Key Life Decisions: Are You Prepared (to Die)?

This blogger gets numerous invitations to various functions around town. "Key Life Decisions: Are You Prepared?" read the subject line of a recent one. Scrolling down, the line "dinner will be served" and "location: " caught the blogger's eye.

Dinner and death---too intriguing to pass up!

As he drove over last Thursday, the blogger mentally re-hearsed (get it, re-hearsed?) the line from Emily Dickinson: "Because I could not stop for death, he kindly stopped for me".

Since his divorce, the blogger knew he needed to re-do his will. Perhaps this was Cosmic Karma coming to call.

The first presentation was by Steven G. Palubiak, the blogger's financial adviser. Titled "Outlook and Opportunities", Mr Palubiak outlined some of the trends currently happening in the financial markets. The blogger's "take away": stick to your financial plan in these uncertain times of slow growth, but look for opportunities.

The second presentation was by Norman S. Newmark, JD, LLM, from Guilfoil, Petzall, and Shoemake, LLC. Mr Newmark did the five W's of Estate Planning: "Who Inherits?", "What Does the Who Inherit?", "When Does the Who Inherit?", "How Does The Who Inherit When?", and finally the whys of inheritance including choice of fiduciary and estate and other tax issues.

The blogger's "take away" here was that everyone goes through probate court. Mr Newmark ended with Andrew Carnegie's quote: "I would just as soon leave a curse as leave my son a dollar".

The third presentation, "How Can I Defer More Tax or Even Get Tax-Free Income" is a subject dear to the blogger's heart. The blogger is definitely NOT a tea-party-er, but the original premise of the Boston Tea Party, "no taxation without representation", has always struck a cord.

Mr John N. Lindbloom, C.P.A./P.F.S., of Huber, Ring, Helm, and Co., P.C.,  made a fascinating pitch. The blogger's "take away" here was to "pay yourself" before you die.

Dessert was probably the most somber part of the evening as Mr. Robert Drace, Director at Armbruster Donnelly Mortuary, presented. Mr. Drace advised getting to know your funeral director, choose a "family-run" funeral service, and make sure the casket is made in the U.S.A.

The most compelling reason to know your funeral director before you die is so that your funeral wishes will be carried out the way you want them to be---putting your funeral wishes in your will is silly because by the time your will is probated you are long gone.

A sixteenth century tapestry and several 18th century paintings looked down upon the diners. The prime rib and fried chicken were superb as were the side dishes of pasta salad, green salad, green beans with almonds, and rolls with butter. Dessert was chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream.

While the setting was somber, it was proper for the occasion and gave much "food for thought" for the talks about the blogger's future "key life" decisions.