Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, January 14, 2023

12 Mountain View News Saturday, January 14, 2023 12 Mountain View News Saturday, January 14, 2023 
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 

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU WORK WHILE RECEIVING SOCIAL 


SECURITY? 

Dear Savvy Senior:
I started drawing my Social Security retirement benefits 
back in 2021 when I was forced to retire early, but I’m now 
interested going back to work part-time. Will this affect 
my benefits, and if so, how much? Back to Work 

Dear Back: You can collect Social Security retirement 
benefits and work at the same time but depending on 
how old you are and how much you earn, some or all of 
your benefits could be temporarily withheld. Here’s how 
it works. 

SSA Earning RulesSocial Security says that if you’re under your full retirement 
age and are collecting benefits, then you can earn 
up to $21,240 in 2023 without jeopardizing any of your 
Social Security if you don’t reach your full retirement age 
this year. But if you earn more than the $21,240 limit, 
you’ll lose $1 in benefits for every $2 over that amount. 

Full retirement age is 66 for those born between 1943 
and 1954, but it rises in two-month increments every 
birth year to age 67 for those born in 1960 and later. You 
can find your full retirement age at SSA.gov/benefits/retirement/
planner/ageincrease.html. 

In the year you reach your full retirement age, a less 
stringent rule applies. If that happens in 2023, you can 
earn up to $56,520 from January to the month of your 
birthday with no penalty. But if you earn more than 
$56,520 during that time, you’ll lose $1 in benefits for 
every $3 over that limit. And once your birthday passes, 
you can earn any amount by working without your benefits 
being reduced at all. 

Wages, bonuses, commissions, and vacation pay all 
count toward the income limits, but pensions, annuities, 
investment earnings, interest, capital gains and government 
or military retirement benefits do not. To figure 
out how much your specific earnings will affect your 
benefits, see the Social Security Retirement Earnings 
Test Calculator at SSA.gov/OACT/COLA/RTeffect.html. 

It’s also important to know that if you do lose some or 
all of your Social Security benefits because of the earn


ing limits, they aren’t lost forever. When you reach full 
retirement age, your benefits will be recalculated to a 
higher amount to make up for what was withheld. 

For more information on how working can affect your 
Social Security benefits see SSA.gov/benefits/retirement/
planner/whileworking.html. 

Be Mindful of Taxes Too 
In addition to the Social Security rules, you need to factor 
in Uncle Sam too. Because working increases your 
income, it might make your Social Security benefits 
taxable. 

Here’s how it works. If the sum of your adjusted gross 
income, nontaxable interest, and half of your Social Security 
benefits is between $25,000 and $34,000 for individuals 
($32,000 and $44,000 for couples), you have 
to pay tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits. Above 
$34,000 ($44,000 for couples), you could pay on up to 85 
percent, which is the highest portion of Social Security 
that is taxable. About a third of all people who get Social 
Security have to pay income taxes on their benefits. 

For information, call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and ask 
them to mail you a free copy of publication 915 “Social 
Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits,” 
or you can see it online at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf. 

In addition to the federal government, 12 states – Colorado, 
Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, 
Nebraska, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont 
and West Virginia – tax Social Security benefits to 
some extent too. If you live in one of these states, you’ll 
need to check with your state tax agency for details. 

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. 

FAMILY MATTERS

 By Marc Garlett 

CREDITORS AND YOUR ESTATE PLAN 

What Happens to Your Debt When 
You Die? 

Maybe you’ve wondered about your 
own debt or perhaps your parent’s 
debt—what happens to that debt 
when you (or they) die? Well, it depends, 
and that’s part of the reason 
you want to ensure your estate plan 
is well crafted. How you handle your 
debt can greatly impact the people 
you love.
In some cases, you could inadvertently 
leave a reality in which your 
surviving heirs—your kids, parents, 
or others—are responsible for your 
debt. Alternatively, if you structure 
your affairs properly, your debt 
could die right along with you.
According to the Federal Trade 
Commission, an individual’s debt 
does not disappear once that person 
dies. Rather, the debt must either be 
paid out of the deceased’s estate or by 
a co-creditor. And that could be bad 
news for you or the people you love.
What exactly happens to this debt 
can vary. One of the purposes of the 
court process known as probate is to 
provide a period of time for creditors 
to make a claim against the deceased’s 
estate, in which case debts 
would be paid before beneficiaries 
receive their inheritance. But if there 
is nothing in the probate estate and 
all assets are held outside of the probate 
estate, then what? 

 Well, that’s where a good estate plan 
comes in, and why it’s so important 
to get your affairs in order, even if 
you have a lot more debt than assets. 
Your “estate” isn’t just what you own, 
it includes what you owe, too. And 
with good planning, you can align it 
all in exactly the way you want.
Debt After Death 
When an individual dies, someone 
will handle his or her affairs, and 
this person is known as an executor. 
The executor can either be someone 
of the individual’s choice, if he or she 
planned in advance, or someone appointed 
by the court in the absence 
of planning. The executor opens the 
probate process, during which the 
court recognizes any will that’s in 
place and formally appoints the executor 
to administer the deceased’s 
estate and distribute any outstanding 
assets to their loved ones. 

 During this process, the estate’s assets 
are used to pay any outstanding 
debt. This usually includes all an individual’s 
assets, although it does not 
include assets with beneficiary designations, 
such as 401(k) plans and 
insurance policies. The estate does 
not own these assets, and they pass 
directly to the named beneficiaries. 
Given these factors, if an individual’s 
assets are subject to probate and the 
person has outstanding debt, their 
beneficiaries will receive a smaller 
share of anything left to them in the 
estate plan.
How Unsecured Debts Are Handled 
After Death 
Typically, unsecured debts, such as 
credit card debts, are the last form of 
debt the estate repays. In most cases, 
the estate first repays any outstanding 
secured debts, including car and 
mortgage loans. Following this, the 
estate repays the legal and administrative 
fees associated with executing 
the deceased’s will. From there, the 
estate repays any outstanding unsecured 
debt, including credit card 

balances. Usually, if the estate lacks 
the assets to repay these debts, creditors 
have no choice but to accept the 
loss.

 However, in some states, probate 
laws may dictate how the deceased’s 
creditors can clear these debts in 
other ways, such as by forcing the 
sale of the deceased’s property. It’s 
worth noting that there is a time limit 
for creditors to claim against an estate 
after the deceased dies, and this 
time frame varies between states. In 
California this period is generally 
120 days.
Avoiding ProbateThere are several things you can do 
to avoid probate. Perhaps the most 
common involves establishing a revocable 
living trust. Since a properly 
funded and maintained trust owns 
the assets, not the estate, those assets 
do not have to go through the probate 
process.
Despite this, creating a living trust 
does not guarantee an individual’s 
assets will receive protection from 
creditors if that person has debt. 
What it does mean is that his or her 
heirs may have more flexibility compared 
to probate. In other words, by 
creating a living trust, your trustee 
may be able to negotiate with creditors 
more easily to reduce any outstanding 
debt. In theory, creditors 
may still sue to repay the debt in full. 
However, since this could involve 
significant costs, creditors may prefer 
to settle instead. 
When Do Surviving Family Members 
Pay the Deceased’s Debts?
Most of the time, it’s unnecessary for 
surviving family members to pay the 
deceased’s debt with their own money. 
Instead, as noted above, payment 
of debts is either paid out of the deceased’s 
estate, or if there is no estate, 
the debts are extinguished. However, 
there are some exceptions to this, including 
the following:

 Co-signing loans or credit cards: 
If someone cosigns a loan or credit 
card with the deceased, that individual 
is responsible for clearing any 
outstanding debt associated with 
that account.

 Having jointly owned property: 
If an individual has jointly owned 
property or bank accounts with the 
deceased, that person is responsible 
for clearing any outstanding balances 
associated with these assets.

 Community property: In some 
states, including California, Arizona, 
Nevada, Louisiana, Idaho, Texas, 
Washington, New Mexico, and Wisconsin, 
the surviving spouse is required 
to clear any outstanding debt 
associated with community property. 
Community property is any 
property jointly owned by a married 
couple.

 State laws: Some states require 
surviving family members, or the 
estate more generally, to clear any 
debts associated with the deceased’s 
healthcare costs. Additionally, if the 
estate’s executor failed to follow a 
state’s probate laws, it might be necessary 
for him or her to pay fines.
What To Do When Someone Dies 
with Debt 
When someone dies with outstanding 
debt, it’s important to take swift 
action to handle their affairs and negotiate 
their debts. Below are some 
steps to follow when faced with this 

scenario: 
1 - Understand Your RightsSince probate laws vary between 
states, it’s a good idea to thoroughly 
research the probate process in each 
state the decedent owned property or 
hire a probate lawyer to handle the 
estate for or with you. Many states 
require creditors to make claims 
within a specific period, while also 
requiring surviving family members 
to publicly declare the deceased’s 
death before creditors can collect any 
outstanding debt. It’s also against the 
law for creditors to use offensive or 
unfair tactics to collect outstanding 
credit debt from surviving family 
members. It’s generally a good idea 
to ask creditors for proof of any outstanding 
debt before paying.
2 - Collect Documents 
Collecting documents can be 
straightforward, particularly if the 
deceased left all their vital financial 
papers in a single location. If the surviving 
family members cannot locate 
these documents, they can request 
the deceased’s credit report, which 
lists any accounts in the deceased’s 
name. Your lawyer can help you with 
this. 
3 - Cease Additional SpendingThis is essential to prevent any debts 
in the deceased’s name from increasing 
further, even if there is another 
person authorized to make payments. 
Ceasing additional spending 
includes canceling any recurring 
subscriptions and helps prevent unnecessary 
complications when negotiating 
with creditors.
4 - Inform Creditors 
Proactively contact the deceased’s 
creditors to look into options for negotiating 
the debt and notify credit 
bureaus of the death. To complete 
this process, it’s useful to have several 
copies of the death certificate to 
share with insurance companies and 
creditors. Afterwards, ask to close all 
accounts in the deceased’s name, and 
request the credit bureaus freeze the 
deceased’s credit, preventing others 
from unlawfully getting credit in his 
or her name. 
5 - Close the Estate 
Once all debt has been paid off, forgiven, 
or extinguished, the executor 
can officially close the estate. The 
process for doing this varies based 
on how assets and debts were held, 
so do not attempt this part alone. 
Get help from an experienced probate 
attorney.
Ensure Your Family Doesn’t Get 
Stuck with Your Debt 
Effective estate planning involves 
taking care of your affairs, and this 
includes ensuring your debts will be 
handled in such a way that your family 
isn’t left with a big mess or inadvertently 
forced into court. Consider 
scheduling an appointment with a 
trusted estate planner to help protect 
your assets and prevent creditors 
from reducing the gifts you want to 
leave your loved ones after death. 

To your health, wealth, and family 
legacy, 

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

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …JANUARY BIRTHDAYS* 

Gerald Day, Mary Tassop, Judy Webb-Martin, John Johnson, 
Mary Bickel, Marlene Enmark, Shirley Wolf, Ross Kellock, Ruth 
Wolter, Sandy Thistlewaite, Bobbi Rahmanian, Fran Syverson, 
Judy Zaretzka and Becky Evans. * To add your name to this 
distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of 

birth not required 

DOMINOES TRAIN GAME 

1st & 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 BOOK CLUB 

Tuesday, 1/11 & 1/25 9:00 am Hart Park House 

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, 1/17 10:00 am Hart Park House 

If you enjoy knitting, crocheting, embroidery, needlepoint, bunka, huck, tatting or 
cross stitch then we have a group for you! Bring your current project, sit and chat 
with like-minded fiber friends. 

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. 

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. 

BINGO 

Thursday, 1/19 Hart Park House 1:00 pm-2:00 pm

Please join in a fun and lively game of BINGO. Several rounds fun will be had with 
prizes for each rounds winner. 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

I SCREAMED FOR ICE CREAM AND GOT IN TROUBLE 

Trouble is not my middle name, although it sure could be; just ask The 
Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. 

I try to keep out of trouble, but my definition differs from my wife's. What she considers 
to be trouble is just about everything I do. I will not ask her how I can keep from 
doing what I do. I don’t need that trouble. 

If I could remember some of the trouble I've been in it probably could help me keep 
out of some new trouble. But of course, my "new trouble" is something I've done before, 
many times, according to someone in our house. 

My thought is, and I am unanimous in this, without trouble, there is no real life. If you 
don't get into some trouble, then something is wrong.
Sometimes, according to my experience, trouble is worth it.
Well, sometimes it's worth it. 

One of my routines at night is to have a nice cold bowl of ice cream. I don't care what 
flavor it is because I've never had any ice cream that I didn't like. The one I like best is 
the one I'm eating at the time. 

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage is very good at buying my ice cream and is 
always looking for coupons or BOGO, for which she is rather famous.
Not long ago, she came into the house excited and laughing, as I'd never seen her 
laugh before. It took a while for her to calm down, but when she did, I was able to find 
out what she was all excited about. 

At the one store where she usually gets groceries, she found, much to her surprise, ice 
cream that was buy one and get two free. Of course, that sure made her day, but it also 
made my day as well.
I wonder if that was a mistake, but if it was, she took advantage of that ice cream sale.
She's very cautious with how much ice cream I should eat. When she came home with 
this bargain, I tried to explain that this meant I could have twice the amount of ice 
cream as before. 

When I said that, the smile on her face quickly evaporated, and looking at me, she 
said, "It does not mean anything of the sort. You will eat what ice cream I give you, 
and that's all." 
Well, you can't fault me for trying. If you don't try, how do you know something isn't 
going to work? 

I was happy that we had a nice supply of ice cream just in case of any emergency. One 
emergency that I was thinking of was an overwhelming hunger for ice cream. According 
to The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, this is not an emergency.
I am banking on the fact that because we have so many boxes of ice cream, I could 
sneak a bowl while she wasn't home, and she wouldn't know about it. After all, with 
all those boxes, how in the world can you keep count?
One day while she was away for the day, I broke into the freezer and got a nice cold 
bowl of ice cream. It was one of the most delicious bowls of ice cream I've had in a 
long time. 

Of course, I washed the dish and put it back into the cupboard to avoid leaving any 
evidence. 

I was in my office doing a little bit of work when she came home, and within 10 minutes, 
I heard her yelling, "Did you sneak any ice cream from the freezer today?"
How she found out, I do not know. After all these years of marriage, I'm beginning to 
think she has a little ghost in the house keeping track of my movements. I can't prove 
it, but I'm starting to feel it.
Every night around 8 o'clock, she gets ice cream for the both of us. Mine in a bowl and 
hers in a cone. I wouldn't have it any other way.
One night after supper, I sat in the living room watching a little TV. I noticed the clock 
said 8 o'clock, the time for the ice cream. So I waited a few minutes, and still, no ice 
cream showed up.
She was busy in her craft room with some crafts, and I just thought she had forgotten 
what time it was. That always happens to me, but it rarely happens to her. She knows 
what time it is a half-hour before the time. Figure that out.
Thinking I could solve the problem, which was a ridiculous ploy on my part, I decided 
to tell her what time it was. 
With my strongest outdoor voice, I yelled, "It's ice cream time. Yes, I'll have ice cream." 
She came to the living room, looked at me, and said, "Did you hear that terrible noise 
just a few moments ago?"
Shaking her head she then turned around and walked back to her craft room, and to 
my disappointment, there was no ice cream that night. So I was tempted to go to the 
freezer and get my ice cream, but I wasn't sure what kind of trouble I was in that night.
David seemed to understand this when he wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, a 
very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
No matter what my trouble is, because God is my refuge I have nothing to worry 
about. 

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. 

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