Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, December 10, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, December 10, 2022 12 Mountain View News Saturday, December 10, 2022 12 
ASSISTED LIVING OR NURSING 
HOME? 

There are many myths about Assisted 
Living being like Nursing Homes. This 
is not true at all. Nursing facilities are for 
those with chronic health issues who require 
care around the clock from medical 
professionals. 

In Assisted Living, one will get the support 
as needed, such as getting help with 
showering, grooming, and dressing. 
Again, these services are based on the 
seniors needs. 

There are many reasons in working with 
us. At Safe Path for Seniors, we will assess the senior and depending on their care needs and budget, make 
recommendations. For example, we may suggest that the right fit is a Board and Care Home (normally a 
6-bedroom house) as opposed to an Assisted Living Community or a Memory Support Facility. You will 
work with an experienced agent who 
knows the industry well and will give you recommendations. The good news is that there is no cost for this 
service. 

If you have any questions about placing a loved one, visit www.safepathforseniors.com or call Steve at 
626-999-6913 

TIPS FOR BEING A LONG-DISTANCE CAREGIVER 


Dear Savvy Senior:
What tips do you recommend for long-distance 
caregivers? I help take care of my stubborn 86-yearold 
mother who still lives at home about 150 miles 
from me. Need Advice 

Dear Need: 
Providing care and support for an aging parent 
who lives far away can present a variety challenges 
that can make the job difficult and stressful. Here 
are some tips and resources that may help you. 

Long-Distance CaregivingWhen it comes to monitoring and caring for an 
aging parent from afar, you have a couple of options. 
You can hire a professional to oversee your 
mom’s needs, or you can manage things yourself by 
building a support system, tapping into available 
resources, and utilizing technology devices that 
can help you keep tabs on her. 

If your mom needs a lot of help, you should consider 
hiring a geriatric care manager who will give 
her a thorough assessment to identify her needs 
and will set up and manage all aspects of her care. 
But geriatric care managers are expensive typically 
charging between $100 and $250 per hour after an 
initial assessment of $150 to $750 and are not covered 
by Medicare. 

To find a geriatric care manager in your mom’s 
area, visit AgingLifeCare.org or contact the nearest 
Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116) to see if 
they have a list of providers. 

If, however, your mom only needs occasional help, 
or if you can’t afford to use a care manager, here are 
some things you can do yourself to help her. 

Create a care team: Put together a network of people 
(nearby friends or family, neighbors, clergy, 
etc.) who can check on your mom regularly, and 
who you can call on from time to time for occasional 
help. Also put together a list of reliable services 
you can call for household needs like lawn 
care, handyman services, plumber, etc. 

Tap local resources: Most communities offer a 
range of free or subsidized services that can help 
seniors with basic needs such as home delivered 
meals, transportation, senior companion services 
and more. Contact the nearby Area Aging Agency 
to find out what’s available. 

Use financial tools: If your mom needs help with 

FAMILY MATTERS

 By Marc Garlett 

4 YEAR-END TAX-SAVING STRATEGIES FOR 2022 


Although the end of 

the year can be a hectic 

time, it’s also the dead


line for your family to 

implement several key 

tax-savings strategies.
By acting now, you can significantly reduce your tax 
bill, due in April, but with just a few weeks left in 
2022, you must act fast.
While there are dozens of potential tax breaks you 
may qualify for, here are 4 of the leading moves you 
can make to save big on your 2022 tax return. However, 
there may be other opportunities for saving, 
so meet with your tax advisor to make certain you 
haven’t missed one. 

1 - Maximize retirement account contributions 
By maximizing your contributions to tax-deferred 
retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k)s, you 
can not only save for retirement, but also reduce your 
taxable income for 2022. 
In 2022, you can contribute up to $6,000 to an IRA 
and up to $20,500 to a 401(k) if you're under 50, and 
up to $7,000 to an IRA and $27,000 to a 401(k) for 
those 50 and older. If you don’t have the cash available 
to fund the maximum amount, try to contribute 
at least any amount that will be matched by your employer, 
since that’s basically free money, and you lose 
it if you don’t use it.
That said, the ability to deduct your traditional IRA 
contributions from your taxes comes with certain 
limitations. These limitations are based on factors, 
such as whether you or your spouse is covered by a 
retirement plan at work as well as your adjusted gross 
income (AGI), so make sure you know how your family 
is affected by these limits when taking deductions. 
On the other hand, Roth IRA contributions are not 
tax deductible, since they are made after taxes are 
taken out, but withdrawals from a Roth in retirement 
are tax-free. 
Additionally, consider maxing out contributions to 
your Health Savings Account (HSA). Contributions 
to HSAs for 2022 are capped at $3,650 for individuals 
and $7,300 for families, with an additional catch-up 
contribution of $1,000 allowed for those age 55 and 
older. 
You have until December 31, 2022 to contribute to a 
401(k) plan and until April 18, 2023 to contribute to 
an IRA or HSA for the 2022 tax year.
2 - Defer income if you’ll make less next yearIf you’re expecting to make significantly more income 
this year than in 2023, try to defer as much income 
into next year as possible. However, this strategy only 
makes sense if you’ll be in the same or a lower tax 
bracket next year.
This might mean asking your boss to delay paying 
a year-end bonus until after Jan. 1, 2023, or if you’re 
self-employed, waiting to invoice certain clients until 
the new year. On the other hand, if you think you’ll 
be in a higher tax bracket in 2023, you may want to do 
the opposite and accelerate income into 2022 to take 
advantage of a lower tax bracket. 


3 - Use “loss harvesting” to offset capital gainsWith the stock and crypto markets down this year, 
it can be the ideal time to use a strategy called “loss 
harvesting,” which means selling taxable investment 
assets, such as stocks, mutual funds, and bonds, at a 
loss to offset any capital gains you may have realized 
earlier in the year. Capital losses offset capital gains 
dollar for dollar. 
If your losses exceed your gains, you can write off up 
to $3,000 of collective losses against other income. 
Any losses of more than $3,000 can be carried over 
into the next year. In fact, you can carry over such 
losses year after year over your lifetime.
Note that the loss harvesting strategy does not apply 
to tax-advantaged accounts, such as 401(k)s, IRAs, 
and 529 plans. Additionally, the IRS "wash-sale" rule 
prohibits using this tax write-off for buying a “substantially 
identical” asset within a 30-day window before 
or after the sale that generated the loss. 
Given the restrictions, you should always consult 
your CPA or financial advisor before employing loss 
harvesting to ensure it doesn’t backfire on you. 
4 - Watch your required minimum distributions 
(RMDs)—or ensure your parents are watching 
theirs—if you or they are over age 72If you have an employer-sponsored retirement plan, 
including a 401(k), 403(b), traditional IRA, SEP IRA, 
or SIMPLE IRA, you must start taking required minimum 
distributions (RMDs) by April 1st of the year 
that follows the year you turn 72. After that, annual 
withdrawals must be made by December 31st each 
year to avoid a serious penalty.
If you fail to take the proper RMD, you may face a 
50% excise tax on the amount you should have withdrawn 
based on your age, life expectancy, and your 
account balance at the beginning of the year. That 
said, if you do make a mistake, you may be able to 
avoid the penalty by requesting a waiver from the 
IRS. You can request a waiver if your failure to take 
the RMD is due to a reasonable error, and you take 
steps to make the required distribution. To request a 
waiver, submit Form 5329 to the IRS, with a statement 
explaining the error and the steps you are taking to 
correct it. 
Note that in 2022 the IRS updated its uniform lifetime 
table to calculate RMDs to account for longer 
life expectancies. As a result, your RMDs for this year 
may be slightly lower compared to previous years. 
Maximize Your 2022 Tax SavingsImplementing these—and other—year-end tax-saving 
strategies could save your family thousands of 
dollars on your 2022 tax bill. But if you don’t act soon, 
some of these opportunities may vanish for good, so 
act now and lock in your savings. 

To your health, wealth, and family legacy, 


Marc Garlett, Esq.
Cali Law Family Legacy 
Matterswww.caliLaw.com 
626.355.4000 

her financial chores, arrange for direct deposit for 
her income sources, and set up automatic payments 
for her utilities and other routine bills. You can also 
set up her online banking service, so you can pay 
bills and monitor her account anytime. Or, if you 
need help, hire a daily money manager (AADMM.
com) to do it for you. They charge between $25 and 
$100 per hour. 

Check essential documents: This is also a good 
time to make sure your mom has the following 
essential legal documents: a will; a living will and 
health-care proxy, which allows you to make medical 
decisions on her behalf if she became incapacitated; 
and a durable power of attorney, which gives 
you similar legal authority for financial decisions, 
if needed. 

If she doesn’t have these documents prepared, now 
is the time to make them. And if they are prepared, 
make sure they’re updated and know where they 
are located. 

Hire in-home help: Depending on your mom’s 
needs, you may need to hire a part-time home-care 
aide that can help with things like preparing meals, 
housekeeping or personal care. Costs can run anywhere 
from $12 up to $25 per hour. To find someone, 
try websites like Care.com or CareLinx.com. 

Utilize technology: To help you keep tabs on your 
mom from afar, there are various technologies that 
can help. For example, there are medical alert systems, 
video camera monitors, wearable activity 
trackers, and electronic pill boxes that can notify 
you if she has taken her medications. And to help 
you coordinate her care with members of her care 
team there are websites like LotsAHelpingHands. 
com. 

For more tips, call the National Institute on Aging 
at 800-222-2225 and order their free booklet 
“Long-Distance Caregiving: Twenty Questions and 
Answers.” 

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. 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS* 

Maria Decker, Nancy Dorn, Prudence Levine Pat Karamitros, Joan 
Hufnagel, Mary Alice Cervera, Carol Horejsi, Shirley Anhalt, Helen 
Reese, Levon Yapoujian, Toni Buckner, Lottie Bugl, Sheila Wohler, Nan 
Murphy, Eleanor Hensel, Sylvia Curl, Elizabeth Levie, Gayle Licher, Cindy 
Barran, and Melissa Stute, Prudence Levin, Sheila Woehler. * To add your 
name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth 

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 play BINGO. 
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. 

TEA AND TALK SENIOR BOOK CLUB 

WILL RETURN IN JANUARY 2023 
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! 

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. 

BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC - Tuesday, Dec.13 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Methodist Hospital will be holding a free to 
seniors clinic once a month in the Hart Park 
House. Walk in are welcome - no pre-registration 
required. 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

DO IN NEED TO FILE A MISSING PERSONS REPORT? 

Every week comes and goes, and some go faster than others. Such was last 
week. It started pretty well, but then everything went downhill. 

I had my semiannual doctor's visit. After all, he has kids that need to go to college. After his 
complete examination of me, he said, "You're doing great." 

I asked him to repeat that several times, because The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
was there, and I wanted her to hear it from someone other than me. I wanted him to put it 
in writing and sign it, but he wasn't going to do that. So I accepted his oral pronouncement 
because it was in front of my wife. 

My wife put together the plan for the day so that we could accomplish many things in one 
day. So the doctor's visit was first. 

Then we had to go to the police station to file a report. My bank informed me that somebody 
had counterfeited one of my checks and even my signature for $1800. How they counterfeited 
my check as well as they did was beyond me. Fortunately, the bank refused to accept 
the check because they thought it was a fraud. So they took pictures and even had a video of 
him coming up to the drive-through. 

In the memo, on that check, the guy wrote "bonus pay." I don't know what he meant by that, 
but I sure would like to give him a bonus pay, if you know what I mean.
I spent an afternoon in the bank closing that account and opening another account so they 
wouldn't try that again. So the bank encouraged me to take this information to the police 
department and file a complaint. 

The bank where they tried to cash the counterfeit check was in Georgia. So after the doctor's 
visit, we went to the police department to file a complaint. 

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said, "You can go in, and I'll stay here in the car."
That worked for me, and so I went in to the police station to file the complaint.
After I presented my case, the police officer said, "What is your address?" 

I told him, and he said, "I'm afraid that's in the county, and we cannot process that complaint 
because we are here in the city." Therefore I had to take my complaint to the Sheriff's office. 
It was okay because it wasn't that far from our house. 

I left the police department, and looked for my wife's car. It was nowhere to be found. So I 
looked up and down, and nowhere could I find her red sissy van.
At the time, I didn't know what to do because, as "luck would have it," I did not bring my cell 
phone. Isn't it interesting, I never need my cell phone unless I don’t have it with me?
So I couldn't text her to see where she was at. After a while, I became nervous about this. 
Where is she? 

I was tempted to return to the police department and file a missing person report.
Thinking about the whole situation, I asked myself, "If I was my wife, where would I go?"
That sure is a crazy question to ask, but you try anything when you're in a difficult situation. 
It's been over ½ hour, and I still could not find her. Then one of those crazy thoughts 
bounced into my head. If I was my wife, I know exactly where I would go. She isn't known as 
the Thrift Store Queen for naught. At least, this was something to do. 

The police department is at the beginning of a long line of shopping stores for over a block. 
Perhaps along that line, there was a thrift store. My only problem with that, I would have to 
walk the whole distance. 

As I was standing there thinking of what to do next, a woman passed by, and I stopped her 
and said, "Ma'am do you know if there's a thrift store nearby?" 

She laughed and said, "Yes, but it's usually just for women." And she laughed some more.
Smiling as I looked at her, I said, "Where would that thrift store be?" "What are you looking 
for," she asked, "maybe there's one I could direct you to."
I was nervous, but without thinking I said, "I'm looking for a wife."
"Well," she said laughing, "a thrift store is the best place to find a wife that I know of."
Then she pointed up the row and said there was a thrift store at the end of that line. She 
added, "You'll find a lot of wives in that store so that you can make your own choice." Then, 
walking away, she laughed hysterically. 

From where I was standing, I could see something that looked like a thrift store way down 
at the end. So I started walking and when I arrived at that thrift store, guess who was inside?
On our way home, I couldn’t help but think of the Bible verse in Isaiah 41:10. “Fear thou not; 
for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help 
thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” 

No matter what my fears might be, I know that God is going to guide me through that situation 
for his honor and glory. 

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