By Edgar Snyder, Esq.

Another year has begun, and the economy is still unpredictable. Nearly everyone is looking for ways to pinch pennies, and people who are widowed or divorced may be scaling back their finances. Cutting coverage from auto insurance policies is common, but it could cost you thousands.

Even though it’s illegal to drive without car insurance, nearly 14% of drivers don’t have it. If you’re ever in an accident, you need to have adequate coverage to protect your financial security – especially as someone divorced or widowed. You can make changes to your auto insurance policy at any time, so there’s no better time than now to make changes to protect your legal rights.

Reviewing Your Auto Insurance Policy

If you’re not sure how much coverage to choose, here are some guidelines to help you understand the options available to you:

Tort

In Pennsylvania, you have the option of selecting Full Tort or Limited Tort. If you choose Full Tort coverage, you can collect money for pain and suffering if you’re injured in an accident, as well as compensation for medical payments, lost wages, and property damage. Limited Tort doesn’t allow you to collect money for pain and suffering.

Recommended coverage: Full Tort

Bodily Injury Liability

Bodily Injury Liability covers any claims against you if you’re found legally responsible for causing an accident. In Pennsylvania, you must have $15,000 per person, and $30,000 per occurrence of coverage. However, that’s rarely enough to cover a person’s medical bills, and you could be held liable for his or her injuries if you don’t have enough coverage.

Recommended coverage: $100,000 per person; $300,000 per occurrence

Medical Expense Benefit

This benefit pays for your own medical bills if you are injured in an accident. Pennsylvania requires you to have $5,000 of coverage. The types of medical expenses covered will be listed in your policy.

Recommended coverage: $10,000

Collision Insurance and Comprehensive Insurance

Most banks that hold the title to your vehicle require you to have these two coverages. Collision Insurance pays for damage to your car that occurs from a collision or from overturning. Comprehensive Insurance covers damages if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, hail, or other causes besides collisions or overturning. Know that these two types of coverage don’t automatically cover every type of collision or damage to your car – read the policy carefully so you know what is covered.

Uninsured Motorist/Underinsured Motorist

These two types of coverage will protect you if you’re in an accident involving a person without car insurance or without enough coverage on his or her own policy. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not required in Pennsylvania, but it is crucial to protect yourself and your financial security if you’re ever in an accident – whether it’s the other driver’s fault or not. Be careful what you sign, because you could be waiving your UM/UIM coverage.

Recommended coverage: $100,000 per person; $300,000 per occurrence 

Property Damage Liability

Property Damage Liability coverage provides money to pay claims if your car damages another person’s property. Pennsylvania law requires a minimum of $5,000 of coverage, but if you damage another person’s house or personal property, you can exceed that amount quickly.

Recommended coverage: $25,000

Income Loss

Income loss coverage can help you recover some of your wages if you’re injured in an accident and you can’t work. There are many details to consider regarding Income Loss coverage, so be sure to review this option carefully.

Recommended coverage: $1,000 per month / $5,000 in total coverage

Protect Your Financial Future

You may be downsizing or watching your budget more closely if you’re divorced or widowed, but don’t cut your auto insurance coverage. If anything, add more coverage as you review your policy. It’s better to be prepared now and not jeopardize your financial security later.

Attorney Edgar Snyder has served the residents of western Pennsylvania and its surrounding regions for over 40 years. His advice comes from representing thousands of auto accident victims and their families. For more information on auto insurance, view the free e-book on “How to Choose Auto Insurance”at http://www.edgarsnyder.com/pdf/auto.pdf. 

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone from Pittsburgh Better Times! To help prepare you buy the perfect gift for your sweetheart, we’ve assembled our annual Gift Guide for this romantic time of the year.

Also, thank you to our readers who also sent in their holiday gift ideas and suggestions for 2012. If you’re looking for a gift idea, our annual holiday gift guide features a wide variety of gift ideas for both men and women in a variety of categories including home, fashion, beauty, family, and fitness.

If you have other suggestions, please let us know and we’ll add it to the list!

Beauty and Personal Care
Books
Fashion and Style Accessories 
Home
Gift Cards
Sweet Treats
Wine, Spirits & Other Drinks

By Dr. Susan Bartell

February is the ‘heart’ month. It’s the home of Valentine’s Day, and it’s National Heart Health Month.  But, having a healthy heart is so much more than cute cards and physical fitness. It is also about ‘having heart’, which means feeling and expressing love for others and for oneself.  As we travel through our hectic lives, it can be easy to forget the importance of love, but the truth is that during these uncertain times, kids need to be able to feel and express love more than ever before because it will keep them feeling safe and secure. Happily, it’s not too difficult to ensure that your child’s capacity for love continues to grow:

Teach by example. When you openly and frequently express love to your child and to other meaningful people in your life, it teaches your child that this is important and normal. Say the words “I love you”, give hugs and kisses, and snuggle on the couch as often as possible. Children continue to learn from their parents through their teen years and into early adulthood, so don’t stop loving and teaching. Your teenager is not too old to hug and kiss!

Encourage sharing (of feelings). When your child tells you about a friend who stuck up for her, didn’t leave her out, shared her lunch, gave her a hug or was a good friend in any other way, encourage your child to tell her friend how good that made her feel and how much she values the friendship.

Support sibling love. Siblings often spend at least some of their time arguing. However, when you look closely, there are probably also many sweet moments of sharing, helping and allegiance between them. You can encourage siblings to share positive feelings towards each other by pointing out these positive moments and telling them that these expressions of brotherly and sisterly support and love really make you feel proud of them. Then, during less pleasant sibling moments, you can remind them of the positive part of their relationship in order to lessen the momentary anger between them.

Support equal opportunity for boys. In many ways, boys have been socialized to keep their feelings to themselves, even though this is no healthier for them than it is for girls. In particular, many boys are afraid to express positive feelings for fear that it may make them seem to ‘girly’. We need to help boys shift from this old-fashioned way of thinking, and teach them that friends, siblings, parents and grandparents will feel good when they share positive feelings and behaviors. What’s more, expressing love, appreciation and other positive feelings will also help your son. He will feel positive knowing that his expressions of love have brought good feelings to his friends and family.

Self-love is most important. In order to have the emotional capacity to love others, you first need to love yourself. Every child, no matter how confident, can benefit from encouragement to be proud of her accomplishments and feel positive about her strengths. Your child may also need to be reminded that loving yourself means accepting that you are not perfect. When necessary, you remind your child that she is still lovable, even if she does not have the exact body, brain or lifestyle she desires. Help her focus on the positive aspects of herself, so that self-love is easy, rather than a burden. Also, remember to love yourself (despite your imperfections) so your child can see that you really mean it!

Dr. Susan Bartell is America’s #1 Family Psychologist. Her latest book is The Top 50 Questions Kids Ask. You can learn more about her at www.drsusanbartell.com

By Jeff Gitterman

Have you ever noticed that the words listen and silent are spelled with the same letters?  Perhaps this is no accident, because in many ways, they mean the same thing.  Have you ever talked to someone and walked away feeling enriched because they were such a good listener, even if they were a complete stranger?  This talent is what accounts for some of the best psychologists in the world—and some of the best salespeople.  Interestingly, the ability to listen is also the trait most people refer to in a great relationship partner or leader.

My own understanding of the power of listening came about many years ago, when I was just starting out as a financial advisor.  One of the initial appointments that I’d have with any new perspective client is what we call a fact-finding session.  The idea is that you’re there simply to get information and gather data like their date of birth, place of work, the kind of house they lived in, income, assets, and so on.

One day, I was getting out of my car and about to walk into a potential client’s house.  I was way behind on my bills, and my mind was going on and on about how much I needed to make a sale.  Desperation poured out of me as I caught my reflection in the car window.   I stopped, looked hard at that reflection and said to myself, “Who would want to buy anything from you?  Look at how desperate you look!”

I thought of the successful people in my office and realized that to some extent, they all had a confidence about themselves that I sorely lacked.  And so I decided in that moment that I needed to drop my desperate, needy attitude and walk into this prospect’s house with the confidence of someone who didn’t want anything.

I took one last look at my reflection and saw that I had taken on an air of serenity, and that’s when I began to realize that I really didn’t need anything, that deep down there was nothing for me to get.  I dropped my need to make a sale. I became still and quiet.

I soon began to approach more of my clients this way, just focusing on listening to them, without any desire or expectation for myself personally.  And to my amazement, my meetings really started to transform and my success as a financial advisor grew exponentially.

Once I arrived for an appointment with a doctor client when he had just gotten home from work. He’d had a bad day, got home late, and was running around trying to get ready for me. He and his wife were frazzled, and their eight-year-old daughter was bouncing off the walls, happy to have her parents home and craving their attention.

I don’t even remember what we spoke about; I mostly just listened to them. But within ten minutes, the doctor’s daughter fell asleep on her mother’s lap, and the mother leaned back in her chair. The doctor loosened his tie, his breathing calmed, and the frenzied atmosphere in the room relaxed. He turned to me at the end of the appointment and said I must have hypnotized his family. Half joking, he asked me if I could come and do the same thing at 5 p.m. every day!

Have some faith that the Universe has brought you and the other person together for a more important reason than what you can get out of it in the moment.  And if that’s true, the only way we are going to see that purpose and reason is to become silent and truly listen to the other person, and see what happens next. And silence doesn’t only mean refraining from speaking.  It also means quieting the ongoing dialogue in our head—the mental noise—so that we can really focus on another person and what they’re communicating to us.

The first thing that people often say to this is, “If I’m not looking out for myself, I’m going to get walked all over!”  Many people assume that if they come from a position that isn’t fixed, they’re going to get taken advantage of.  But I’ve actually found the opposite to be true, because when another person isn’t met with resistance, they then begin to back down from their fixed positions, which creates a space for something new to occur.

Give your attention completely to another person–and see what happens. When you’re in that space, you’ll know exactly what decision to make when it comes to your relationships, and your business.   Unfortunately, too many of us spend our whole lives waiting to get something from the world so that we can show up as the person we always knew we could be.  Deep in our hearts we think there’s something missing.  But when we flip that mindset, we can discover that by becoming a giver rather than a taker, we can become agents for change in the world.

Adapted from Beyond Success: Redefining the Meaning of Prosperity – © 2009 Jeffrey L. Gitterman – All rights reserved – Published by AMACOM Books – A Division of the American Management Association – www.amacombooks.org.

Jeff Gitterman is an award winning financial advisor and the founder and CEO of Gitterman & Associates Wealth Management, LLC. www.gawmllc.com.  He is also the co-founder of Beyond Success, www.BeyondSuccessConsulting.com, a consulting firm that brings more holistic values to the world of business and finance.  His first book, Beyond Success: Redefining the Meaning of Prosperity, was recently published by AMACOM, the publishing house of the American Management Association.  

Over the past several years, Jeff has been featured in Money Magazine, CNN, Financial Advisor, London Glossy Magazine, and New Jersey Business Journal, among others.  In 2004, he was honored by Fortune Small Business Magazine as One of Our Nation’s Best Bosses.  He also serves as chairman of the advisory board to the Autism Center of New Jersey Medical School.

By Dr. Susan Bartell

At this time of year kids and teens may be susceptible to the winter blues, which, in its more serious form, is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Usually, SAD occurs during the winter months, when it is colder and there is less sunlight. Although, one does not have to live in a freezing, snowy climate to experience seasonal depression, even in a milder form, like the blues.

It is important to learn to recognize the symptoms of depression in children, so that, if necessary, you can address them immediately. All types of depression are more common in older children and teens, but it is possible for a younger child to experience SAD, especially with a family history of depression. Therefore, if your child’s behavior seems to change with the season, it is time to take notice.

Childhood depression often looks different from the adult type. Even very sad kids will appear happy sometimes—during a funny movie, or playing with friends, but it doesn’t mean they are fine. Children typically have mood fluctuations, even if they are depressed.

The most common symptoms of SAD (and childhood depression) include:

• Feeling sad, overly sensitive or crying excessively
• Anger, crankiness, moodiness
• Difficulty sleeping or sleeping more than usual
• Eating much more or less than usual (for an extended period of time, not just a day or two)
• Low energy level, difficulty concentrating
• Reduced interest in normal activities at home, in school and socially
• Stomach aches, headaches or other physical complaints that don’t respond to medical treatment
• Thoughts of death or suicide (not as common in young children)

Not every depressed or sad child will exhibit every symptom; some may have only two or three. If you think that your child has the winter blues, take these five steps:

1. Continue to observe. Watch your child’s behavior for a week or so. Then, if you still see symptoms and feel that he is emotionally under the weather, move to step #2.
2. Talk to your child. Ask how she is feeling. Enquire about possible school and friend stressors. Don’t be afraid to ask questions—you won’t ‘give your child ideas’ that she doesn’t already have. If there is no significant stressor, but she still seems unhappy, move to step #3.
3. Talk to the teacher. In most cases, when a child has the blues, his behavior will change everywhere, not just at home so the teacher is sure to notice any mood change. If the teacher (and other significant adults in your child’s life), confirms your concerns, move to step #4
4. Meet with your child’s doctor. It is important to rule out medical factors that may cause a child’s mood to change. For example, either mononucleosis or hypothyroidism can cause low energy level or trouble concentrating. After ruling out medical factors, you and the doctor can decide the next step. If the doctor recommends that you speak with a mental health professional, do so right away. See step #5.
5. Seek expert help. If treatment is necessary, it will vary depending on the severity of your child’s symptoms and her age. No one child is the same and there are several treatment options, including light therapy, increased natural light exposure, talk therapy or medication.

Dr. Susan Bartell is America’s #1 Family Psychologist. Her latest book is The Top 50 Questions Kids Ask. You can learn more about her at www.drsusanbartell.com

By Vicky Oliver

Adapted from “The Millionaire’s Handbook: How to Look and Act Like a Millionaire, Even if You’re Not“

The holiday parties have vanished into the haze of Christmas Past. The weather forecast is “gray to gloomy” for the foreseeable future. Your mood could use a lift. Clearly, a full head-to-toe makeover is in order. Over the New Year, we all make lists of resolutions to improve ourselves. Yet when money is scarce, sometimes it’s hard to figure out how to achieve metamorphosis on a shoestring.

The good news is that transformation without a huge outlay is eminently possible. With some forethought, you’ll realize that items already in your closet, refrigerator, and bathroom can be repurposed to give you the makeover of your dreams for free. This year, why not resolve to look like a million bucks without spending any money whatsoever?

1. Treat Your Hair to a Day at the Home Spa

Does your fringe look frazzled? You could make an appointment with a salon to solve the problem, but that would involve tossing thirty, forty, or fifty dollars down your hairdresser’s sink. Instead, vow to add shine to your locks for no lucre. Treat your hair to a day of pampering worthy of a magnate-in-the-making with an ingredient that hails from the grocery store: mayonnaise. For deep conditioning, don’t hold the mayo. Instead, take a half cup of mayonnaise and comb it all the way through damp locks. Let it sit for fifteen minutes. For best results, cover your hair with a shower cap. Then wash out the mayo (thoroughly!) with your regular shampoo. Your hair will feel salon-conditioned–without the salon prices.

2. Lose Weight Instantly with the “No-Diet” Diet

Did you know that 99% of diets are destined to fail? Few bodies can tolerate deprivation for long. Instead, master a new habit and dress thinner. It’s the painless way to lop off weight that won’t come off any other way! Wear high heels (every inch visually subtracts three pounds). Brush contour on your cheeks (doing so will appear to subtract two pounds). Slip on monochromatic clothing (you’ll automatically look eight pounds thinner). Wear control-top pantyhose (to visually subtract five pounds). And voila—you will have shed eighteen pounds without having to invest in any special diet foods or a support group. Results from most actual diets last but a few months. But results from dressing thin are guaranteed to last a lifetime.

3. Walk Tall

It’s hard to trade in one’s parents for taller models, but one can always keep one’s eyes peeled for clothing that elongates the body. This helps add stature, which can only enhance one’s natural elegance. Seek clothes that draw the eye up and out. The trick is to uncover these body stretchers among the stash that’s already hanging in your closet. Then pair them in new ways for maximum impact. A slip dress over skinny pants or leggings updates your wardrobe to catwalk slinkiness. Sometimes you can “cheat” a longer leg by wearing skirts that sit higher than your natural waist. Wearing dark pantyhose (or any clothing that creates one unbroken line) can also streamline your appearance, until you look almost waiflike. Supermodels aren’t just born skinny; they also learn to walk tall.

4. Sleep Your Way out of a Visit to the Dermatologist

Botox temporarily paralyzes muscles to prevent them from wrinkling. Unfortunately, Botox also promotes long-term wallet paralysis. Before you squander a fortune that you don’t have on injections, serums, and potions, try to sleep your skin into peak condition by finding your ideal sleep quotient. How do you find your magic number? Keep a snooze diary. Pay special attention to your mood, energy, and health after varying amounts of rest. Also listen to all compliments. If friends start asking if you’ve “lost weight” or what you’ve been doing to look so fresh, it could be a sign that you’ve found your optimum sleep amount. Before you invest a lot of money in anti-aging injections that supposedly turn back the clock, try setting your real alarm clock for a good night’s sleep. Then be sure to do the same thing tomorrow night.

5. Put any Perfumes You Don’t Love to a More Spiritual Use

If someone gifts you with a fragrance that makes you swoon, don’t automatically toss the perfume in the trash. Instead, try adding a couple of drops to your bathtub and distilling it with several quarts of water. Then bathe in it. The scent may sit better with you that way, and you won’t be throwing away hundreds of dollars. The ancient Egyptians believed that perfumes could help one attain spiritual perfection. In more recent times, science claims that certain scents can help lift moods. Citrus-based scents may help promote happiness; rose scents may promote calm; the scent of bergamot may relieve anxiety and stress. Experiment until you find the scent that soothes and promotes your well-being.

6. Twitter Yourself Glamorous

Do you feel like you’re six generations removed—not just from Kevin but from anyone who brings home the Bacon? That no longer has to be the case, thanks to Twitter. With its unique micro-blog technology, we are all just one generation removed from the most glamorous stars on the planet. Sign up today to follow your favorite celebrities, many of whom will provide loyal fans with a steady stream of insider tips on everything from dressing elegantly to skin, hair, clothing, and makeup pointers. And the beauty is, all of this top-notch celebrity advice is free. Ain’t life tweet?

7: Give Yourself an Online Makeover in Lieu of an Offline One

Department store makeovers only seem as though they’re free. These beauty lessons can be risky business for the budget-conscious, as salespeople will be more inclined to try to sell costly makeup products now that the holiday store traffic has eased. Fortunately, an “online makeover” really costs nothing and generates proven results—at least as far as your social life is concerned. Take a good, hard look at your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter profiles. On LinkedIn, beef up the Summary section. Ask former colleagues to recommend your work. If you’re an entrepreneur, add a company website or a link to your Twitter account. On Facebook, update your status and your profile picture. The upshot? More people will reach out to you and you’ll activate your social life without spending a cent.

For more pointers on saving money while you enjoy a luxe lifestyle, check out my new book, The Millionaire’s Handbook: How to Look and Act Like a Millionaire Even if You’re Not (Skyhorse, November 2011).

* * *

Vicky Oliver is the award-winning author of The Millionaire’s Handbook: How to Look and Act Like a Millionaire, Even If You’re Not (Skyhorse Publishing, November 2011) plus four books on career development, including the bestselling 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions (Sourcebooks, 2005) and 301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions (Skyhorse Publishing, 2010). She lives in New York City, where she helps people turn around their careers and their lives. Contact her at GetTheMillionairesHandbook.com and vicky@vickyoliver.com.

By Cara Davis

Economic woes continue to play a part in today’s weddings. Couples are opting for smaller weddings and choosing to spend their money more wisely. According to a recent study from TheWeddingReport.com, brides and grooms are paying for more of the wedding bill themselves (to the tune of $10,000 – $20,000), and they’re having more fun with it.

“We are seeing couples move away from formal and traditional type weddings to fun, romantic, simple, casual, and unique weddings with a touch of formal and tradition,” the report reads.

Here are more trends forecasted for 2012, as couples scale back, simplify and reflect their personalities.

1. It’s a small world.
Couples are keeping a tight rein on guest numbers (under 150), as the overall cost of the wedding is directly affected by how many heads are in attendance.

2. Autumn leads.
While June is the reigning month for marriages, September is a close second, and other months including August and October are on the rise.

3. Rustic and vintage themes.
Rustic themes and vintage touches continue to trend. Kellie Hanley of Orlando, Fla., is planning a “rustic, country chic” wedding this June at the Mead Gardens Amphitheater in Winter Park, and a reception at the local Farmer’s Market “to tie in that ‘barn’ feel we wanted,” she says. To pull off the theme, she’s opting to do most of the decorating herself.

4. DIY reigns.
“You can do things for so much cheaper yourself!” says Hanley, who relies on sites like Pinterest.com for ideas. She’s not alone. Megan Knight, from Coppell, Texas, is taking on most of the wedding day tasks. “Flowers, invitations, website, so far, perhaps even the cake,” she says. “We haven’t decided if we’re going to take on that yet.”

5. Tech love.
Today’s brides (96% of them according to Weddingwire.com) are planning, shopping and registering online and even incorporating technology into the wedding day itself. Online blogs are providing the inspiration brides are looking for to piece together their day. Hanley’s other favorites include Sparkle & Hay, RuffledBlog.com andTheKnot.com.

6. Sweet endings.
Dessert buffets continue to take a bite out of receptions, with nontraditional choices like: square mini-cakes and cupcake tiers or pies, macaroons, Whoopie Pies, cake pops, color-coordinated candy and even ice cream sundae stations or a cookies and milk bar. The dessert choices reflect the whimsical, fun nature of today’s weddings.

7. Color me vibrant.
Knight, who describes her upcoming Texas wedding as “laid back” and “casual,” is using a formal royal blue theme, and softening it with yellow and white accents. Some of the biggest colors this year are purples and green as well as jewel tones, according to TheWeddingReport.com.

8. Casually groomed.
Much to the relief of grooms everywhere, tuxedo rentals are out and suits and casual wear are in. TheWeddingReport.com states demand for tuxedo rental is down 11% over 2010 numbers (61% to 54% in 2011).

9. Candid cameras.
Formal photos are out and candid shots are in that fit with the look and feel of the wedding day. Demand for photo booths continues to rise as a fun way to capture memories.

10. Non-traditional gifts.
Non-traditional gift registries like CardAvenue.com are popping up, allowing couples to register for gift cards according to their tastes and needs, as research shows that couples are waiting longer to get married (brides are 27 on average, grooms 29).

11. Close to home.
TheWeddingReport.com predicts destination weddings will decline or remain flat in 2012 as couples are sticking close to home for the wedding day. They’re also choosing more outdoor and/or all-inclusive locations to simplify their weddings and save money.

12. Staying put.
Not only are couples staying close to home, they’re opting to host the ceremony and reception in the same location – again, to save money and simplify. Cindy Vega, who describes her upcoming wedding as “a little nontraditional” and “simple” has chosen Ashton Gardens in her hometown of Houston, Texas, because the on-site chapel and reception hall will allow them to keep the festivities in one location. “It was voted 4 years in a row as the top venue in Houston,” she adds.

Weddings expert Cara Davis is the author of Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot and blogs from her home in Orlando, FL, about cheap ways to spend and save at CheapWaysTo.com.

The officers of the Allegheny County Bar Association released legal tips that could come in handy for the new year. These tips are the sixth in a series of monthly briefs from the association on a timely legal issue.  The legal tips are part of the association’s ramped-up marketing efforts to better inform the general public about the free legal information, assistance, and services available through the bar.

According to Howard J. Schulberg, President of the Allegheny County Bar Association, “While many of us make our resolutions for the new year, we tend to forget the measures to take to ensure that the new year does not begin with any legal issues that negatively impact both our financial and personal well-being.”

Schulberg said that several of this month’s legal tips could help almost everyone, while some may only impact a certain group of individuals, such as parents who have custody issues.  “Experiencing a legal issue  can be a trying time for our Allegheny County residents and that is why we encourage taking preventive legal measures to ensure you and your loved ones are protected,” he said.

Future monthly tips will focus on such areas of the law as bankruptcy, wills and estates, collaborative law, divorce and custody issues, and teens and the law.  The November 2011 monthly legal tips dealt with holiday shopping.  For more information on the Allegheny County Bar Association’s monthly legal tips, visit the association’s For the Public website at www.acba.org.

This is the time of year when we begin cleaning out our closets and getting organized for the year to come.  There’s also no better time to make sure all of your necessary legal documents are in order and make any changes necessary as well.

Below are some items to review and some helpful tips as well:

• Ensure your will, living will, and power of attorney are up to date and accurate.

In Pennsylvania, everything does not automatically pass to your spouse if you die without a will. Make sure you have made every effort to ensure that your property is divided up according to your exact wishes after your death. Even those with few assets should make out a will—you never know how much value something may have or how much family fighting can be avoided by simply planning ahead.

Ensure your power of attorney and living will are up to date as well. Although we don’t like to think of it, there may come a time when you are unable to make your own decisions and it may become necessary to have someone make those decisions in your place. Ensure that you have drafted a living will and then give a copy of it to the person who you appoint as your power of attorney.  Again, a little planning goes a long way.

• Well before you start your home improvement plans for the spring, make sure you know your exact property lines and have a current survey of your property.

Many disputes can be avoided if you ensure your plans are not infringing on someone else’s property ownership rights. Make sure you obtain all necessary building permits from your municipality as well. If not, you may face fines or have to re-do the work to ensure it’s up to code.

• Take an objective look at your financial picture.

Have you over-extended yourself over the holidays? Need to get items paid off before they snowball? Talk to a financial planner if necessary. Contact credit card companies to find out if they can offer you a lower interest rate as long as you have a good payment history. If you have good credit and have some equity in your home and are planning on staying there for some time, it may be a good time to refinance. In the alternative, if the picture looks very bleak, you may want to talk to a bankruptcy attorney to find out if bankruptcy is a viable alternative for you. At the very least, if you are having difficulty with creditors, an attorney may be able to help you deal with some of the creditors’ attempts to collect the debt and ensure you are not being harassed.

•  Objectively evaluate your mortgage in relation to where you stand financially.

If you are having difficulty making payments, you should contact your mortgage company as soon as possible.  In addition, you may qualify for assistance, but you MUST act quickly.  Many of the programs offering assistance require that you take action within a given time frame and you cannot be more than a certain number of days delinquent in your payments. Taking the time to truly determine whether or not you are able to keep your mortgage up to date may help you navigate through what could be a difficult year, financially.

• Ensure that all of your custody arrangements are in order for the upcoming year.

Now that the holidays are over, you will know for sure how likely family members are to cooperate with custody and visitation orders. If it’s necessary to change any of these orders, now is the time to do it. If it will be necessary to modify custody arrangements so that your child may attend a different school next year, you may want to begin investigating the steps you’ll need to take to legally make the change. Ideally, both parties will cooperate, but if there’s going to be a battle involved the sooner you find out, the better.

• April 15 will be here before you know it. Don’t wait until the last minute to get all of your tax information together and if you can, file early.

Employers are required to provide you with your W-2 by January 31, making filing early possible if you are organized enough and do your part. If you have a very complicated tax situation or know you’ll need help, ask a professional. The earlier you do it the better off you are—we all know how crazy the first weeks of April can be, so avoid the rush and get an early start.

If you need a referral for an attorney, contact the Allegheny County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service at 412-261-5555.

By Catherine Montague
Owner of Green Design Innovation

Our surroundings affect our health and happiness. However we are so busy that it is very easy to disregard how our environment often mirrors our state of mind. Have you ever felt overwhelmed and frantic when you cannot see the top of your desk or when your house needs a good cleaning?  Besides the office where we spend 8 hours a day, one of the most important rooms in our lives is the master bedroom.  This is the space where we rest and recharge for the next day. This is also the Couple’s retreat for intimacy and romance.

Below are a few tips to change the mood in your bedroom:

• Become more aware of your surroundings:  How do you feel when entering your bedroom after a long day? What is the first thing that you see when you wake up? Make sure that you enjoy the view.
• Remove clutter. Take the time to remove piles of papers, unwanted clothes and objects that do not belong there. Consciously choose the items you place in your bedroom.
• Bed: Place the bed against the wall with a sturdy headboard to give yourself the support     you need in life. The bed should be located to allow you to see the door from the bed, but not directly in front of the door. Avoid using the space under the bed for storage, instead let the flow of air surround you for optimum rest.
• After a divorce, get a fresh start. If possible, remove as many items that remind you of your failed relationship. Purchase new bedding to signify a new beginning and remove negative connotations.
• After the loss of a loved one, you might want to keep everything that reminds you of your life with your companion. When ready and only if you want to experiment with creating your own sanctuary, start by changing a few items and notice how you feel.
• Select objects and artwork that make you feel good and that you love. However do not just place a pretty picture on the wall, look at the meaning of the artwork.  Are you surrounded by the symbolism of single-hood or representation of togetherness?
• If in a relationship, design your bedroom together. Include your partner in the decisions, even if he/she claims not to care. You might be surprised to discover otherwise!
• Compromise and have fun! The goal is to have a retreat where you both feel comfortable.

Display recent photographs of you and your partner.

• If looking for a companion: Make sure to create an environment where that person will feel welcome. Create some space in the room and closet. Add a set of towels in the bathroom.
• Hang artwork that represents your idea of the perfect companion or the perfect union.
• Any symbol representing a couple, such as a pair of candles, vases, birds..is a great addition.
• Ensure that your decor is not too feminine or too masculine.
• Lay in bed and have a smile while looking at your retreat!

About the Designer: Catherine Montague, LEED AP, Principal of Green Design Innovation, is an International Interior Designer and team player collaborating with architects, builders and craftsmen to create superior designs for discriminating homeowners and businesses.  Designs from around the world created in your unique style. She provides Interior Design Services, Real Estate Staging, Presentations & Corporate Training and International Shopping for the distinguished buyer. Contact Catherine at 412-638-2696 or catherine@greendesigninnovation.com for a complimentary assessment!