Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 7, 2014

Mountain Views News Saturday, June 7, 2014 
B3BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS Mountain Views News Saturday, June 7, 2014 
B3BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS 
FAMILY MATTERS 

By Marc Garlett 

I HATE ESTATE PLANNING


It sounds crazy, I know. An Estate Planning 
attorney who actually hates the words “estate 
planning”? 

Just hear me out. I hate estate planning because 
it conjures up the image of a bunch of stuffy, old 
lawyers sitting around a giant conference table, 
scheming about who’s going to kick the bucket 
next and how to divvy up the inheritance they’ll 
leave behind. 

Blech! So let’s draw the line right now: 

There are two types of ‘Estate Planning’ attorneys, 
and they couldn’t be more different. From the way 
they attract and engage clients all the way to their 
impact on generations yet unborn. 

The type of Estate Planning attorneys most 
people think of belong in the same category as 
the stereotypical lawyers at the butt-end of jokes. 
The kind nobody wants to invite over for dinner. 
The kind nobody wants to deal with for a minute 
longer than absolutely necessary (because they’re 
nickel and diming anybody and everybody in 
6-minute increments). 

They eagerly take whoever walks in the door. 
Sell them a plan they can’t understand, and then 
fail to fund it, update it or ensure that it actually 
performs for the family in their time of greatest 
need. 

But let me tell you about the other type. This 
type of attorney is a lot more like a family friend 
who also handles the legal technical work of 
ensuring the families in their community have 
a solid relationship with their loved ones - and 
their legacy - that outlasts them for generations 
to come. 

They serve their community by freely educating 
families who genuinely need the planning they 
provide. They do a thorough job of discerning 
the values, vision and needs of these families and 
business owners. They design estate plans that 
get funded, are kept up-to-date, and perform as 
promised upon death. And I am proud to count 
myself as one of these types of attorneys. 

Estate planning, the way my camp practices it, 
would better be called something like “Legal Life 
Design,” or “Life Consciousness Development,” 
or “Family Legacy Engineering.” I wish the word 
for this practice area was something profound,
intriguing, complex, bold, and intense. Because it 
is all of those things. 

Here’s a little secret: Estate planning is a deep 
spiritual experience for me. My life becomes 
more fulfilled and connected every time I support 
a family through the process. Participating in 
their growth and family harmony is extremely 
rewarding. Plus, it’s a service needed by every 
parent in our country, whether they yet realize it 
or not. 

It helps parents become better people - which in 
turn makes them better parents. And that’s where 

the magic is. 

Estate planning is really an opportunity to 
meet oneself at the doorway between life and 
death. As an attorney, I get to escort people to 
that doorway, help them look back so they can 
see their accomplishments, their losses—the 
legacies they’ve built. I help them see the honor 
and dignity in their lives and bear witness to the 
essence of who they are. 

Then together we look toward the future; 
their hopes, dreams, aspirations and vision for 
themselves and their families. Then I interject the 
worst-case scenarios and help them work through 
it all. It’s important work because the worst things 
that can happen are the only things that stand 
between their past and their future. 

Then (and this is where the lawyer in me emerges), 
I help them understand the legal landscape and 
offer perspective on how things are versus how 
things could be. I give my clients a chance to 
choose the road their family will take if they aren’t 
there to guide them. Consciously, thoroughly, 
thoughtfully. 

Fear lifts. Freedom enters. Liberation of heart and 
mind settles in. 

And my clients are no longer afraid. No longer 
afraid to die, no longer afraid to live. 

People tell me all the time that their experience 
with estate planning was nothing like they 
expected. They say they had no idea the burden 
they were carrying until it was lifted. They say 
they feel freer, clearer, more in love, and more 
alive. They come away from the experience more 
at ease and comfortable then they’ve been in a 
long time. 

To help liberate another human from their fears 
and free them to live a bigger life. How sacred, 
how awesome, is that?! 

It’s why I love what I do. And I would be thrilled 
to transform the way you look at estate planning, 
too. To guide you along the path toward ensuring 
your family will be protected and provided for, 
no matter what. To help you secure the peace of 
mind knowing things will be as easy as possible 
for your loved ones during the worst of times. To 
support you in living consciously, proactively, and 
fully. 

If that feels right to you, call my office today to 
schedule a time for us to sit down and talk. Because 
this is so important, I’ve made space for the next 
two people who mention this article to have a 
complete planning session at no charge. Call 
626.355.4000 today and mention this article 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. 

MYTH BUSTING 
When a homeowner faces default on their mortgage, there may be two options: foreclosure or 
short sale. Foreclosure can be devastating, both emotionally and financially. A short sale, or one 
in which the lender accepts a selling price less than the amount owed, is a better option for both the 
lender and the homeowner. 

 Regrettably, nearly seven out of ten homeowners proceed through foreclosure without ever listing 
their home for sale. This is due largely to perceived myths about the process, and we need to put a 
few of these misconceptions to rest. 

First, homeowners assume the bank would rather foreclose than accept a short sale. Not true - 
foreclosure is often more costly for the lender, and short sales often sell for more than foreclosed 
listings. The banks are trying anything pos-sible, within reason, to avoid the foreclosure process.

 Next, homeowners believe there is a stigma attached to short sale listings, and that buyers have no 
interest in such properties. Not true - to the contrary, many smart buyers are specifically seeking 
out such offerings for the value they present compared to traditional listings.

 Finally, homeowners often assume that there's not enough time to close a short sale before 
foreclosure is final. Not true - foreclosure is a lengthy process and there is time to negotiate a better 
result, but you need to start today. 


SOCIAL MEDIA TIP SHEETS 

If you want people to • Sample Tweets with hashtags and tags 
tweet, post and share your 


• URL’s for important information 
information, make it easy 
for them. Provide a Social • YouTube videos 
Media Tip Sheet. Think of 

• Graphics, logos or images 
these as old-school press 
kits. You provide your tip sheet to other people • Give them a reason why they should help you 
so they can share your information for you in promote your campaign 

the way you want it to be shared! These work 
• Make sure to promote and send your tip sheets 

great for a specific campaign or non-profit. 
to your connections and the people who will 
most likely want to help you spread the word. 

A Social Media Tip Sheet is a 1-2 page document 
or page on a website. It provides the content you About MJ: 
want people to share for you in their own social 

MJ and her brother David own HUTdogs. They 

media channels. It may also include images, 

help businesses and non-profits tell their story 

logos and videos. 

and reach their audience both online and off. 
They teach workshops and webinars and offer 
When you create a tip sheet, make sure to social media management, graphic and web 

include the following: 
design services. “Like” them on Facebook for 
helpful tips at www.facebook.com/hutdogs. 

• Description of the campaign 
Sign up for their upcoming classes, webinars and 

• Hashtags to use 
presentations at: www.hutdogs.com/workshops/

• Sample Facebook posts (tags back to your schedule 
page or links to your web site) 
*thecreative entrepreneur 
by Lori Koop, Business Coach 
Remember the last time you lost your cell 
phone… what did you say to yourself? If you’re 
like me, you said “I’m backing up my data from 
now on!” Have you? 

Imagine you had to rebuild your whole contacts 
list. How many contacts would that be? How 
many hours would you need to spend? All wasted 
time. And if you’re like most entrepreneurs, you 
don’t have much to spare. 

Take this minute to think back… when was the 
last time you backed up your computer? Your 
cell phone? Your pictures? 

Schedule it right now. Put it in the calendar. Turn 
it into an intention, and it will most likely get 
done. It’s not only smart but there’s peace. Once 
complete, you will have covered yourself should 
anything unexpected happen. Well, you never 
know… that’s the downside of technology. But 
you can be prepared… that’s the upside. 

So, backing up… it’s simply generating a second 
copy of your data and storing it at a second 
location. If you do it regularly, pat yourself on the 
back. Good job! Celebrate your due diligence. If 
you’ve never backed up your data or don’t do it 
regularly, consider making it a monthly practice. 
How about the first of every month? Be sure to 
reward yourself after you’re done. 

If you’re not tech savvy, hire someone. I like Peter 
at Foothill Tech in Sierra Madre (626-355-5152). 
He can program your equipment to back-up 

automatically. This way you don’t even have to 
think about it. It’s done while you sleep. Imagine! 

I recently left my cell phone behind for the 
second time. When I considered it lost, I freaked. 
This time I WILL back it up. Why this time? I’m 
stopping this writing to write it in my planner. 
I’m scheduling it. And when I set the intention 
by scheduling it, I eventually do it. 

What works for you? We’re all different. It comes 
down to establishing a system… a system that 
brings success for you. Maybe you book to-dos 
in your phone (if you have it). 

Try a reward. Maybe a pedicure. Five minutes to 
call a friend. Or a Starbucks gift card for yourself. 
We all like treats… no matter our age. Target 
something that will motivate you. 

As school winds down for another year, I am 
reminded how school got us to work… tests. 
Peer pressure. Parent patrol. If you no longer 
have school to keep you in line, it’s time to take 
over. 

Technology… it can make your life easier. Or 
not. 

. . . . . 

LORI KOOP, helping creative entrepreneurs 
prosper. Schedule a complimentary session: www.
LORIKOOP.com or call 626-836-1667. (Location: 
49 S. Baldwin Avenue, Suite L, Sierra Madre 
91024) I write every other week. 


YOUR AD COULD BE HERE!
Call Patricia at 626-818-2698 Today!
Be the boss of you.
Start your own business.
Learn how... 
www.LORiKOOP.com 
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