Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 19, 2014

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 19, 2014 
B4 BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 19, 2014 
B4 BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS 
FAMILY MATTERS 

By Marc Garlett 


WHY DIY ESTATE PLANNING IS A BAD IDEA 
FOR THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE 

America is a nation of do-it-yourselfers, but building a deck and creating a legally valid estate plan 
are two entirely different things – and a less-than-perfect deck won’t devastate your family’s financial 
future or the relationships among the people you care about most.
The prevalence of online legal services has led many people to believe they can create legal documents 
cheaply and that those documents will be just as effective as if they had visited an estate planning 
attorney. Here is why that is wrong:
No legal advice – these sites are little more than document mills churning out the same generic forms 
over and over. They are not attorneys and cannot advise or help you avoid mistakes. Plus, who will 
be there for your family when something happens to you if you’ve used an online document drafting 
service? 
Think your family doesn’t need an advisor to support them when you are gone? Think again. 

Consider this: Erica’s father was killed in a motorcycle accident. Dad didn’t leave much behind, but he 
did leave an estate plan prepared by a trusted family attorney. Had the family attorney not been there 
for Erica and her brother, they would have taken what dad did leave and drowned their sorrows in a 
European backpacking trip. Thanks to this family attorney, though, Erica and her brother now have 
a healthy trust fund set up for them for life with the proceeds of a successful wrongful death case. 
Leaving it to the people you love to make solid, strategic decisions after you’re gone is a big mistake.
One size doesn’t fit all – your family is different from everyone else’s family. Just like every state has 
different inheritance laws, every family has different situations. An online form will not help you 
protect a special needs beneficiary, or protect a child’s inheritance from creditors or a future nastydivorce. An online form cannot tell you how to protect assets from taxes or help you achieve your 
goals.
And, an online form cannot keep your family out of conflict during a time of grief. Even if you don’t 
have a lot of assets to leave behind, whatever you do have will be subject to distribution among the 
people you care most about. Some of the biggest disagreements we’ve seen after death aren’t about 
the money, but about the little things – and those little things aren’t going to be dealt with well in 
form documents. 
Save now, pay later – you may think you are saving money by using an online service to create your 
will or trust, but it is impossible to make a fair comparison since the services provided are entirelydifferent. 
An estate planning attorney creates a comprehensive plan tailored to your individual needs in a legal 
document that will stand up in court, and advises you on ways to cut taxes and save for retirement 
and long-term care. No online service does that. 
In addition, your trusted advisor is going to be there for your family when you cannot be. The people 
you love will need someone to turn to after you are gone. Do you want them to be stuck figuring 
out who that should be during their time of grief? Or do you want to leave behind the gift of having 
taken care of things well during your lifetime, and a trusted advisor to hold their hand when you no 
longer can?
Furthermore, your loved ones may have to pay a much steeper price to clean up the mess caused bya “cheap” plan (in money, time, and emotional energy). You can spare them all that by making sure 
your plan is done right. 
We invite you to take advantage of our specialized legal services for families with a Family Estate 
Planning Session. Call our office today to schedule a time for us to sit down and talk about designing 
an estate plan that fits the needs of you and your family. Call 626.355.4000 or visit www.GarlettLaw. 
com for more information. 
Marc, a local attorney, father, and CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children)
is on a mission to help parents protect what they love most. His office is located at 49 S. Baldwin Ave.,
Ste. G, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. 


ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT 
In spite of the real estate roller coaster of the last few years, homeownership remains the bedrock of 
financial and familial security. Having a long-term investment that provides the satisfaction and 
pride of ownership beats just about anything else you can do with your savings. 

When the market exploded several years ago, the expectations of many consumers grew too high, 
too fast. Homes became more commodities than investments, and now markets and attitudes have 
been forced to realign. 

Conditions today make it an opportune time to secure your future. Home prices and interest rates 
are still low, and tax advantages are abundant. You just have to get past all the negativity in the 
media. All the bad news has drained consumer confidence, and frankly, you cannot underestimate 
the effect of intangibles like confidence and expectation on the real estate industry. 

Real estate transactions are unlike any other financial transaction. The demand and desire for 
homeownership doesn’t expire like other flashy investment instruments. The inherent value of a 
stock can be calculated by a formula of company profits, earnings ratios, performance history, fund 
managers, and so on. 

However, a home’s value is ultimately determined by what a buyer is willing to pay for it, and the 
security and well-being that owning your own home provides. Honestly, there’s hardly been a better 
time to make your move. 

THE NEW LOOK OF FACEBOOK PAGES 

“There are three things certain in life: death, taxes and Facebook changes.” 

Facebook has announced they will be rolling out a new look for pages.

The most significant changes are in the location of the apps and the two column 

format. The apps will now appear in two locations; the left side column or in 


the top navigation menu. A few of us are wondering if this means a more 
mobile friendly experience for custom apps. We’re hopeful. 

The current two column format is going away and the left column will feature about information. 
The right column will feature all posts. 

Even though Facebook is rearranging the furniture again, don’t get frustrated. These pages help you 
stay in touch with people who are important to your business. Focus on listening and providing 
great content to an interested audience and Facebook will serve as a great marketing tool for your 
business. 

About MJ: MJ and her brother David own HUTdogs, a creative services business that specializes in 
Internet Marketing strategies and Social Media. They offer social media management services and 
help their clients build a strong on-line presence. “Like” them on Facebook for trending news in 
social media, internet marketing and other helpful tips, www.facebook.com/hutdogs.
Sign up for their upcoming classes and presentations at: www.hutdogs.com/workshops/schedule 


For Residents of 
Sierra Madre 
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Athens’ compost is a blend of organic material, including food waste. It is OMRI Listed®, 
Athens’ compost is a blend of organic material, including food waste. It is OMRI Listed®,Athens’ compost is a blend of organic material, including food waste. It is OMRI Listed®, 
licensed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and approved for use in 
licensed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and approved for use inlicensed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and approved for use in 
agricultural operations certified organic under the USDA National Organic Program. 
agricultural operations certified organic under the USDA National Organic Program.agricultural operations certified organic under the USDA National Organic Program. 
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NOON 
NOONNOON 
Sierra Vista Park 
611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 
If you are unable to make it on this date, you are 
invited to attend the San Marino Compost Giveaway on 
Saturday, March 8 at the Lacy Park West end Parking Lot. 
Bring Your ID Or Athens Bill 
Self Serve Event 
Bring Sturdy Containers 
No Plastic Bags Allowed 
Shovels Will Be Provided 
30 Gallon Limit During First Hour (no limit 
from 10:00 am to noon), while supplies last 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com