somebody at least to kind of point me in the right direction. Because there are potential opportunities that can be missed if you don’t.” (38:59-39:13 | Ryan)    Links:   Elgee Rehfeld Website | https://www.elgeerehfeld.com/ Post-death tax information | http://www.courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/probate-tax-matters.htm For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

There are resources and books for almost every situation in life but almost nothing when it comes to navigating the death of a loved one. People are typically left to figure out logistics of funerals, finances, and mental health support on their own after a loss. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Jason Dyke, President and Founder of Carson’s Village, a nonprofit organization that provides free and comprehensive support and care to families who have experienced sudden loss.     Jason founded Carson’s Village after the tragic loss of his eleven year old son Carson to suicide. He realized in the days after losing Carson that he had a strong support system to help his family navigate the next steps, but that not everybody has that type of strong support system in their lives. When families experience a sudden loss, they are faced with decisions and financial implications that many are unprepared to undertake, especially without assistance. This inspired Jason to create an organization that would help families and individuals through the process, assisting with finding the right funeral home, providing a fundraising page, and continuing to help them to grieve and process their emotions through support groups. Today, Carson’s Village has helped thousands of families across the United States and continues to be the only organization of its kind in the country.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about Jason’s story, the type of services provided by Carson’s Village, and the steps to navigating the logistics of sudden loss including tips on managing grief.    Quotes • “We saw him, and then I asked the nurse what to do next. And they said we'll call a funeral home and they'll walk you through the process and that was it. And I walked out that night, I didn't know what to do or where to go.” (9:46-10:05 | Jason) • “Everybody grieves in a different way. And so you’ve got to be sensitive to that. And all four of us went through the grieving process in a much different way. And so it's really important because people think that if you're not grieving like I am, you're not grieving. And that can cause a lot of stress and additional heartache in the house.” (20:08-20:30 | Jason) • “If you look at major life events like birth, cancer, or a wedding, there's all kinds of books about what to do and checklists for every step. everything is there, except for death..” (38:28-38:43 | Jason) • “The first thing we do is make sure that parents are taking care of themselves because parents can't help children if they can't help themselves. It's kind of like when the oxygen mask drops in the plane, you need to put it on first and then you can help your kids. And that's what you need to be doing when you're going through this. ” (45:25-45:39 | Jason)   Links:   Carson's Village: https://carsonsvillage.org/contact-us/ Orbisculate: https://www.orbisculate.com/ For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw      Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

People often don’t realize how large of a stressor it is to help their parents transition at the end of their lives. There is a lot of community support and understanding when caring for children at the beginning of their lives, but not as many support structures for grown children caring for their dying parents. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Karen Salama McCain, the Irish-Egyptian founder of GoHively, which helps implement interventions in healthcare settings, schools, and behavioral health organizations that improve communication and reduce stress.    Karen’s parents always planned for her to be their primary caregiver at the end of their lives, but Karen had no idea just how difficult this would actually be in practice. When she became a full-time caregiver for her father, she started to experience severe stress which she soon realized was separation anxiety. She struggled with the idea of letting her father go and worried that she was making the wrong choices and causing harm to her father more than she was helping him. She learned that in order to properly care for her father, she needed to regulate her own emotions and care for her own body first. When she was able to remain calm and regulate her fight or flight response, Karen was able to make more clear decisions and improve communication with her father’s doctors and her family members.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about end of life separation anxiety, how to take care of yourself so that you can be a more effective caregiver, and how to navigate difficult conversations with family members about end of life care.    Quotes • “The following 10 days leading up to his death brought a roller coaster of emotions and experiences. What I didn't realize until that 10 day journey was that separation anxiety would be a thing at the end of life too.” (5:48-6:06 | Karen) • “The nurses were gently telling me things like, ‘If you take away the morphine, you're going to take away his comfort. He is near the end.’ This was the key moment where my anxiety about letting him go could have messed with his comfortable and peaceful transition.” (7:16-7:31 | Karen) • “Somewhere in those sleep deprived couple of days, I remember what I learned when I dropped my son off at daycare. The more comfortable I was in letting him go, the easier it would be for him.” (8:18-8:31 | Karen) • “If we talk openly about caring for our parents in their final days, we can help our friends and children navigate this painful inevitability.” (9:09-9:17 | Karen) • “Stress can really impact your body in a big way or especially stressors where you feel like you can't do something to change the outcome. Those are the kinds of stressors that can really live in your body.” (13:58-14:13 | Karen) • “I made this agreement, and I continue to have a choice about making a decision, am I going to be the caregiver? Or are we going to find an alternate solution? There's always a possibility for some other solution.” (21:33-21:48 | Karen)   Links:   Blog article: https://wisdomwell.modernelderacademy.com/launching-my-father-at-the-end-of-his-life Karen Salama McCain LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-salama-mccain/ Website: https://www.salamamccain.com/ Bessel van der Kolk's book, The Body Keeps the Score: https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score Training by Karen Salama McCain and Julie Krohner "The New Brain Science that Makes Old School Caregiving Easier on Everyone" 30 min. Strategies for coping with stressful or complicated family dynamics in caregiving. https://bit.ly/3PQmaTI Family Meeting to Plan for Caregiving - https://atlasofcaregiving.com/ - https://www.caregiver.org/resource/holding-family-meeting/ Karen referenced techniques created by: Howard Stevenson (Calculate Locate Communicate) https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/recasting-moment-professor-howard-stevenson-creating-change-through-racial-literacy Bruce Perry (Regulate Relate Reason) https://www.bdperry.com/ Modern Elder Academy: https://www.modernelderacademy.com/ Chip Conley: https://chipconley.com/ The Hoffman Process: https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/ Liz’s blog re: her experience at Hoffman: https://ejsblog.com/2021/11/13/hoffman-when-youre-serious-about-change/   For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw      Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

There are many types of investments and accounts to choose from, and understanding the market and how to create a financial portfolio can be difficult to do on your own. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Christine Eisenhower, Financial Advisor and Co-Owner at Blue Anchor Wealth Advisors, to discuss how a financial advisor can help you navigate saving for retirement.    Christine became a certified financial advisor after spending many years as a corporate CPA. As an advisor, she is able to work one-on-one with clients and develop more of a personal relationship with them. Having a personal relationship is vital to both understanding and helping clients achieve their retirement goals. As an advisor, Christine helps her clients with all aspects of money management including: saving for retirement, understanding the impacts of inflation, learning about different options available for withdrawing or transferring funds, and making changes to your portfolio.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about how a financial advisor can help you navigate the market, save for retirement, and make necessary changes to your financial portfolio.   Quotes • “As a Certified Financial Planner, my job is to have a holistic approach to financial planning and advice.” (14:04-14:11) • “When you've spent seven years working and saving and suddenly, you’re just spending in what you would consider a frivolous manner, that's not an easy adjustment to make. But I am a cheerleader for spending and enjoying your money.” (21:47-22:02) • “It is recommended that you open up an IRA custodian, it could be Charles Schwab, it could be any custodian. And you transfer the assets from those old retirement accounts into your IRA, and you get them all in the same place so you've got a bucket of money that's your retirement money.” (26:08-26:26) • “Women have proven themselves to be better investors than men. And I think that, in my experience, that's because women are maybe a little bit more open to having a tribe around them of receiving that input of knowing that we can't really do it all. And that input of having an expertise, helps them be open to education, and long-term planning. Not to say that men aren’t. Men are very good investors, but the approach that men and women take to investing is very different.” (37:27-38:11) • “Give yourself some grace, especially if you're going through something new.” (47:31-47:35)   Links:   Connect with Christine Eisenhower: Website: https://blueanchorwealth.com/ For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw    Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Even though it is a fact of life that as we grow older, we will have more healthcare needs, people often don’t plan enough ahead for health emergencies. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Heidi Young, Owner at Island Care Services, LLC, to discuss navigating long-term care services in Alaska.    According to Heidi, care coordinators help families and individuals navigate through the necessary steps necessary for getting approved for long-term care services such as Medicaid. Their main objective is to ensure that people’s needs are met on a long-term basis. Having the assistance of a care coordinator is crucial, especially because most people don’t have a plan in place prior to experiencing a life changing health event. Heidi walks through the steps needed to apply for Medicaid’s long term care program and explains each piece of the process.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about the role of a care coordinator, the importance of having a plan for your future, and how to choose long-term care resources that are best for you and your loved ones.  Quotes • “I really consider myself a community resource. I want everybody at my agency to feel the same way. When I approach my later years, I want to know every single option that's out there. So what I try to provide for families here are all the options you have for care and so you can make the most informed decision.” (1:00-1:24) • “What is your plan to take care of family members if something catastrophic were to happen tomorrow?” (2:41-2:47) • “Our biggest passion is to keep people in their home communities. I hate the idea of going into a village and having to tell somebody that was born in a village and has lived there their whole life that now they have to move to Anchorage to get the level of care services that they need.” (8:36-8:50) • “Being a care coordinator is not something you do because you're going to be a millionaire, you do it because you're helping people in your community get the services that they need and wouldn't be able to access if it weren't for care coordinators.” (18:41-18:52)   Links:   Island Care Services: https://islandcareservicesllc.com/ Find your Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) here: https://dhss.alaska.gov/dsds/pages/adrc/default.aspx Southeast Alaska ADRC is SAIL: https://www.sailinc.org/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): https://www.cms.gov/ CMS Home & Community Based Services: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/home-community-based-services/index.html Medicaid in Alaska: https://dhss.alaska.gov/dpa/Pages/medicaid/default.aspx For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw    Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

In today’s digital world, protecting your online identity is just as important as protecting your real identity. As hackers continue to advance their tactics, it is becoming increasingly crucial that you learn how to stay ahead. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith is joined in conversation with Jeremy Hansen, Partner & CEO at Hansen Gress to discuss ways you can continue to protect your legacy.   According to Jeremy, the relationship between cybersecurity and estate planning is synonymous. As things continue to be digitized, more and more of our personal information is being stored somewhere on the internet, making us vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks. While it may seem complex, Jeremy explains that there are many accessible tools you can use to prevent yourself from falling victim to online crimes and the best way to protect yourself and your family is to get educated and spread the word.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about the importance of separating your personal and work identities, and implementing things such as two-factor authentication and password management systems so you can better educate and protect your identity.   Quotes • “I've been contemplating the relationship between cybersecurity and estate planning and I quickly came to realize that protecting our identity is one of the first decisions that we need to make in the estate planning process.” (03:43-04:01) • “Our digital and regular day-to-day identities are tied together very intimately and you deserve to protect that.” (04:14-04:27) • “The easy things that we can do to make a dramatic difference in protecting our identity are educating ourselves, getting organized, and learning how to manage it.” (11:18-11:32) • “What LastPass allows you to do is use more complex passwords without you having to remember them.” (15:54-16:03) • “When an attacker is able to collect information about you like your birthday or what your habits are, it just opens the door for them to exploit your information” (18:58-19:11) • “Keep your work identities and your personal identities separated.” (39:19-39:23) Links: Website: https://www.hansengress.com/ Phishing Quiz: https://phishingquiz.withgoogle.com/ Password manager: https://www.lastpass.com/ Password manager: https://www.dashlane.com/ Facebook Legacy Contact - What will happen to my Facebook if I pass away? https://www.facebook.com/help/103897939701143 What happens to social media accounts when someone dies? https://www.militaryspouse.com/sponsored/what-happens-to-social-media-when-someone-dies/#:~:text=If%20you%20would%20like%20an,Additional%20 items%20 may%20be%20requested. Complex Password Guide from XKCD : https://xkcd.com/936/ GDPR:  https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/right-to-erasure/ What is “Do Not Track” Do Not Track legislation protects users’ right to choose whether or not they want to be tracked by third-party websites. It is often called the online version of "Do Not Call" (Wikipedia).   For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw    Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

For as long as she could remember, Jayleen Bydlon had always wanted to work on boats. Growing up on a remote island, Jayleen worked side by side with her father mastering the trade of whale watching. After graduating college, she took a risk to pursue her passion. Today, Jayleen is the proud owner of Jayleen’s Alaska where she shows an intimate perspective of Alaska by providing a personalized whale-watching experience.   While the growth of her business started slow, Jayleen was always determined to give whale-watching a good reputation. Combining what she had learned from her parents with an innovative approach, Jayleen was able to grow and scale her business in just a few years. While operating a business can sometimes be stressful, Jayleen explains that your passion is always enough to overcome any challenges.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about the realities of remote living and how Jayleen utilized her skills to build a business that follows her passion.    Quotes • "When starting a business, it'll take three to five years to really get on your feet, get a good client base, and to get well-known. (20:36-20:43) • “I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to do something on boats. So when I graduated college, I just really wanted to start a whale-watching business and to get back into it. And so that's what I did. I bought a boat, went into major debt at 22, and started the business in October of 2015.” (26:24-26:54) • “When you broke down my business plan, it was always going to be wonderful customer service. We were going to treat people the way we wanted to be treated, and we're gonna go watch whales.” (27:37-27:52) • “Our client base is really interested in a tech-based approach. To make the reservation and to learn about you, they don't necessarily want to talk to you face to face, over the phone, or even over email. They just want to make the reservation online and continue planning the rest of their vacation.” (32:05-32:29) • “You can be busy and you can feel stressed, but if you still wake up the next day and still feel motivated and ready to go after a bad day, then you're passionate about your business.” (35:10-35:25)   Links: Connect with Jayleen Bydlon Website: https://jayleensalaska.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayleensalaska Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayleens_alaska/ Tripadvisor Review: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31020-d9885730-Reviews-Jayleen_s_Alaska-Juneau_Alaska.html For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Preparing for your funeral plays an integral part in estate planning. For a long time, people have had two options: be buried or be cremated. However, as the world continues to move in favor of sustainability, a new option has been born - human body composting. In today’s episode, host Liz Smith sits down with Anna Swenson, Outreach Manager of Recompose to discuss the process of human body composting and its environmental benefits.    According to Anna, many people misunderstand the environmental effects of cremation. While the body is not going to pollute the ground, Anna explains that cremation releases fumes into the air that is just as toxic as being buried. To shift the death-care paradigm, Recompose offers a sustainable and meaningful option for funeral services. Their process of human body composting not only reduces carbon emissions and improves the health of nature, but also allows the body to naturally return to Earth.    Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next to learn more about the environmental impacts of cremation and burials, the process of human body composting, and how choosing this option could be meaningful to you and the environment.     Quotes • “Not a lot of folks know that the environmental impact of flame based cremation is about the same as burial.” (01:56-02:04) • “It's the microbes that occur naturally in our own bodies that power the transformation into soil. So once we place the body and the plant material in the vessel, we close it and then the process of transforming into soil takes between six and eight weeks total.” (07:50-08:07) • “We do test the soil for 10 different factors that are required by the state. And that is how we know when it's safe to go back to the family or back into the environment.” (11:11-11:24) • “For each body that undergoes human composting, it creates one cubic yard of soil which is enough to fill up about a pickup truck bed.” (21:12-21:21) • “Grief is never predictable and death is very often messy. However you feel about it is the correct way to feel.” (36:33-36:40)  • “If you want to be composted and your family doesn't understand it and they say you should be buried in the Family Plot, but you don't want to you, don't have to.” (36:53-37:01)    Links: https://recompose.life/   TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/katrina_spade_when_i_die_recompose_me#t-1333   People article about Amigo Bob: https://people.com/human-interest/human-composting-a-new-end-of-life-choice-turns-bodies-into-soil/   Article about Amigo Bob: https://www.theunion.com/news/organic-farming-pioneer-amigo-bob-cantisano-dies/   For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw    Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“We all want a quality of life and care for seniors,” says Stephanie Wheeler, Alaska’s long-term care ombudsman. In her role, Stephanie is responsible for ensuring that senior residents across the state receive top-of-the-line care. Today, Stephanie is widely recognized for her advocacy work and commitment to educating the community about the importance of eldercare.  As an ombudsman, Stephanie’s job is to represent the wishes and needs of residents. To best serve her clients, Stephanie focuses on empowering people through education. Whether it be seniors, the public, or legislators, everyone must be working towards improving the quality of life in long-term care facilities. Just because nursing home residents need extra help, does not mean they are not entitled to their rights. Stephanie explains that seniors have the same rights to privacy, confidentiality, and respect as anyone else. Whether it’s skilled nursing or assisted living, Stephanie and her staff are on a mission to provide care that meets the needs of every resident.  Tune into this week’s episode of What’s Next for a conversation with Stephanie Wheeler to learn more about elder rights, what an ombudsman is, and how the role of an ombudsman is changing the quality of care and life for senior citizens all over the country.    Quotes • “Ombudsman means representative of the people. So as a long-term care ombudsman, we focus on the needs of residents in a long-term care facility.” (02:26-02:43) • “We really want to make sure that our volunteers have the heart for listening, talking, and enjoying the company of elders, but are also able to look at things with a critical eye.” (09:49-10:13) • “We all want a quality of life and care for seniors in their homes.” (10:24-10:27) • “The right to dignity and respect should not disappear because you're living in a skilled nursing facility or an assisted living home.”(15:29-15:45) • “97% of our complaints were resolved to the satisfaction of the resident and that's the outcome we're always striving for.” (21:09-21:19) • “There is a state long-term care ombudsman in every state including Puerto Rico and Washington, DC.” (34:58-35:08) • “One of the things that I think about all the time is how tough the transition has to be for seniors who are moving into an assisted living home or a skilled nursing facility.” (37:21-37:35) • “Private pay is definitely costly, but there are funding sources out there to help with assisted living and skilled nursing facility expenses.”(45:36-45:44)   Links: Connect with Stephanie Wheeler: State of Alaska – Long Term Care Ombudsman:  www.akoltco.org  Phone Number: 907-334-4480 National Association of Long Term Care Ombudsman: www.nasop.org  National Consumer Voice: https://theconsumervoice.org  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AKOLTCO/    For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw 

Jennifer Carson has been with Catholic Community Service (CCS) for nine years and currently serves as the Director of Hospice and Home Care of Juneau. Jennifer is a team-focused leader who draws upon the unique abilities of her staff to build a cohesive team. She stays informed on state and national trends and works collaboratively with others. Jennifer has over 10 years of experience with healthcare and social service compliance, and over 15 years of experience providing direct services to adults with chronic and severe mental illness. Today, Jennifer uses her background to help spread awareness about the accessible end-of-life resources in southeast Alaska. For patients to be approved for hospice care, they must have a terminal disease and a life expectancy of six months or less. Jennifer explains that before entering hospice, it is important to have an established plan of care. Not only will an established plan make it easier on the patient, but on the family and hospice staff too. Whether it's home care or hospice, Jennifer and her staff strive to provide comfortable and reliable care to every patient.  Tune into this week’s episode of the What’s Next podcast to learn more about what the Hospice and Home Care of Juneau provide, the difference between hospice and home care, and the importance of establishing a relationship with your caregivers so you can create a comfortable end-of-life experience for you and your loved ones.    Quotes • “The goal of home health is to have somebody who's had an illness or injury get back to a functioning level and hopefully back to where they were before.” (03:43-03:54) • “One of the misconceptions about hospice is if you haven’t passed in six months, you're going to get kicked out.” (05:29-05:35) • “Sometimes your disease process goes quicker than what you thought and getting everything finalized can take quite a while. So, I think having everything in order certainly makes things so much easier.” (18:08-18:25) • “Hospice is all about helping you follow through with your plans for your care.” (18:40-18:45) • “What is unique about us here in Juneau is anything that's not covered by your insurance, you will never receive a bill for.” (31:26-31:35)   Links: Website | https://www.ccsak.org/hospice--home-care-of-juneau.html  Website | https://www.ccsak.org/  Phone | (907) 463-6100   For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Brenda Tudor, Trust Officer at Peak Trust Company, has worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years, serving 17 of those years as a trust officer. Brenda’s extensive experience has allowed her to play an integral part in creating personal estate planning strategies for many clients. Brenda is passionate about helping both the trustee and their beneficiaries satisfy their needs. Brenda currently serves on the board of the Anchorage Estate Planning Council and holds a position as the Vice Chair of Anchorage Senior Activity Center Endowment Trust Board of Trustees.  When you are putting together an estate plan, will, or trust, one of the most important decisions is to pick who you want to be the personal representative. According to Brenda, there are many reasons why it may be best to leave this role to a third party. Brenda and her colleagues at Peak Trust are well educated and prepared to handle any aspect of the trust process. Their main goal is to create a good standing relationship with everyone involved, something family members are often not equipped to do. Whether it be their spouse, children, grandchildren, or even a charitable organization, Brenda explains that a trust can be the perfect vehicle for people to leave behind their legacy.  Tune into this week’s episode of the What’s Next podcast to learn more about the types of trusts, the role of a trust officer, and how you can use a trust to help your loved ones even after you’ve passed on.    Quotes: • “Understanding our client’s intent when they're drafting documents is important to us because that knowledge can't be obtained once they've passed.” (11:03-11:13) • “We don't like to say no, as long as it falls within the perimeter of the trust document. We like to work with the beneficiaries to make sure that they can gain a good education and can be successful out in society once they've graduated.’ (18:12-18:24) • “Something I take pride in is getting to know my beneficiaries to be able to help them in the best manner I can, and serve them the best way that I can under the parameters of the document.” (21:31-21:40) • “Some beneficiaries do not understand the fact that it's not their money, it's money that is put there for their benefit.” (33:44-33:51) • “There's a lot of thought that goes into putting a trust together, and a lot of people don't fully understand how trusts can be used as a great estate vehicle for their family members down the road.” (36:53-37:05)   Links: https://www.peaktrust.com/   For all of Liz Smith’s resources give her a like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizsmithlaw  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm