Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 17, 2023

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Mountain View News Saturday, June 17, 2023 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


SAFE PATH FOR SENIORS

Steve Sciurba, Senior Placement Specialist 

There are many reasons in working with Safe Path 

for Seniors, we will assess your loved ones and make

recommendations depending on care needs and 
budget. 

With our many years of experience, we will make an

informed recommendation. 

We work with large communities to the small 6-bed, 

board & care residential homes.

You will tour with an experienced consultant who will 

work with you through the entire process. from selecting 
the right living environment to all of the necessary 
paperwork involved.

The good news is that there is no cost for this service.

If you have any questions about placing a loved one, 
visit our web site:

www.safepathforseniors.com 

or call Steve at 626-999-6913

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …JUNE Birthdays*

Joanne Thrane, Nellie Haynes, Dorothy McKay, Diane Hatfield, Georgette 
Dunlay, Elizabeth Shula Donna Doss, Mary Carney, Carol Handley, Marilyn 
McKernan, Pat Fujiwara, John Shier, Beth Smith-Kellock, Ann Disbrow, 
Joan Ellison, Anne Montgomery, Trini Ornelas, Martha Spriggs, Pat Starkey, 
Kathleen Coyne, Suzanne Decker, Jacque Persing, Jeanne Peterson, Roxana 
Dominguez, Carolyn Lanyi, Claire McLean and Grace Sanders . * To add your name to this 
distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not required 


SENIOR CLUB Every Saturday at Noon Hart Park House

Open to all seniors 50+ Fun - Games - And More! Call Mark at 626-355-3951 

SENIOR GAME TIME 

1st & 3rd Wednesdays 11:00 am— 12:30 pm Hart Park House

Choose from a variety of games to play! Cards, Bridge, Dominos, Chess, Checkers, 
Board Games $ More.

TEA AND TALK BOOK CLUB

Wednesday, 6/14 and 6/18 9:00 am Hart Park House

Tea and Talk, meets twice a month to discuss the fun, suspense, intrigue, love and so 
much more that each selection will have in store!

HULA AND POLYNESIAN DANCE

 BEGINNERS - Every Thursday 10-11:00 am

 INTERMEDIATE Every Friday 10-11:00 am

Bring a lei, your flower skirt or just your desire to dance! Hula in the Park is back and 
waiting for you to join in on all the fun! Memorial Park Covered Pavilion.

CHAIR YOGA

Every Monday and Wednesday 10-10:45 am

Please join us for some gentle stretching, yoga, balance exercise and overall relaxation 
with Paul. Classes are ongoing and held in the Memorial Park Covered Pavilion or the 
Hart Park House. 

HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS AFTER A SPOUSE RETIRES


Dear Savvy Senior:

My 63-year-old wife, who’s doesn’t work, is on my 
health insurance plan through my employer. When I 
retire next month and go on Medicare, what are our 
options for getting her health coverage until she turns 
65? Is there some kind of Medicare coverage for dependent 
spouses? Need Insurance

Dear Need:

Unfortunately, Medicare does not provide family 
coverage to younger spouses or dependent children 
when you qualify for Medicare. Nobody can obtain 
Medicare benefits before age 65, unless eligible at a 
younger age because of disability. With that said, 
here are your best options for covering your wife.

 AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: In most 
cases, your best choice is to get your wife an individual 
health insurance policy through the Affordable 
Care Act (ACA) health insurance Marketplace 
(a.k.a. Obamacare). The Marketplace offers comprehensive 
health coverage, and she won’t be denied 
coverage or charged extra for preexisting health 
conditions.

 And thanks to the American Rescue Plan 
and Inflation Reduction Act, the Marketplace now 
provides enhanced subsidies through 2025. If your 
income falls below the 400 percent poverty level after 
you retire – anything below $73,240 for a couple 
or $54,360 for a single in 2023 – your wife will be 
eligible for a tax credit that will reduce the amount 
you’ll have to pay for her policy. The Marketplace 
also ensures that households with incomes above 
that 400 percent poverty level will not have to pay 
more than 8.5 percent of their income for a benchmark 
policy.

 To see how much subsidy you may be eligible 
for, use Kaiser Family Foundation calculator 
at KFF.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator.

 To shop for Marketplace plans in your 
state, visit HealthCare.gov or call 800-318-2596. 
Or, if you want some extra help, contact a Marketplace-
certified agent or broker at HealthCare.gov/
find-assistance.

COBRA: Another option is the Consolidated Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), which is 
a federal law that would allow your wife to remain 
with your company insurance plan for at least 18 
months after you make the switch to Medicare. But 
not every employer plan is COBRA eligible. Contact 
your employer benefits administrator to find out if 
yours is one of them.

 You also need to be aware that COBRA is not 
cheap, requiring you to pay the full monthly premium 
yourself. But, if you’ve already met or nearly 
met your employer plan’s deductible or out-of-pocket 
maximum for the year, and don’t want your wife 
to start over with a new plan; or if you find your 
employer’s health plan to be more affordable than 
the Marketplace plans, it makes sense for your wife 
to keep her current coverage under COBRA. 

SHORT-TERM HEALTH INSURANCE: If you 
can’t find an affordable Marketplace plan and COBRA 
is too expensive, the next option is short-term 
health insurance. These plans, which are not available 
in every state, are cheaper, bare-bones health 
plans that provide coverage for one to 12 months 
and may be renewed for up to three years in some 
states. But be aware that short-term plans don’t 
comply with the ACA so they can deny sick people 
coverage, they don’t cover preexisting conditions, 
and they can exclude coverage essentials like prescription 
drugs. To find and compare 
short-term health plans, try sites like eHealthInsurance.
com or PivotHealth.com.

HEALTHCARE SHARING MINISTRIES: One 
other coverage option you should know about is 
healthcare sharing ministries (HCSM). These are 
cost-sharing health plans in which members – who 
typically share a religious belief – make monthly 
payments to cover expenses of other members, including 
themselves.

 HCSM’s are cheaper than paying full out-
of-pocket costs for traditional health insurance but 
be aware that HCSM’s are not health insurance. 
They don’t have to comply with the consumer protections 
of the ACA. They can also reject or limit 
coverage for having pre-existing health issues and 
can limit how much you’ll be reimbursed for your 
medical costs.

 To look for HCSM plans, comparison shop 
at the three largest providers: SamaritanMinistries.
org, MyChristianCare.org and Chministries.org.

 Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 
5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim 
Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author 
of “The Savvy Senior” book.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

IF ONLY I HAD IT MY WAY!

Every once in a while, I have a little thought giggling in my brain to 
the effect that if only I had it my way. I don’t have it often, but I try to 
take it seriously when I do.

My personal history is that it turns out to be a disaster whenever I have everything 
my way. And, boy, have I had disasters in my life.

I often think of Frank Sinatra’s song, “I Did It My Way.” For the life of me, I do not 
know what that is all about. Maybe it worked for him, but it hasn’t worked for me, at 
least not yet. If I did everything my way, I’m sure I would be locked up in jail or an 
insane asylum by now. I’m not sure which is worse.

Regarding this, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage has several PhDs in “Doing 
It My Way.” If I were smart and not saying I am, I would let her always have it her 
way.

There is only one place I can have anything my way: my Personal Interior Castle, my 
office. I sit at my desk; look at my computer, surrounded by thousands of books. In 
this “safe place,” I can have it my way every day.

Occasionally, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage will come into my Interior 
Castle and say something to the effect, “Would you like me to do any organizing in 
here?”

I smile as best I can and respond, “You can organize in here if you permit me to go 
to your craft room and organize there.” I then chuckle, knowing she would never 
permit me to enter her craft room, let alone organize anything.

Don’t let this get out, but a couple of times when she’s away, I sneak into her craft 
room and move things around so she can’t find them when she needs them. When 
she returns, she will go into her craft room, and I will stand outside to listen and 
hear her say something to the effect, “Now, where is that? I know it was right here 
when I left.”

I have to be careful that, you know who, does not hear me chuckling.

She has her space to do her thing her way, and I have my space to do my thing my 
way, and the twain shall never entangle themselves.

One of my great pleasures is that when she does something her way, and it turns out 
to be wrong. I have to keep my laughter under control in those circumstances.

We often go across town for appointments, and when we do that, I allow her to take 
her Sissy Van, and I ride along strap in on the passenger side. Driving across town, 
she always decides which way to go.

Just recently, we had an appointment across town at some new location. We’d never 
been there before, so we had to be careful driving to that location.

When we got to a certain traffic light, I told her, “You need to turn right here on this 
street.”

Looking at me, she said, “I’m driving, and so I know where I’m going. I don’t need 
any information from you. Sit back and let me do it my way.”

With that, she turned left, and I could hardly hold my laughter because I knew 
where that street would end up.

Looking at me, she said, “Why are you laughing?”

“I was just thinking of a joke.”

“Oh, yeah. What was that joke?”

I looked at her, and in a moment, I said, “Why was six afraid of seven?”

“I don’t know, why was six afraid of seven?”

“Because,” I said, “seven, eight, nine.”

“So,” she graveled, “that was the joke you were thinking of?”

It wasn’t, but I had to use something to cover up my laughter.

All I had to do was wait, and when we came to the end of this street, we would find 
out that we were at the wrong end of town. Oh, I love it when a plan comes together.

When she finally realized we were at the wrong end of town, she looked at me, 
“Don’t you dare say what you’re thinking.”

Then she turned around and headed in the right direction.

My problem is that I caught her doing it her way, and it was the wrong way, and I 
can’t exploit it. I have to pretend that it didn’t happen. Oh, how I wish I could remind 
her of this mistake every time we are in the car.

Of course, I know if I do that, there will be heavy consequences on my side to deal 
with. Sometimes it’s best to keep some things under lock and key. But I do confess 
there are times while she is driving that I think of that mistake, and I can only smile.

Later that day, I was reminded of what the apostle Paul said. “Let no man deceive 
himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become 
a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. 
For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness” (1 Corinthians 3:18-19.

My craftiness has never done well for me. I choose to trust God in every situation 
that is before me. After all, He knows best.

Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. 
Telephone 1-352-216-3025, e-mail jamessnyder51@gmail.com, website www.jamessnyderministries.
com.

FAMILY MATTERS

HOW TO PASS ON FAMILY HEIRLOOMS & KEEPSAKES 
WITHOUT CAUSING A FAMILY FEUD


When creating an estate plan, people 
are often most concerned with passing 
on the “big things” like real estate, bank 
accounts, and vehicles. Yet these possessions 
very often aren’t the items that 
have the most meaning for the loved 
ones we leave behind.

 Smaller items, like family heirlooms 
and keepsakes, which may not have a 
high dollar value, frequently have the 
most sentimental value for our family 
members. But for several reasons, 
these personal possessions are often 
not always specifically accounted for in 
wills, trusts, and other estate planning 
documents. 

 It’s critical, however, you don’t overlook 
this type of property in your estate 
plan, as the distribution of such items 
can become a source of intense conflict 
and strife for those you leave behind. In 
fact, if you don’t properly address family 
heirlooms and keepsakes in your 
estate plan, it can lead to long-lasting 
disagreements that can tear your family 
apart.

Heirlooms & Keepsakes: Little Things 
with Big Value

 Heirlooms and keepsakes are both 
prized for their sentimental value, but 
these possessions are slightly different 
from one another in terms of the manner 
in which the items are passed on. 

 Heirlooms: Heirlooms are passed 
down among family members for generations, 
and the passing of heirlooms 
sometimes involves traditions. For 
example, the first daughter to marry 
inherits grandmother’s heirloom wedding 
ring.

 Keepsakes: Keepsakes, on the other 
hand, are possessions that are given 
or kept specifically for sentimental or 
nostalgic reasons, and these items may 
only get passed on once. For example, 
photo albums are a typical keepsake 
that are treasured by many families. 
If a keepsake gets passed on multiple 
times, it may eventually become a family 
heirloom.

 Although just about any personal possession 
could be considered an heirloom 
or keepsake, some of the most 
common examples of these items include 
the following:

Jewelry, Photographs, Books, Art, Musical 
instruments, Furniture, Clothing, Bibles, 
Recipes, Family documents (such as 
birth certificates, baptism records, and 
citizenship papers), Collections (such as 
sports memorabilia, coins, stamps, and 
doll collections)

Issues Raised by Passing on Heirlooms & 
Keepsakes

In the legal world, both heirlooms and 
keepsakes are considered “non-titled 
personal property.” As mentioned earlier, 
when there is no plan in place for 
the distribution of these items following 
the owner’s death, it can create bitter 
conflicts among family members. 
Indeed, all too often, fights over heirlooms 
and keepsakes cause close family 
members to never speak with one 
another again. 

 In her book Who Gets Grandma’s 
Yellow Pie Plate? Professor Marlene S. 
Stum, an expert in family social science 
at the University of Minnesota, warns 
of the infighting that can occur when 
there’s no plan for who inherits these 
personal effects. 

 “What surprises many people is that 
often the transfer of non-titled personal 
property creates more challenges 
among family members than the transfer 
of titled property,” says Stum. “Research 
has shown that disputes over 
inheritance and property distribution 
are one of the major reasons for adult 
siblings to break off relationships with 
one another.” 

 Given the potential trouble the distribution 
of heirlooms and keepsakes can 
cause for your heirs, you’ll want to take 
extra care in seeing that these family 
treasures are passed on properly. And 
this means incorporating them into 
your estate plan in one way or another. 

Strategies For Peacefully Distributing 
Heirlooms & Keepsakes

While there is no one perfect way to 
distribute these items in your estate 
plan, your primary goal should be to 
maintain harmony among your loved 
ones during an already emotional time. 
As with most sensitive issues, clear 
communication is vital to this process.

 Because your family members can 
have vastly different values associated 
with certain heirlooms and keepsakes 
and you may have little idea about how 
each person feels, you should speak 
with each family member in advance. 
By talking with family members about 
their feelings and expectations regarding 
your possessions ahead of time, you 
will have a much better idea how to distribute 
these items to your loved ones 
with the least amount of conflict.

 Additionally, you should decide ahead 
of time if you need to have any of your 
heirlooms or keepsakes appraised. In 
doing so, you provide your heirs with 
the necessary documentation to gauge 
the monetary value of these items, and 
you can save them from extra work 
while they are mourning your death. 

 

Gifting during your lifetime: Of course, 
you don’t have to wait until you die to 
pass on your heirlooms and keepsakes, 
and you may prefer to give away certain 
special items while you are still living. 
By doing so, you get to personally witness 
the joy your loved ones experience 
when they receive the gift, and you can 
also personally explain the reasons you 
want each person to have a particular 
item. 

 If your heirlooms and/or keepsakes 
have a high monetary value, you should 
keep gift tax issues in mind when you 
give them away. That said, the IRS has a 
relatively high annual gift tax exclusion 
($16,000 in 2022) and another high 
lifetime exclusion ($12.06 million in 
2022), so few people will need to worry 
about such taxes. 

 But be aware, the lifetime exclusion 
amount is scheduled to revert to its 
pre-2018 level of around $5 million per 
individual in 2026, so if you are considering 
gifting high-value possessions, 
you may want to do it sooner, rather 
than later. In any case, if you have possessions 
you want to give away that 
might trigger gift taxes, meet with your 
lawyer and accountant to discuss your 
options.

 Include items in your estate plan using 
a personal property memorandum: 
As with other assets you want to pass 
on after your death, you can include 
heirlooms and keepsakes in your estate 
plan by adding them to your will 
or trust. The best way to do this is by 
using what’s known as a personal property 
memorandum. 

 A personal property memorandum is 
a separate document that is referenced 
in your will or living trust. The memorandum 
allows you to list which items 
you wish to leave to each individual 
and detail the reasons you are giving 
each item. In many states, if it’s properly 
incorporated into your will or trust, 
a personal property memorandum is a 
legally binding document. 

 Most types of tangible personal property 
can be included in your memorandum, 
but it’s important to note that you 
cannot list certain assets in a memorandum, 
including titled property, such 
as real estate and vehicles; assets with 
a beneficiary designation, such as life 
insurance, 401(k)s, and bank accounts; 
or intellectual property, such as works 
protected by a copyrights or trademark. 
If you are unsure if you should include 
a certain possession in your personal 
property memorandum, consult with 
your lawyer.

Keep The Peace After You Are Gone

To ensure your heirlooms and keepsakes 
don’t create any unnecessary 
conflicts among your heirs, make sure 
that your estate plan includes all of 
your assets, especially your family heirlooms 
and keepsakes. Be intentional 
and thoughtful about how you include 
them so they will become precious 
treasures connecting you to the generations 
to follow.


Marc Garlett, Esq.

Cali Law Family Legacy Matters

www.caliLaw.com

626.355.4000

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