Leslie Case officially became a Rotarian at this meeting. She was welcomed by Ed Voss and Mary McNamer.Karen Baim Reagler was the guest speaker at last week’s Rotary Club of Scenic 7 meeting. Reagler talked about estate planning and answered quite a few questions regarding her topic.
Rotarian Diana Whitlow introduced Reagler to her fellow Rotarians. Reagler is the managing attorney at the Hot Springs and Hot Springs Village offices of Baim, Gunti, Mouser, Havner and Worsham, PLC. The focus of her practice is elder law including estate planning and administration, trusts, wills, guardianships, adoptions, powers of attorney and corporate law.
Reagler is admitted to practice in Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri. She earned her B.A. in religion from Duke University and her M.A. in near eastern studies from Washington University. She also obtained her J.D. from Washington University. Reagler went further by obtaining LLM, masters of law, in elder law and estate planning from Western New England College of Law just this past May.
She clerked for the Honorable Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. Of the Missouri Supreme Court. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Arkansas Elder Lawyers, Wealthcounsel and the Arkansas Bar Association.
Her article Come Hell or High Water: a Water Regime for the Jordan River Basin was published in the Washington University Law Quarterly.
She is married to David Reagler and together they have two sets of twins ages 4 and 6 and a half. When not working or playing with the children, she enjoys baking, reading and exploring Hot Springs and its wonderful offerings.
Reagler serves on the board of the Leo N. Levi Hospital and The Muses and is a member of the Hot Springs Giving Circle.
Reagler gave practical tips on preparing for the inevitable. "No one knows you better than you do. No one knows your accountant, where the boat title is, the fact that you bought that whole like policy 15 years ago and that you already bought a burial plot. These are not things that family and friends discuss over dinner at Stubby’s between bites of bar-b-que. In fact, we rarely discuss the business of our lives. If something happens to you or you decide to travel around the world, make it easier for other to help you. It is time to organize."
She told the Rotarians what they needed to do. "What you should do now: If you do not have a will or a trust, get one. Consider getting a living will. Many hospitals give them away as well as Arkansas Hospice at 318-9992. An excellent and inexpensive one can be found online at http://www.agingwithdignity.com/. It is called Five Wishes and cost only $5. Always follow all directions to make sure that you sign with all of the necessary formalities."
She was more specific. "You should also check your beneficiary designations. Beneficiary designations can be on life insurance. IRAs, retirement plans, brokerage accounts and bank accounts. Whenever you marry, you need to check the designations as well as when life changes like when children or born, parents die, etc."
Her most important point, "decide and place with your important documents, or somewhere that people will look, any funeral plans you have already made, family addresses and phone numbers and professional support personnel such as accountant, attorney, financial planner and/or insurance agent."
Reagler concluded with, "also, leave a list of assets, or at least a copy of statements, so that people will know where to start to manage your assets. Leave a list of insurance policies. Insurance is a wonderful gift but usually the beneficiaries know nothing about it and would not know where to start looking for the policy. Money is lost every year when policies are not claimed."
Reagler also talked specifics about probate in Arkansas. The cost is only $165 for probate in this state. It takes about a year to complete probate. During the year a death notice with debt payment information must run in a newspaper.
The Rotary Club of Scenic 7 meets Thursdays at noon at the Boys and Girls Club on Hwy 7 next to the McAuley Center. Bring your own brown bag lunch to enjoy with Rotarians before the meeting begins.
Rotarian Diana Whitlow introduced Reagler to her fellow Rotarians. Reagler is the managing attorney at the Hot Springs and Hot Springs Village offices of Baim, Gunti, Mouser, Havner and Worsham, PLC. The focus of her practice is elder law including estate planning and administration, trusts, wills, guardianships, adoptions, powers of attorney and corporate law.
Reagler is admitted to practice in Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri. She earned her B.A. in religion from Duke University and her M.A. in near eastern studies from Washington University. She also obtained her J.D. from Washington University. Reagler went further by obtaining LLM, masters of law, in elder law and estate planning from Western New England College of Law just this past May.
She clerked for the Honorable Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. Of the Missouri Supreme Court. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Arkansas Elder Lawyers, Wealthcounsel and the Arkansas Bar Association.
Her article Come Hell or High Water: a Water Regime for the Jordan River Basin was published in the Washington University Law Quarterly.
She is married to David Reagler and together they have two sets of twins ages 4 and 6 and a half. When not working or playing with the children, she enjoys baking, reading and exploring Hot Springs and its wonderful offerings.
Reagler serves on the board of the Leo N. Levi Hospital and The Muses and is a member of the Hot Springs Giving Circle.
Reagler gave practical tips on preparing for the inevitable. "No one knows you better than you do. No one knows your accountant, where the boat title is, the fact that you bought that whole like policy 15 years ago and that you already bought a burial plot. These are not things that family and friends discuss over dinner at Stubby’s between bites of bar-b-que. In fact, we rarely discuss the business of our lives. If something happens to you or you decide to travel around the world, make it easier for other to help you. It is time to organize."
She told the Rotarians what they needed to do. "What you should do now: If you do not have a will or a trust, get one. Consider getting a living will. Many hospitals give them away as well as Arkansas Hospice at 318-9992. An excellent and inexpensive one can be found online at http://www.agingwithdignity.com/. It is called Five Wishes and cost only $5. Always follow all directions to make sure that you sign with all of the necessary formalities."
She was more specific. "You should also check your beneficiary designations. Beneficiary designations can be on life insurance. IRAs, retirement plans, brokerage accounts and bank accounts. Whenever you marry, you need to check the designations as well as when life changes like when children or born, parents die, etc."
Her most important point, "decide and place with your important documents, or somewhere that people will look, any funeral plans you have already made, family addresses and phone numbers and professional support personnel such as accountant, attorney, financial planner and/or insurance agent."
Reagler concluded with, "also, leave a list of assets, or at least a copy of statements, so that people will know where to start to manage your assets. Leave a list of insurance policies. Insurance is a wonderful gift but usually the beneficiaries know nothing about it and would not know where to start looking for the policy. Money is lost every year when policies are not claimed."
Reagler also talked specifics about probate in Arkansas. The cost is only $165 for probate in this state. It takes about a year to complete probate. During the year a death notice with debt payment information must run in a newspaper.
The Rotary Club of Scenic 7 meets Thursdays at noon at the Boys and Girls Club on Hwy 7 next to the McAuley Center. Bring your own brown bag lunch to enjoy with Rotarians before the meeting begins.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment