1. Create an asset to pay for a grandchild’s education.  Did you know that you could pay for a grandchild’s education by planting a black walnut tree?  If you plant the tree at a child’s birth and sell it when that child goes to college, you can sell it for approximately $60,000.  This is according to Diana Beresford-Kroeger, the author of The Global Forest. This way of making money looks better than the stock market or other investments these days.  If you try this approach, you may want to plant more than one tree, in case of disease, a storm or other ups and downs of any investment.  Certainly a nifty idea.

 

2. Start the year off right and attend free “Living Well in Idaho” Workshops.*

 

“Living Well in Idaho” workshops begin again in January to help people manage their ongoing health conditions.  These free community workshops have been proven to help reduce hospitalizations and emergency room visits in older adults and improve their self-care.  Upcoming workshops scheduled for the greater Boise area (provided through Friends in Action, www.fiaboise.org) and Nampa, Caldwell, Emmett and Homedale (provided through the Area Agency on Aging, www.sageidaho.com) can be located on their websites.  

 

The six-week workshops use goal-setting and problem-solving to help people deal with pain, fatigue and stress; discover better nutrition; develop practical exercise choices; manage medications effectively; and communicate successfully.  Anyone of any age with an ongoing health condition (i.e. diabetes, heart disease, COPD, high blood pressure, arthritis, etc.) and their caregivers and families are welcome. 

 

*This information was received as part of an email from Stephanie Bender-Kitz, Ph.D, Director of Friends in Action.  I thought it was interesting and wanted to share it with you.  

 

Merry Christmas!

 

P.S. If you need help with your estate plan contact us through our website (www.graham-lawoffice.com) or call 208-344-0375.