Thy Will Be Done on Earth

A Living Will or Medical Directive is a type of advance directive that gives someone medical power of attorney to carry out your wishes about medical treatment at the end of your life.

A health care Directive (also known as a Living Will or Advanced Health Care Directive) is a document that enables you to legally record your wishes concerning whether 'heroic' or extended medical care measures should be taken to prolong your life should you become incapacitated and unable to speak on your own behalf. It is important to understand that this document will only take effect if you become incapacitated.

A Living Will or Medical Directive is valid only if:

• It is notarized.
• The person creating the health care directive must be of sound mind at the time the document is signed.

Accidents that result in incapacitation may occur at any time; and, without such a document in place, it is possible that your life might be artificially extended against your will. Without this, you could end up like Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman who triggered a battle between her husband and her parents after a heart attack and left her with massive brain damage. Her husband claimed she would not want to be kept alive in such a condition, but her parents disagreed. 

What is a Will?

What is the 10% Rule?

The principle that you save 10 cents of every dollar earned is called the 10% rule. It has made for success in family and business life.

• If paid in cash, immediately take 10% of the total amount, put it in an envelope, and set it aside to be deposited in the bank. Putting all the cash in your wallet guarantees that you will spend it all before you can save any of it!

• If paid by check, deposit the check inside the bank to your checking account, and if you have enough already in there, have the teller transfer 10% of the check amount over to your savings. Alternatively, if you deposit it in the ATM, don't be so quick to press Exit after the check goes in. When the machine asks if you want to do another transaction, make sure you say YES and then do a transfer of 10% of the amount from your checking to your savings.

• If you are receiving money by direct deposit to your bank account, make sure you watch for when each deposit clears and immediately take 10% of the amount and put it in savings. This also helps you keep an eye on when and how much money is being deposited directly, which is sometimes hard to monitor if you are not paying close attention.

The key to saving money is to make it so you don't notice it happening. Getting into the habit of immediately putting aside 10% can really add up to some serious savings; and, after a bit, you will not even notice the "missing" money. Following that rule will ensure you have funds set aside for a rainy day.

What is a Limited Liability Company?

A limited liability company, commonly called an "LLC," is a business structure that combines the pass-through taxation of a partnership or sole proprietorship with the limited liability of a corporation. Like owners of partnerships or sole proprietorships, LLC owners report business profits or losses on their personal income tax returns; the LLC itself is not a separate taxable entity. Like owners of a corporation, however, all LLC owners are protected from personal liability for business debts and claims-a feature known as "limited liability." This means that if the business owes money or faces a lawsuit, only the assets of the business itself are at risk. Creditors usually cannot reach the personal assets of the LLC owners, such as a house or car. (Both LLC owners and corporate shareholders can lose this protection by acting illegally, unethically, or irresponsibly.) For these reasons, many people say the LLC combines the best features of the partnership and corporate business structures.