Don West Jr.'s - Legacy & Estate Planning Blog: July 2009

Photo: Innovation

>> Sunday, July 19, 2009

A Classic Interview with Napolean Hill

Our mental abilities to guide and direct our own lives is absolutely amazing. Some have called it "the secret", many have noted its history back to the biblical times of Abraham, while others have coined it, "the law of attraction." In this short clip, mega-author Napolean Hill share his views on the underlying foundation to his best selling books and programs, "What the mind can conceive, it can also achieve." If you are not familiar with Hill, he is the author of the books, Think and Grow Rich and the Law of Success, both books written and released around the time of the Great Depression. Think and Grow Rich is one of the bestselling books of all time. I believe this is in part because it still adds value to the lives of those who read it today. Highly recommended reading for those on the path to greater prosperity.

Let's all commit to using our intellects and building a hearty and healthy legacy for future generations.

Your Legacy & Web 2.0 Technology

>> Friday, July 17, 2009

Here is a short 4 minute video which demonstrates how a person's school career can be memorialized using web 2.0 technologies, specifically YouTube, facebook and an email distribution chain. Take a look and see what ideas come to mind. We'd would love to hear what creative ideas are generated.

Photo: Illumination

Photo: Dangerous Attraction

>> Thursday, July 16, 2009

Photo: It Begins With A Single Step

>> Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Autobiography: As a Child

This is How People Described Me as a Child, and How I Saw Myself

When I was a child one of the first and most consistent comments and/or descriptions that I can recall were comments about my eyes. People always would stop me and say, “You have the most beautiful eyes.” To this day I get comments about the color of my eyes, although nowadays it is often followed, or preceded by, “are they real?” You see, I have hazel eyes and as I have come to learn through the years it is not very common for an African-American man to have hazel eyes, although I feel as though I have run into quite a few men and women who share the trait, (But were they real?). But the thousands of compliments I received as a child and young adult had the awesome side effect of instilling a great deal of self-confidence as it related to my general physical appearance, more on that in a moment.

Don West, Jr. in 1976, (2 years old)

The second most memorable comment was often about my ability to remember people, places, conversations and events. When I was three years old I went to Nashville to my Aunt Joanne’s, (my dad’s baby sister), college graduation from Fisk University. To this day I still remember many of the events that occurred in Nashville back in 1977 even though I was only three at the time. My favorite, I was dancing with all my aunt’s college girlfriends wearing a little light green suit and bow tie. (I’ve been the life of the party for the past thirty-two years apparently, and definitely looking forward to the next sixty or so!)

There is another occasion when my ‘Tall Me Me’, (that is what I called my mom’s mother, I actually called both grandmothers ‘Me Me’, but my maternal grandmother was dubbed ‘Tall Me Me’ because she stood 5’10” tall and my dad’s mother was closer to 5’ even.), called me into the room to give her friends driving directions from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Huntsville, Alabama. Not thinking anything of it, I rattled off the interstates and highways that one must travel to complete such a trip. Several years ago I was thinking of that moment and realized, those people in the room that day were probably not going to Huntsville, Alabama and have thus concluded that ‘Tall Me Me’ was showing them something about her grandson and his memory. Unfortunately, ‘Tall Me Me’ passed away when I was in 11th grade, so I will have to wait until we are one day reunited to get the details about what was really going on in the living room that particular day.

Within the confines of my family many often commented on my mouth. You know the phrase, “boy your mouth is going to get you into trouble one day!” I’ve learned in later years through conversations with my mother that she was often lectured by the family elders about how free she allowed me to be with my expression, especially verbally. I do not want to paint the wrong picture, since some of today’s youth seem to go to previously unknown extremes with their words and lack of respect for adults and authority. My father was a firm disciplinarian, he still would subject you to a session with the belt if you tip-toed beyond his boundaries, but that said, I was free to express myself and more importantly my dreams and aspirations.

Whenever I would speak about doing things that made no sense for our current socio-economic circumstance or the foreseeable future, I learned that my mother served as a strong barrier against naysayers and disappointingly numerous adults who wanted to crush and dispel the dreams of a little boy. I will be eternally grateful for that constant freedom my parents provided, because it gave me wings and allowed me to believe that I could change the stars if I would only set my mind to it. My father would always say, “Anything is possible, you simply must plan your work and work your plan.”

As a kid my most consistent thought about myself was, “boy I am skinny!” I was as thin as a rail and quite self-conscious about it. Sometimes I would be teased in school for being thin, even leading to fights when somebody would take the jokes to far on the playground. Oh, how I long today to be magically reconnected with that super-fast metabolism of my youth.

So how did people describe you as a child? How did you see yourself?

Photo: Solitude

>> Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Land Trusts - Virtually Unknown Property Protection Mechanism

The Land Trust is not the most commonly known Trust mechanism out there. However, it is a powerful asset and identity protection tool, especially for those who live in the state of Florida because it is a statutory trust. The Florida Land trust also adds an additional benefit because it may contain testamentary powers and directions, i.e., provide direction and/or instruction for the property in case of death or incapacity.

The use of a Land Trust allows a person to buy a piece of property, conceal the fact that they own the property, limit themselves from most liability associated with the property, yet retain almost all the rights of ownership including, legally claiming Homestead exemption if the property is a primary residence. A land trust is an arrangement whereby one person or entity (the trustee) holds both legal and equitable title to real estate and holds it for the benefit of another party (the beneficiary).

Below is a short article that details the Florida Land Trust Act and its uses and benefits.

The 2006 Florida Land Trust Act A.I.L.E.P

View more documents from Don West, Jr..

Photo: Southernmost

>> Monday, July 13, 2009

The Southernmost House is located in Key West, Florida, where five U.S. Presidents, the Lady Kay and the Legacy Lawyer have stayed.

Essentials: How Estate Taxes Work

Far too many Americans have a silent partner in everything they earn and accumulate in their life. Some do not know or even realize that they have this silent partner. While others choose to ignore their partner or put off dealing with their 'partnership' situation until 'later.' In either case, without a properly written and witnessed plan in place, their silent partner stands to get paid a large percentage of everything they own when they pass away. Who is this silent partner? The federal government, of course. How does this occur? Estate Taxes. [Note-Your state government may also be in line as a silent partner too, depending on which state(s) your reside and own assets.]

"Estate Tax - The estate tax is a tax on your right to transfer property at your death. It consists of an accounting of everything you own or have certain interests in at the date of death."
Source IRS.gov

There is only one way to pass all of your assets to another person without paying estate taxes - by giving 100% of your estate to your spouse. And still, this is not an automatic assumption, proper preparation must be made to avail yourself of this benefit. If any other heirs, excluding your spouse, obtains assets from your estate, tax liabilities may be incurred. There are five significant types of taxes that your estate or your heirs may need to pay upon your passing:

Capital gains taxes
Federal estate taxes, (also referred to as "death taxes")
Inheritance taxes
State estate taxes, (depending on the laws of your state)
Income taxes

It is critical to completely grasp what these five taxes are, particularly for minimizing the amount of taxes that will be taken out of your estate that is intended to be passed on to your heirs. You have worked a lifetime to accumulate and safeguard your hard earned assets, don't you want your heirs to receive as much as possible instead of sending an unnecessary check to Uncle Sam? It is simple, PLAN, and you keep more. Continue reading the Essentials series on http://Legacy-Lawyer.com and take the time to understand which of the above taxes might apply to you, your estate and your heirs. It also may be advisable that you speak with a qualified local tax advisor to answer your specific estate tax questions.

Photo: Reach for the Skies

>> Sunday, July 12, 2009

Photo: "Possibilities"

>> Saturday, July 11, 2009

Photo: "Growth is Everywhere"

>> Friday, July 10, 2009

Presentation: Understanding Generativity

>> Thursday, July 9, 2009

We are all connected. From one generation to another, life is a continuios chain of learning and living. Generativity is a concept developed by famous psycho-analyst Erik K. Erikson and deals directly with the activities of 'guiding the next generation(s).'

Understanding Generativity - Legacy & Estate Planning

View more documents from Don West.

>> Wednesday, July 8, 2009

http://www.Axis-Institute.net

Photo - "Metamorphosis"

Faith & Entrepreneurship

When you venture off into the unknown to start your own business enterprise, what is the force that makes you think you will succeed?

You must have strong faith to believe you can fly.

Simply put , you have faith! It is an essential pre-cursor element to entrepreneurship. Before I go pontificating about the subject I must give proper credit to my cousin Anita Connors, (http://www.atconnercpa.com/index.html), a CPA in Philadelphia who hipped me to this novel concept. She has built a vastly successful business and produced a documentary of her life story which is a strong example of the principles to be discussed here.

So many people get twisted into knots when you discuss faith, but at its core faith is simply a belief that is not based on proof. A brand new business has no sales stats, no past performance, simply an idea and someone's faith that it will succeed.

With faith being such an essential element, all those who venture out on that proverbial limb and start a new business should logically become students of faith. Any tool that will assist and strengthen your faith logically seems to have a direct ability to impact your entrepreneurial pursuits.Some great quotes on faith:

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand [that in order] to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”
– Gail Devers

“Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to”
– George Seaton

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.”
– Douglas Adams

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”
– St. Thomas Aquinas

“Faith... Must be enforced by reason...When faith becomes blind it dies.”
– Mahatma Gandhi

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
– Reinhold Niebuhr

“You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.”
– Mary Manin Morrissey

“Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to”
- unattributed

Being an entrepreneur gives rise to the occasion when you learn firsthand, “it’s lonely at the top!” Being the boss creates occasions when burdens run high and friends run away. The bills flow constantly, while customers seem sporadic. It is only by faith that you can continue to move forward, continue to believe. Having a strong spiritual faith allows the entrepreneur to give up his worries and place them in something greater than themselves. It is this ability to know that no matter what happens I am not alone that allows me to maintain my daily sanity without the regular use and constant abuse of intoxicants.

I personally continue to seek new ways to exercise my faith spiritually, professionally and personally. The greater one's faith, the greater one's potential. So as we all grow , let's spread some tools for a more faithful life....

Think about it and let me know what you think.

VLOG: Reflect & Rejoice Tuesday '09

>> Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Find more videos like this on DonWestJr-theCommunity

VLOG Tribute and Reflection on Michael Joseph Jackson by Don West, Jr.

Essentials: Planning Directives

>> Monday, July 6, 2009

A will by its legal nature contains a limited ability to handle the disposition of your assets and affairs. Planning Directives are documents that supplement and support a will by addressing financial and legal questions that wills do not, and that give instructions about what should occur with your estate and/or minor children if an unforeseen accident or illness leaves you incapable of expressing what you want.

At the very least, everyone is encouraged to have a will and Planning Directives in place to safeguard their assets and loved ones in the event of death or unforeseen incapacity. For some others, though, especially those with large families, or sizable estates, estate planning may necessitate a number of additional considerations.

Photo - "Garden Ascent"

Photo of the Day - July 6, 2009: "Garden Ascent" - Photo by Don West, Jr.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

>> Sunday, July 5, 2009

Shared with me on facebook by my friend, Arianna Shahparvari. Independence & Freedom are Our Goals!

Photo - "Happy"

>> Saturday, July 4, 2009

HAPPY 4th of July!

Photo of the Day - July 4, 2009: "Happy" - Photo by Don West, Jr.

Remembering the peoples of the world who embrace their own pursuits of Independence and Freedom, especially those in Iran, Dafur, Somalia & Afghanistan. May our troops, and their loved ones, who sacrifice so dearly be included in all of our thoughts and prayers as we spark the grills and enjoy the fireworks displays!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY to all my friends stateside and to all those pursuing their own freedoms!

Benjamin Frankiln's "Art of Virtue"

In his partially completed autobiography, Benjamin Franklin shared 13 virtues and the monitoring system he used, as he sought to invoke the 13 virtues into his daily life. As one of most generative of our Founding Father's, I share them with you as a tribute on Independence Day.

The Art of Virtue

by: Benjamin Franklin

1 . Temperance. Eat not to Dullness Drink not to Elevation.

2. Silence.
Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself.
Avoid trifling Conversation.

3. Order.
Let all your Things have their Places.
Let each Part of your Business have its Time.

4. Resolution.
Resolve to perform what you ought.
Perform without fail what you resolve.

5. Frugality.
Make no Expense but to do good to others or yourself:
i.e. Waste nothing.

6. Industry.
Lose no Time. Be always employ'd in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary Actions.

7. Sincerity.
Use no hurtful Deceit.
Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. Justice.
Wrong none, by doing Injuries or omitting the Benefits that are your Duty.

9. Moderation.
Avoid Extremes. Forbear resenting Injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness.
Tolerate no Uncleanness in Body, Clothes or Habitation.

11 . Tranquility.
Be not disturbed at Trifles, or at Accidents common or unavoidable.

12. Chastity.
Rarely use Venery, [indulgence in or pursuit of sexual activity], but for Health or Offspring; Never to Dullness, Weakness, or the Injury of your own or another's Peace or Reputation.

13. Humility.
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

*******

In a great country that provides unequaled freedoms, we are all free to be virtuous as well. Happy Independence Day!

What is Your Legacy?

See the Anatomy of Don's Personal Crest

Photo - "Standing Tall"

>> Friday, July 3, 2009

Photo of the Day - July 3, 2009: "Standing Tall" - Photo by Don West, Jr.

Benjamin Franklin and the Junto

Ben Franklin's Junto was called the Leather Apron Club

Benjamin Franklin is my personal favorite among the Founding Fathers. In part, because he was so enthusiastically multifaceted and loved books, and, in part, because he too was an author and printer/publisher. On the eve of the United State's Independence Day, I felt inspired to share a little about this mega-creator and noted international statesman. Among his numerous credits are: playing a major role in the founding of the University of Pennsylvania, establishing the country's first public library, and, most of us are familiar with his exploits involving a key, a kite and a lightening storm.

What many of us are less familiar with, may be his almost life-long practice of self-improvement in a group environment, in a group Franklin called, the Junto. In 1727, (282 years ago), Benjamin Franklin, then 21 years old, created the Junto, a group of like minded aspiring artisans and tradesmen who hoped to improve themselves while they improved their community. Franklin credited many of his life's successes to his participation in the collective thought and activity of the Junto.

Numerous luminaries have explored and endorsed the concept of the Junto, including:

* Author Napolean Hill, who often referred to this type of a group as the "Master Mind";

* Psychiatrist Carl Jung who describes its virtues as the "Collective Unconscious"; and,

* Physicist Albert Einstein had a group, and called his small group "The Olympia Academy."

Are you involved in the regular practice of self-improvement? If so, do you have a cooperative group that is aligned toward the same goal(s)? If not , today is the day to start. If you're on facebook there is new page that utilizes the principle called, The Success & Prosperity Mastermind. So, no excuses, join forces with someone today and watch you efforts multiply exponentially.

With all that Franklin accomplished, (only the tip of the ice berg is highlighted above), one of Franklin's most enduring Legacy elements can be found in the words of his autobiography, specifically, his 'Art of Virtue.' Franklin never finished his autobiography and in some ways robbed us all of his wisdom and intellect by not doing so. Franklin would have deemed this one among of his life's 'great errata', I will suppose. However, each of us can learn from what he did share, and use his examples to begin to forge and record our own rich and lasting legacies.

Tomorrow, in Benjamin Franklin's honor for Independence Day, we will post Ben Franklin's Art of Virtue. Stay tuned....

Essentials: Your Last Will & Testament

>> Thursday, July 2, 2009

A Will or Last Will & Testament is a legal document usually requiring the signatures of witnesses and outlines the final distribution of your property and possessions, designating your wishes for who takes responsibility for your minor children and/or disabled dependents on the event of your passing, as well as other issues you desire to address.

Who needs a will? Almost everyone can benefit from having a will. If you own things or have minor children something must happen when you transition, there is no way to avoid this absolute of life. Take control and responsibility today, it is very important.

Have a question, just ask.

Photo - "I See You"

Photo of the Day - July 2, 2009: "I See You" - Photo by Don West, Jr.

Photo - "A Connected Continuation"

>> Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Photo of the Day - July 2, 2009: "A Connected Continuation" - Photo by Don West, Jr.

The Beginning - July 2009

July marks the beginning of the second half of 2009 people, can you believe it? So in my efforts to make the most out of the rest of this year, I decided to give myself a few objectives and benchmarks to achieve this month. In seeking to not be out on the trials all by my lonesome, I figured I'd write this short note to memorialize my plans and tag some very inspiring people as well.

So, after you read this note you may want to do the same for yourself, even if it is on a scrap piece of paper or in a journal or notebook.

Powerful Energies Being Unleashed!

1.) My Clear Definitive Goal, ("CDG"), for July '09 is to be of greater service to everyone around me: my family, friends, clients and strangers alike.

2.) I seek to take on a greater spirit of humility this month, send me your prayers and positive energies to help me accomplish this heavy task.

3.) I must GMWGT! And further spread the GYWGT concept and the ideas that make it work. I desire to empower everyone who has a message, idea, movement, product or service to harness the dynamic forces of the internet in order to increase exposure and add dollars to their pockets. We all need to further monetize our efforts and bodies of work! Christopher Knight and his company, http://www.EzineArticlescom goes a long way toward embodying this idea and empowering thousands of people.

[GYWGT is a service mark that stands for,
"Get Your Web Game Tight!"]

Inspired by David A. Arnold

4.) Become connected with more uplifting people, positive thinkers, and manifestors of their own destinies & future's path.

Pretty simple, straight forward and to the point.

So, if you would look over the list one more time; I am sure you can think of two (2) people you can introduce me to that will empower me to achieve any of the above four benchmarks. I would greatly appreciate it and will do my best to return the favor if you tell me what you are seeking to accomplish this month on your path....

My Break Out Person for the Month of July is: Debi Hepler

Debi has a fantastic spirit lots of warm energy, but she says she is shy and slow to come out of her shell. I think Debi is going to put her shy side behind her and share her brilliant wonderfulness with many more people in the near future. She's already engaged my mentor, David Cornwell, on a thread and constantly shares pleasant comments with me....

Thanks to everyone and please consider dropping in on Debi and getting to know this awesome Indianapolis native!

Keep Acting and Thinking Positive!

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>> Sunday, July 19, 2009

>> Friday, July 17, 2009

>> Thursday, July 16, 2009

>> Wednesday, July 15, 2009

>> Tuesday, July 14, 2009

>> Monday, July 13, 2009

>> Sunday, July 12, 2009

>> Saturday, July 11, 2009

>> Friday, July 10, 2009

>> Thursday, July 9, 2009

>> Wednesday, July 8, 2009

>> Tuesday, July 7, 2009

>> Monday, July 6, 2009

>> Sunday, July 5, 2009

>> Saturday, July 4, 2009

>> Friday, July 3, 2009

>> Thursday, July 2, 2009

Photo of the Day - July 2, 2009: "I See You" - Photo by Don West, Jr.

>> Wednesday, July 1, 2009

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