Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, July 2, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, July 2, 2022 


ELECTRIC TRIKES PROVIDE OLDER RIDERS FUN, FITNESS & SAFETY! 

Dear Savvy Senior:
What can you tell me about electric trikes for semi-seniors? 
I used to cycle a lot in my younger years but have 
some balance problems and don’t trust myself on a two-
wheeler anymore. I’ve read that electric powered trikes 
are a good option for older riders but could use some help 
choosing one. Unsteady Eddie 

Dear Eddie: 
Electric powered adult tricycles – also known as e-trikes 

– are a great cycling op-tion for older adults with balance 
or stamina issues because they’re safe and su-per fun to 
ride, and easy on an aging body. Here’s what you should 
know, along with some tips to help you shop for one. 
Safer CyclingIf you’re interested in cycling, but worry about falling or 
injuring yourself, e-trikes are a great choice because of 
the three-wheeled stability they provide. With a trike you 
can ride as slow as you want without ever losing your balance, 
which is very reassuring for most older riders. 

E-trikes also come with a small electric powered motor 
to enhance the riding experience, so when you saddle 
up and apply the throttle the motor will give you a 
boost when pedaling, or it will do all the work for you. 
This makes it much easier to whiz up hills and ride into 
headwinds without gassing yourself or tax-ing your knee 
joints. 

In addition, most adult e-trikes are also made with a low 
“step through” design making mounting and dismounting 
easier; they typically come with big tires that ensure a 
smooth ride; have ergonomic handlebars that are easy to 
reach and grip; and offer oversize seats (some even have 
backrests) for comfort and sup-port. 

There are many different types of adult e-trikes to choose 
from with prices rang-ing anywhere from around $2,000 
up to $7,000. To shop for one, contact some bike shopsin your area to see what they offer, or you may need to 
order one online. 

When shopping for an e-trike, pay special attention to 
the motor, which deter-mines how fast it will go, and the 
battery, which determines how far it will go be-tween 
charges. 

Most e-trikes can reach speeds of anywhere between 15 

FAMILY MATTERS

 By Marc Garlett 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COLLECTING 
LIFE INSURANCE PROCEEDS 


If you need to collect life 

insurance proceeds as the 

policy’s beneficiary, the 

process is simple. During 
the emotional period immediately following a loved one’s 
death, however, it can feel as if your entire world is falling 
apart, so it’s helpful to understand exactly what steps you 
need to take to access the insurance funds as quickly and 
easily as possible. 

Also, if you’ve been dependent on the person who died 
for financial support and/or you are responsible for paying 
for the funeral or other expenses, the need to access 
insurance money can be downright urgent. Plus, unlike 
other assets, an estate’s executor typically isn’t involved 
with collecting life insurance proceeds, since benefits pass 
directly to a beneficiary, so this is something you will need 
to handle yourself. 

With this in mind, I’ve outlined the typical procedure for 
claiming and collecting life insurance proceeds, along 
with discussing how beneficiaries can deal with common 
hiccups in the process. However, because all life insurance 
policies are different and some involve more complexities 
than others, consult with a trusted advisor if you need any 
support or guidance. 

Filing A ClaimDeath benefits are not automatically paid out from a life 
insurance policy. To collect the proceeds, you must first 
file a claim with the life insurance company. But before 
you start the claims process, you must first identify the 
beneficiary of the policy: are you the beneficiary, or is the 
policy set up to be paid to a trust? 

Sometimes, life insurance proceeds are paid to a trust, not 
outright to a beneficiary. This way, the life insurance proceeds 
may be protected from lawsuits, creditors, and even 
a divorce that a beneficiary may be involved with at the 
time they collect the funds. 

In the event a trust is the beneficiary, contact your estate 
planning attorney so they can create a certificate of trust 
that you (or the trustee, if the trustee is someone other 
than you) can send to the life insurance company, along 
with a death certificate, when it becomes available. 

In any case, you (or the trustee) will notify the insurance 
company of the policyholder’s death, either by contacting 
a local agent or by following the instructions on the 
insurance company’s website. If the policy was provided 
through an employer, you may need to contact the insured’s 
workplace first, so they can put you in touch with 
the appropriate insurance representative. 

Many insurance companies allow you to report the death 
over the phone or by sending in a simple form and do not 
require the actual death certificate at this stage. Depending 
on the cause of death, it can sometimes take weeks 
for the death certificate to be available, so this simplified 
reporting option can dramatically speed up the process. 

From there, the insurance company typically sends the 
beneficiary more detailed forms to fill out, along with 
further instructions about how to proceed. Some of the 
information you’re likely to be asked to provide during 
the claims process include the insured’s date of birth, date 
and place of death, their Social Security number, marital 
status, address, as well as other personal data. 

Your state’s vital records office creates the death certificate, 
and it will either send the certificate directly to you 
or route it through your funeral/mortuary provider. Once 
you’ve received a certified copy of the death certificate, 
you’ll need to send it to the insurance company, along 
with all of the other forms the insurance company requires 
you to complete. 

Multiple BeneficiariesIf more than one adult beneficiary was named, each person 
should provide his or her own signed and notarized 
claim form. If any of the primary beneficiaries died before 
the policyholder, an alternate/contingent beneficiary can 
claim the proceeds. In that case, however, he or she will 
need to send in the death certificates of both the policyholder 
and the primary beneficiary. 

Minor Beneficiaries 
Although policyholders are free to name anyone as a beneficiary, 
when minor children are named, it creates serious 
complications, since insurance companies will not allow 
a minor to receive life insurance benefits directly until 
they reach the age of majority, which is 18 in California. 

If a minor child is named as a beneficiary, you would need 
to go to court to be named as the child's legal guardian to 
manage the funds until the child comes of age—and this 
is the case even if you’re the child’s natural parent. This is 
because unless you are specifically named as the guard-

and 28 miles per hour, and typically go somewhere between 
20 and 55 miles on a single charge, de-pending 
on how much pedaling you do. Battery charge times will 
vary too, rang-ing anywhere from 3 to 8 hours. 

How to Choose 
To help you figure out the right kind of e-trike for you, 
ask yourself how and where you plan to ride it. If you’re 
primarily interested in a leisurely ride around the neighborhood 
for pleasure, fitness or running errands, an upright 
cruiser e-trike that has a rear cargo basket would be 
a nice choice. 

Some popular options in this category include: Addmotor’s 
M-340 Electric Fat Trike and M-360 Semi-Recumbent 
Trike (both $3,000, addmotor.com); Emojo CaddyPro ($2,900, emojobike.com); Sixthreezero EVRYjourney 
250W Tricycle ($2,200, sixthreezero.com); EWheels 
EW-29 ($2,000, ewheelsdealers.com); and Buzz Cerana T 
($1,700, buzzbicycles.com). 

Or, if you’re looking to take longer road rides a recumbent 
e-trike may be a bet-ter option. These are aerodynamic, 
low-to-the-ground stretched-out frame trikes that 
allow you to recline with your legs positioned in front of 
you. Catrike (catrike.com) and TerraTrikes (terratrike.
com) are two of the biggest U.S. com-panies that make 
recumbent tadpole-style trikes (the two wheels are in 
front) and they both offer electric assist options at prices 
ranging from $5,000 to $,7000. 

There are also folding e-trikes, which are practical if you 
have limited home storage space or would like to take 
your trike with you when traveling. Some good options 
here include the Liberty Trike ($1,600, libertytrike.com) 
and Eunorau New-Trike ($2,500, eunorau-ebike.com). 

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. 

ian of the minor’s estate, you are not automatically considered 
the guardian of the child’s financial assets, even 
as a parent. 

Therefore you should never name a minor child as a life 
insurance beneficiary, even as a backup to the primarybeneficiary. Rather than naming a minor as the beneficiary, 
it’s often better to set up a trust to receive the proceeds. 
In that case, the proceeds are paid into the trust, 
and whomever is named as trustee will collect the insurance 
proceeds and manage the funds for the child’s benefit 
until he or she comes of age. 

Moreover, within the terms of the trust, you can also spell 
out exactly how you’d like the trustee to manage the money 
for the child and even how the child can use the funds 
once they’ve reached adulthood. 

In any case, you should consult with an estate planning 
attorney to determine the best options for passing on your 
life insurance benefits and other assets to minor children. 

Insurance Claim PaymentsProvided you fill out the forms properly and include a 
certified copy of the death certificate, insurance companies 
typically pay out life insurance claims quickly. In fact, 
some claims are paid within one to two weeks of the start 
of the process, and rarely do claims take more than 60 
days to be paid. Most insurance companies will offer you 
the option to collect the proceeds via a mailed check or 
transfer the funds electronically directly to your account. 

Delayed PayoutsThe payout of life insurance proceeds can be delayed for 
a few reasons. Beneficiaries often face delays if the policyholder 
dies within two years of the policy being issued. 
This is because most life insurance policies contain a con-
testability period. 

Most contestability periods are typically between one to 
two years, and if the insured dies during this period, the 
insurance company can investigate the claim to ensure 
that the policyholder didn’t commit fraud on the policy 
application by lying about underlying health problems, 
family medical history, or other conditions. 

That said, provided the insurance company doesn’t 
discover fraud or other issues with the application, it 
will most likely pay the claim once the investigation is 
wrapped up. If problems with the application are discovered, 
the insurance company might pay a reduced benefit 
or even deny the claim, depending on what is uncovered. 

Payout may also be delayed when homicide is determined 
to be the insured’s cause of death and the beneficiary is a 
suspect. In this case, the payout is typically delayed until 
the beneficiary is cleared of any involvement in the insured’s 
death. 

A few other common reasons insurance payouts may be 
delayed include: 

The insured committed suicide within two years 
of the policy being issued.

The insured died during illegal or criminal activity, 
such as a robbery or driving while intoxicated.

The insured omitted risky activities, such as 
smoking or skydiving, on the policy application. 

Additional Information 
Sometimes an insurance company will request you to 
send in a completed W-9 form (Request for Taxpayer 
Identification Number and Certification) from the IRS to 
process a claim. Most of the time, a W-9 is requested if 
there is some question or issue with the records, such as 
having an address provided in a claim form that doesn’t 
match the one on file. 

That said, a W-9 is simply a way for the insurance company 
to verify certain information to prevent fraud, so 
don’t be alarmed if you’re asked for one. This is a common 
verification practice, and it doesn’t automatically mean 
the company suspects you of fraud or plans to deny your 
claim. 

Don’t Be Araid to Ask to For HelpWhile collecting life insurance proceeds is often a simple 
process, don’t hesitate to reach out to a trusted advisor if 
you have questions or need support in any way. A good 
lawyer, financial advisor or insurance agent should be able 
to help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible for 
you during what is likely to be an extremely trying time. 


Best, 
Marc Garlett, Esq.
Cali Law Family LegacyMatters 
www.CaliLaw.com 

626.355.4000 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …July Birthdays* 

Nina Bartolai, Mary Lou Caldwell, Louise Neiby, Betty Hansen, Melinda 
Rogers , Christine Durfort, Shahrzad Azrani, Jeanne Borgedahl, Janet Cox,
Dorothy Montgomery, Bess Pancoska, Janet Swanson, Barbara Watson, Pat 
Alcorn, Karma Bell, Alice Clark, Dorothy Jerneycic, and Betty Dos Remedios 
* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR 
of birth not required 

THE HART PARK HOUSE SENIOR CENTER IS OPEN!!!! 

SIERRA MADRE SENIOR CLUB Every Saturday from 11:30am-3:30 pm in the 
Hart Park House Senior Center. Join us as we celebrate birthdays, holidays and payBINGO. Must be 50+ to join. For more information call Mark at 626-355-3951. 

DOMINOES TRAIN GAME 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 11:00 am— 12:30 pm Hart 
Park House The object of the game is for a player to play all the tiles from their hand 
onto one or more trains, emanating from a central hub or “station”. Call Lawren with 
questions that you may have. 

PAINT PALS 

Tuesday, 7/12 , 10:30 am—Hart Park House If you enjoy painting, sketching, water 
color, or making some other form of artistic creation please join our new program,
PAINT PALS!!! Bring a project that you are working on to the HPH and enjoy some 
quality art time with other artists looking to paint with a new pal. 

TEA AND TALK SENIOR BOOK CLUB Wednesdays, July 13 and 27 — 9:00 am 
Staff has launched a new book club series, Tea and Talk, which meets twice a month 
to discuss the fun, suspense, intrigue, love and so much more that each selection will 
have in store! 

FIBER FRIENDS Tuesday, 7/12 and 7/26 —10:00 am If you enjoy knitting, crocheting, 
embroidery, needlepoint, bunka, huck, tatting or cross stitch then we have a 
group for you! Bring your current project, a nonalcoholic beverage, then sit and chat 
with likeminded fiber friends. We meet in the Hart Park House 

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.. 

HULA AND POLYNESIAN DANCE Every Friday, 10-10:45 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 Pavilion. 

SIERRA MADRE SENIOR CLUB 

Every Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the Hart Park House Senior Center. Join us 
as we celebrate birthdays, holidays and play BINGO. 

Must be 50+ to join. For more information call Mark at 626-355-3951 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

AN APPLE FRITTER ON MY MIND 

The last few weeks have been rather hectic, and I’ve struggled to keep 
up with everything. If it weren’t for The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, 
I probably would not have gotten where I am today. 
I don’t know anybody who can plan out a day, week, or month better than her. She has 
everything planned down to the smallest detail. 

On the other hand, I am not very good when it comes to these detailed plannings. I’m 
the kind of in-the-you-moment person. Therefore, I really get things screwed up as far 
as scheduling. 

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage can think of a dozen things at the same time. 
I can only think of one thing at a time. This gets me into trouble because sometimes, 
what I’m thinking about isn’t what I should be doing at that time. 

I think what it’s called is multitasking. This is something that I cannot do even though 
I have tried for a long time. I can only keep one task and focus at a time. Usually, it’s the 
wrong task I’m think-ing of at that particular time. 

Women are famous for multitasking. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage is certainly 
the Queen of multitasking. No matter how much she has in her hand, she alwayshas room for one more task. 

I’ve never been able to do that, and I don’t have a good reason. Usually, at the end of the 
week, I go over my list of tasks and discover several things I forgot about. That usuallyis the very frustrat-ing part of my week. I started out with good intentions, but then 
something else came into view, and I forgot what I was supposed to do. 

It is quite frustrating because Monday morning, my wife will make out her list of tasks 
for the week several pages of them. On Friday afternoon, she celebrates the fact that 
everything on her list is checked off and has been duly completed. 

How she does it is above my pay grade. I’m glad she can do it, and I’m jealous of that 
talent. 

The other week I had a pile of tasks that needed done. Every one of them was necessary 
to com-plete. I hate it when something has a due date attached to it, but all were 
crucial in fulfilling. 

I started Monday quite cheerful about my list of tasks. Friday afternoon, I was frustrated 
because not one of those tasks had been fulfilled. I don’t know what happened,
but I do know that nothing happened. 

I just felt jittery all day long. Since my heart attack last year, The Gracious Mistress of 
the Parson-age convinced me to drawback on my Apple Fritters. There was a time in 
my life when I had an Apple fritter a day and sometimes more than that. 

Looking over my list of unfulfilled tasks, I could only think about an Apple Fritter at 
the time. Nothing would really calm down my nerves but one of those Apple Fritters. 

Through the years, I have tried to convince my wife that an Apple Fritter is a fruit. I 
can’t convince her even though I have tried every con I know. 

It’s been a long time since I was this jittery about my schedule. I knew the only thing 
that would calm me down a little was sneaking out of the house and getting an Apple 
Fritter. The more I thought about it, the more I thought about it. 

I looked at my list of tasks for the week and put at the bottom of it the letters “A F”. I 
knew what it meant, and I was hoping the other person in our residence did not know 
what it meant. 

I laid my list on the table, not thinking too much about it, and then my wife picked it 
up. She looked at it, then looked at me and asked what “A F” meant? 

At first, I didn’t know what she was talking about, and then it dawned on me that I 
had put those letters on my task list. I did not know how to respond to her, but in a 
few moments, I said, “That simply means Article Finishing.” Then I smiled one of my 
gregarious smiles. 

She looked at me and wasn’t smiling but giving me one of her “stares.” I suspected I was 
in trouble. 

“Are you sure,” she asked, “that it does not mean Apple Fritter?” 

It was such a frustrating week; it was hard for me to bounce back with a credible answer. 

“You do know,” she said very seriously, “that you are not to have Apple Fritters because 
of your health?” 

Trying to come up with an answer, I simply said, “I was just thinking that maybe if I 
thought a little bit about an Apple Fritter, it would make me feel a little bit better about 
my week.” 

Looking at me, she said, “I think that finishing your tasks during the week, is what will 
make you feel better.” 

Later I was reminded of what the Bible says. “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou 
good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee 
ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21). 

I don’t have to do everything, just a few things that I can handle for the glory of God. 

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