A Pandemic Of Potpourri
Did Somebody Get Into The “Potent Potables”?

Ten Inspirational Quotes
Profound Or Just Confusing?
You Be The Judge.

1. It’s not the days in your life, but the life in your days that counts. — Brian Williams
2. The best way to predict the future, is to create it. — President Abraham Lincoln
3. Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom. — General George S. Patton
4. A career is wonderful, but you can’t curl up with it on a cold night. — Marilyn Monroe
5. I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. — Michael Jordan
6. You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough. — Mae West
7. To avoid criticism: Say Nothing. Do Nothing. Be Nothing. — Aristotle
8. When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they take better care of it there. — Cecil Selig
9. Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you, too, can become great. — Mark Twain
10. We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone. — Ronald Reagan

BONUS QUOTE: “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.” — Luke 10:26-28

MEDICARE MISHEGAS
“OY VEY! DE GOY IST USING A YIDDISH WORD… SOME CHUTZPAH, DA KLUTZ!”
“QUIT WITH DE KVETCHING, BUBBE… MENSCH OR MESHUGGENEH, WHO CAN SAY?
HE’S TRYING AND THAT AIN’T BUPKIS” BASICS

1. Medicare is a Mulligatawny Stew of Health Insurance Options, including Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Part D Prescription Drug Plans.
2. 2.1 million Michiganders, Michiganians, or Great Lakes Staters are enrolled in Medicare.
3. Everything Changes Every Year! Open Enrollment is NOW! GOOD STUFF is available.

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE (PART C AND SOMETIMES PART D)

1. Average Monthly Medicare Advantage Insurance Premiums DROPPED from $35 to $29 per month for 2022.
2. 25 new Medicare Advantage Plans are available in 2022. Total: 191 DIFFERENT Plans.
3. Some Medicare Advantage Plans have ZERO, that is $0 per month premiums.
4. 18 Advantage Plans offer rewards and incentives for healthy behaviors.
5. Advantage Plans, including Advantage Plans with ZERO premiums, are available to ALL (that’s 100%) of Michigan Medicare folks.

MEDICARE STAND ALONE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN (PART D)

1. 23 Stand Alone Prescription Drug Plans (Part D) are available in 2022.
2. Many Advantage Plans include Part D coverage.
3. 99% of Medicare recipients can lower their 2021 premiums.
4. Part D Plans start at $7.50 per month.

OPEN ENROLLMENT… OPEN ENROLLMENT… OPEN ENROLLMENT

You get the chance every year to change your MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE. The time is NOW! From October 15 through December 7. Do NOT miss this opportunity to evaluate your Medicare insurance. Maybe you already have the best plan of all time. Maybe there’s a new one that would fit you better. You do not get to complain if you do not get involved. So get involved in your own health care insurance. You have choices.

The Government evaluates all the various plans and assigns STAR ratings to each. One Star or Five Stars? That is your choice. The ratings are available right now on MEDICARE.GOV.

GET INFORMATION NOW!

“Don’t be a shmendrik… Listen to the spiel… Mazel Tov!”

You can watch a super video class on your 2022 Medicare choices. It is so easy!
1. Prepare a nice hot cup of tea. And a muffin or scone.
2. Go To davidcarrierlaw.com
3. Click on “Free Workshops”
4. Click on “Visiting Expert Series”
5. When You Get to the Visiting Expert Series page, scroll down to “In Case You Missed It.”
6. Click on “Medicare AEP (Annual Election Period)”.
7. Relax! Sip the tea. Nosh the scone. Absorb the information!
8. Decide… Do you want to make changes?

THE REST OF THE STORY…

Your Medicare, along with Medicare Supplement Insurance and Medicare Advantage Plans are essential pieces in assembling the puzzle of your health plan. Hospitalization. Disease. Injury. Bad Stuff that Happens. Medicare is there when you need acute care. Or a new knee.

But Medicare is only part of the story. What about long-term care? What about at-home care or assisted living? What about nursing home care? What about the $185.50 co-pay for Days 21-100 of rehabilitation services? What about NO COVERAGE AT ALL for Days 100+? Medicare is not the answer for these questions.

Medicaid is the rest of the story… Find out at a LifePlan™ Workshop. Or come to the Navigating Medicaid Webinar sponsored by MLive!

PANDEMIC PANDEMONIUM: FREE COVID CASH
TRILLION HERE, TRILLION THERE, PRETTY SOON YOU’RE TALKING REAL MONEY
EMPLOYEE RETENTION TAX CREDIT – THROW MONEY OUT THE WINDOW!

FULL DISCLOSURE: For the last 31 years, from the very start, the Firm paid taxes. And paid. And paid. Freedom is not free. Blessings of Liberty have a price. But now we have the World Turned Upside Down. Government wants to give the Firm money. To keep folks employed. To keep the lights on. And the Firm has said yes. Including this galloping geyser of cash called the Employee Retention Tax Credit. The Firm is happy to duke it out with other law firms on any fair ground. But when the government starts spewing cash, the game is rigged. And it’s either play by their rules or lose. The Firm does not like to lose. So, the Firm took the PPP. And the ERTC. And we don’t like it. But your highly trained, motivated, and grateful team is still here to serve you and your family.

The 2020 CARES Act gave us this payroll tax credit. The Employee Retention Tax Credit. It has been extended through December 2021. The ERTC is worth up to $10,000 per employee for 2020. For 2021, it’s up to $28,000 per employee (70% of each employee’s earnings, per quarter, up to $7000). This is not chump change.

You get the money if:
a. Your business was partially (or fully) shut down by COVID, or
b. Your revenue was down by 20% in any 2021 quarter this year (50% in any 2020 quarter) as against the same quarter in 2019.
c. By the way, what if your income was down in the first quarter, but not the second? Under the alternate quarter rule, you can use the first quarter to qualify for the ERTC in the second quarter.
1. Here’s where it gets crazy. You can still claim the credit in the first quarter! Your business only qualifies for one quarter, but you can claim for 2 quarters? Yes. Nuts, right?
d. ERTC is supposed to offset employer payroll taxes. And it does. But what if you do not have enough employer payroll taxes to use up the credit? The IRS sends you a check. Not kidding.
e. Jed Clampett was surprised to find oil in his backyard. You may be just as shocked to discover this little fountain of fun. Too bad, you missed out in 2020, right? Nope, just go back, amend your returns, and get a nice fat government check.

EXIT QUESTION: Would You Give $3.5 Trillion Dollars to the Goof-balls Who Dreamed This Up? Do You Think They Would Spend the Money Wisely? Would You Want Them Running a Hotdog Stand? Collecting Your Garbage? (Apologies to waste haulers everywhere!)

SURE IS GREAT TO FIND OUT HOW THINGS REALLY WORK…
UNCOVER THE ELEPHANT!

Elephants to the left of us, elephants to the right… Sneaky devils! Cleverly camouflaged by the global investment industry, the legal profession, government, and others.

Can you handle the truth? I knew you could! Come find out what is really going on…

Most people know that long-term care is the stinkiest elephant in the herd. But you can get the straight story. Accurate information. Clear thinking. What you truly need to know.

Of course, you are busy. So much going on. We make it easy. Get the information, insight, inspiration you need. To live your life. Make smart decisions. Cut through the fog. It is your turn. For you. For your loved ones.

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE.
It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.
Get Information Now.
800-317-2812

The post This Is Jeopardy!® Let’s Meet Today’s Contestant… It’s You appeared first on Carrier Law.

Too many middle-class families (one is too many and long-term care poverty smashes the security of thousands) go broke from endless long-term care bills. That does not happen to our LifePlan™ families.

It is simple: Three Goals, One Strategy.

1. No Poverty – You will not go broke.

When you are in control, life is good. You will not go broke from casinos, Bernie Madoff, or too many vacations. Long-term care rips the steering wheel from your hands and points you over the cliff. No choice, no chance. LifePlanning™ keeps you firmly in the driver’s seat. In control. Lifesavings intact.

2. No Charity – Caregivers get paid. You already “bought the insurance.”

America pays for long-term care through your taxes. Withheld from every paycheck you ever earned. More than your fair share over the years. You paid for other people. Folks you have never met. You, the middle-class, only want a fair shake. You paid in, you should get paid back if needed. Without sacrificing every red cent.

3. No Waste – Any leftovers go to your beneficiaries. Not wasted on probate or taxes.

Why shouldn’t your family, your loved ones, benefit from your leftovers? Why should probate, taxes, government soak up what is left? Wise plans avoid strife and insure family harmony.

For 30 years, the LifePlan™ strategy has achieved your goals.

The rules can work for you. LifePlanning™ makes the rules work for the people who play by the rules. Other so-called experts, attorneys, planners, financial advisors accept the status quo. They do what everyone else does. The LifePlan™ approach dives deep. Seeking out and securing your family’s future.

LifePlanning™ is middle class Michigan’s tool kit for winning the future. Comply with their rules? Yes, absolutely. If you want to win, you must know how to play the game. Thirty years of study, experience, testing and delivering results have produced the LifePlan™ system. Techniques and tools that preserve, protect, and defend your right to decide how you will live. You earned that right through decades of work and conscientious stewardship. Isn’t it ridiculous to suggest that impoverishing yourself, your spouse, your family is somehow noble? Isn’t it foolish to reject your own life experience for the defeatist counsels of the “wise”?

LifePlanning™ means your choices matter, whatever life brings. Are you like thousands of Michigan families who played by the rules and earned homes, cottages, farms, lifesavings? Would you like the rules to work for you, for a change? Why wait until it is too late?

CALL THE LIFEPLAN™ HOTLINE – 1-800-317-2812

The post Goals of a LifePlan™ appeared first on Carrier Law.

COVID-19. Everyone has an opinion. Fear-mongering headlines are everywhere. Widespread destruction of American middle class hopes and dreams. Out of work. Out of school. Out of money. Out of hope. Why is anyone surprised that some young people turn against fundamental American ideals of honor and fair play? What if America had responded to polio, yellow fever, whooping cough, German measles, other devastating disease pandemics by depriving regular citizens of their rights to worship, associate with others, seek their fortune, pursue happiness?

COVID-19 falls heaviest on older Americans. It is truly an Elder Plague. The numbers have not changed. The older you are, the more deadly COVID-19. Americans over the age of 85 make up only 3.4% of COVID-19 cases, but a full 32% of deaths. Almost ten times as many. Younger Americans, under age 50, suffer 64.1% of COVID-19 infections. What percentage of deaths? Five percent. 5%. FIVE PERCENT. So. Older folks – ten times MORE likely to die. Younger folks – thirteen times LESS likely.

Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Take your temperature. Take care. Be on guard. Be wise. COVID-19 is a killer. That 5% of under-50 deaths represents almost seven thousand, five hundred Americans whose lives were cut short. Seven thousand, five hundred Americans who will never reach their full potential. Seven thousand, five hundred American tragedies.

And now, for the rest of the story.

High School Kids’ Despair Equals Suicide and Drug Abuse

“But there has been another cost that we’ve seen, particularly in high schools. We’re seeing, sadly, far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID. We’re seeing far greater deaths from drug overdose that are above excess that we had as background than we are seeing the deaths from COVID.”

Idle Hands are the Devil’s Workshop

We are not doctors, virologists, epidemiologists, or data analysts. But something seems odd here, doesn’t it? COVID-19 falls heaviest on the elderly. Hardly at all on working age and younger people. Yet rather than focus on those in need, politicians completely lock down society. No work. No play. No school. No church. Unsurprisingly, teenage suicides and drug deaths skyrocket. Frustration and boredom find outlet in politically correct protests, riots, and violence. Why do so many politicians embrace mindless destruction now and a defenseless future? Fear? Sympathy?

Some people ask, “Is there a better way?” We wonder, “Could there be a worse way?”

Middle Class Will Prevail

But as we all know, something that cannot go on forever, will not. Sooner or later, the pendulum swings back. Can you feel it? Did you get that sense, sometime last week, that things had gone far enough? Too far? We are patient. We are kind. We do not think ill of others. Slow to anger. But enough is enough. Too much waste. Too much greed. Too much self-righteous, self-satisfied, smug entitlement. Too much disrespect. “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” Hosea 8:7

LifePlanning™

Wealthy folks are fine. They have lots of lawyers chasing them. Deserving poor get it for free. The Middle Class pays. Until there is nothing left. Then, scraps. We are here to serve you. LifePlanning™ is designed for and serves the Michigan Middle Class. Now. While you are still here. And who else even talks about it? You could do worse than give us a call and discover the choices LifePlanning™ and your hard work have made possible for you.

Get Answers Today! Call 1-800-317-2812

The post COVID-19 is the Elder Plague appeared first on Carrier Law.

Many of us enjoy DIY (Do It Yourself) projects. Your ambitions could range anywhere from minor painting to remodeling the bathroom. Why not tackle the whole house? Most of us have the skill to do some minor repairs. But how many have plumbing, electrical, or dry wall talents?

Minor cosmetic home repairs won’t get you in too much trouble. Leave those load-bearing walls alone! But… running electrical circuits or plumbing to a new room takes on some serious risks. Botched wiring means short circuits and fires… shocking! You’ll be crying a river when your amateur plumbing imitates Niagara Falls. Running a gas line to a stove or dryer? What could go wrong? Ka-boom!

What, Me Worry?

Usually when we do our own home repairs, we understand the risks that we are taking on. But what about drafting your own Will or Power of Attorney documents? What is the harm? Many folks think: “I can just download some forms, fill in the blanks and I am all set! So easy!” Right? It’s like using extension cords to wire your house. Scotch tape to seal plumbing joints! Why would you risk your life savings on “free” online forms?

Danger, Danger, High Voltage!

When home remodeling, beware bare wires, leaking pipes, asbestos, and creepy crawly’s. When remodeling your Estate Plan, here are some of your risks with DIY online forms:

1. Healthcare Power of Attorney. What powers should be in these documents? Do you know that if they are not drafted properly, you could be in Probate Court to have a Guardianship setup? This causes more stress, delays and (no big surprise) surprisingly large expenses. Did you forget the Advance Directive? HIPPA? Funeral designee?

2. Financial Power of Attorney. An appropriate Financial Power of Attorney document can preserve your assets… keep you from going broke. Proper advance planning minimizes risks. But what if your bargain basement POA lacks “extraordinary” powers? It may cost you very little or it could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Why would you risk botching such an important document?

3. Trusts. When was the last time you drafted a Trust? How did that work out? What provisions are prudent for your specific facts? Should it be revocable or irrevocable, or one of each? What powers should the trustees have? These are a few of the questions to ask. Do you know how to fund a Trust, or even what this means? Do you think it could be expensive to have the wrong Trust setup that is not funded? Maybe “FREE” is the costliest of all…

Safe And Secure

Your LifePlan attorney has already helped hundreds of families like yours. You worked your whole life to save for the Golden Years. Now you are going to bet your life savings on generic, freebie forms. Thinking that you can save some money? You may never recover from that mistake if you don’t know what you are doing.

Written by Attorney Jim Henke

Call the Law Offices of David L. Carrier today at (800) 317-2812

We Make the Rules Work, for the Folks who Play by the Rules!

The post Handy Andy Ain’t Got Nothing On Me! appeared first on Carrier Law.

Know Before You Go!

Can we all agree that car insurance is confusing! Our politicians promised us new auto insurance laws to save us big money. How’s that been working out? Starting July 2, 2020, and as we renew our insurance, we drivers are supposed to save millions! So far, the savings are… underwhelming.

Risks are increasing. Everyone is used to having unlimited personal injury coverage. Not anymore. Now coverage is limited and cheaper. And the other guy can sue you for the difference. Will car accident attorneys like that? Will insurance companies like that? Aren’t you glad our politicians simplified things?

Unlimited Coverage for You!

Do you want to worry? No! You get the maximum coverage. The other guy CRASHES into you. The other guy has low or no personal injury coverage. Who is suing you? The other guy. What does he want? Your income, savings, house, whatever. Why? His unpaid medical bills. Is that fair?

But you are fine. You paid extra for unlimited coverage. No worries! Right? Wrong. That only covers your medical bills. Not that guy’s. Glad we saved all that money on car insurance.

Low or No Personal Injury Coverage for You!

Let’s save some money. No or low personal injury coverage for yourself. Bad accident? Sue the other guy! Good luck. Need long-term care after the accident? Welcome to the jungle of long-term care. Annual skilled nursing easily costs over $120,000. How long can you pay that before going broke? And when you are flat broke, Medicaid is your only resource.

All is Not Lost: Protect Yourself.

Proper Planning means peace of mind. Secure your life savings, home, cottage, business. Get quality care AND preserve resources to supplement that care. Tested, effective strategies mean you are not going broke. Life Savings Protected. Life Choices Respected.

Before You Renew Your Auto Insurance! Three Quick Tips

You have been driving forever. Remember your sixteenth birthday? You camped outside the Secretary of State’s office to be first in line for the driving test. You love driving! Except. Except that annual letter from the insurance company.

Life Is Not Tough Enough Already, You Need More Complexity

Well, that letter has gotten worse. Much worse. You have already received the first confusing communication. Telling you that Michigan’s No-Fault Automobile Insurance Law has changed. Great! Now you now have options! How much Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage? What about lawsuit liability? A whole menu of choices! Please select the ones you want. Like you, I too got that confusing letter. And if you are like me, your first answer was “How the heck should I know?!”

Where The Rubber Hits The Road

You are injured in a car accident. Your PIP pays you. PIP covers your accident medical expenses. PIP pays 85% of lost wages for 3 years. PIP pays for replacement services.
Under the old law, your medical expenses were fully covered, without limit. Now, you choose how much PIP will pay.

Three Handy Hints

Do not change your PIP coverage on impulse. I suggest:

• 1. Wait for a year. Give it a looksee first. Then, thoughtfully, change your coverage.
• 2. Talk to somebody who knows this stuff. Call your insurance agent. Are cost savings worth increased risk?
• 3. Buy an umbrella! An umbrella insurance policy, that is. Umbrella policies are cheap. Umbrella policies cover what other policies do not. Think about it!

Life Planning™ Means Security

Your life is complex. And getting more complicated all the time. LifePlanning™ secures what you have already earned. It’s your roadmap to the future. If you haven’t already begun LifePlanning™, a free, entertaining workshop is a great way to get started. Just call!

Get Security Now; Call the Hotline 800-317-2812

The post Confusion! That’s What Insurance is Today appeared first on Carrier Law.

Do you find that many things are out of your control in these uncertain times? Some of us busy ourselves with many small chores and errands. We leave big decisions for “tomorrow” because they seem insurmountable. But tomorrow never comes. Paperwork piles up! Investment reports, insurance policies, legal “stuff”. We avoid important decisions. We promise ourselves to do it later. When we have “more time”.

Why does it seem that we are most stressed by decisions that could simplify our lives? By taking steps that improve the lives of our children? Do we actually want more difficulties, complexities, loose ends?

Getting your affairs in order for both yourself and your families may seem like a task best left for a better time. Could it be that there is not a better time? Have you ever noticed that somehow time slips away? What if now is the best time to choose? While we are in good health, competent to make decisions.

Talk To Someone Who Has Walked Your Walk

I know so many women like you. Joyful women, cheerful, selfless women who spend a lifetime caring for family. But why do you neglect to care for yourself? Generous and giving, you put your plans on hold for others. I am sure you know many other women who embrace life like you. Other women who know what it is all about.

What if you could talk, have a chat with an attorney who has walked that extra mile? In your shoes? Would that be refreshing? Why can’t your wishes compel respect? Why shouldn’t your legacy have meaning? Reflect your values? Why don’t you deserve a LifePlan™?

Remember those piles of reports and statements that have been sitting around? Wouldn’t you feel less stress if you could put your hands on a single, well-organized list of your assets? What would it mean for your children? Wouldn’t this list be an invaluable guide for them? If you became incapacitated? Or at the time of your death?

No one wants to go to the hospital. But if you had to, wouldn’t you like to make those difficult decisions a bit easier on your loved ones? Wouldn’t you lighten the load if you could? LifePlan™ healthcare documents cover virtually all conditions. Saving your family valuable time and resources. Not to mention mental stress. Your LifePlan™ says: Mom thought of everything.

Most of the professional team at the Law Offices of David L. Carrier are women. Younger and older. Attorneys and paralegals. With many years of experience. We welcome the opportunity to talk to other women like us. Like you. Mothers, sisters, wives. We know about your needs and help you get your affairs in order. We have “been there”. We are there.

Let’s face it, you do have the power to create a plan with coherent guidelines. Practical steps with useful information. Handling your assets and health care while you are alive. No squabbling among the kids.

LifePlanning™ establishes clear, workable instructions. To settle matters after your death. Clear. Fair. Quick. No costly and time-consuming probate process. Again, no squabbling.

Isn’t it time for you to talk with someone who’s been on your path? Who has guided others to peace and security? We are waiting to welcome you!
Simplify your life and the lives of your family.

Come in at your convenience. I’d love to talk with you

Just ask for me, Claire Clary, an attorney with The Law Offices of David L. Carrier.

The post Out of Control? Simplify Your Life appeared first on Carrier Law.