Tips in Making a Family Tree for Your Estate Plan

Creating a Family Tree is a helpful method to guarantee your estate plan encompasses all your wishes for distribution of your property.

A comprehensive estate plan includes a Last Will and Testament, Living Trust, Living Will and insurance policies. Depending on your personal circumstances, you may or may not need all of these documents.

Each of these documents involves making specific bequests to family, friends or charitable organizations. It can be confusing trying to sort out the various bequests and properties made in each estate planning document. Drawing a Family Tree will help you make certain you have left bequests or property to each individual you wish to and no one is forgotten.

Outlining a Family Tree

If your parents are surviving, write their names at the top of your tree. Draw a line down to yourself. Extend the line horizontally and write down your siblings' names.

Next, draw a line down from yourself and write in your children's names. Do the same with your siblings' names and mark down their children's names.

If you wish to go further with your Family Tree, you can include your parents' siblings and their children by drawing another horizontal line from your parents and continuing with the same format you used for you and your siblings.

It is beneficial to include birthdates and addresses, if possible. The more contact information you can include in an estate planning document about a beneficiary, the better. A common problem in distributing estates is locating beneficiaries. In some cases, the beneficiary never receives the bequest because he or she cannot be found. You can prevent someone you love not receiving his or her share of your estate by verifying personal information.

Assigning Bequests

Once you are satisfied with your Family Tree, the next step is to start with bequest designations. If you are married, you may want to leave your entire estate to your spouse. Alternatively, you could give the majority of your estate to your spouse and leave small bequests for other special people in your lives. Parents likely want to divide their estate amongst their children. Grandparents might wish to divide their estate amongst both children and grandchildren. You do not have to divide your estate equally amongst your beneficiaries. You can allocate different size proportions to your beneficiaries.

Review

Finally, double-check your family tree once you have finished to ensure you have included all your close relatives, their birthdates and addresses and written a bequest for those you have chosen.

Once you have completed the Family Tree, you can tell at a glance exactly what each person is receiving as a bequest.

If you'd like to learn more about making your family's history part of your estate plan, contact our office today.

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The Luminous Fiber Optics Fabric, New Possibilities For Design, Decoration and Events

Among the many decorative lighting technologies that are available today, Fiber Optics is certainly one of the most elegant and original. However its use has been limited so far in home decoration and interior architecture applications, mostly due to the complexity of fiber optics lighting systems.

A recently developed technology, the Fiber Optics Fabric (aka Luminous Fabric), is about to change that.

Based on this technology, a number of standard decorative lighting products are now readily available: table cloths, table runners, cushions, curtains, wall coverings...

The Fiber Optics Fabric is made of ultra-thin optical fibers, directly woven with synthetic fibers. The optical fibers are specially processed in order to allow the light to be emitted along the full length of the fibers (side emitting fibers). The optical fibers are then connected to ultra-bright LEDs (embedded in borders at the edge of the fabric), which inject light into the fabric.

Unlike with other lighting technologies, the light emitted by the Luminous Fabric is warm and subtle, producing a fancy and intriguing atmosphere.

Most of all, the luminous effect, and the look and feel of the luminous fabric, is wonderfully original and eye catching.

The light emitted by the Luminous Fabric is spread on large surfaces, so it is hardly visible in direct sunlight or broad daylight. It is best viewed in dark settings.

Depending on their type, luminous fabric products can be powered either by batteries or by AC adapters.

The Fiber Optics Fabric is available in a dozen of colors. Depending on the type of electronic module or LED used with the fabric, many light colors are possible. The most common and most luminous light colors are Red, Green, Blue, Yellow and White.

The Fiber Optics Fabric does not heat up when it is lighted, and presents no risks of electrical shocks.

The Fiber Optics Fabric is as fast and flexible as any other synthetic fabric.

It is water resistant and it can be gently hand washed with water up to 50°C and natural soap.

The main applications of Fiber Optics Fabric made products are home decoration, interior architecture, stage decoration, luxury boat or cars decoration, furniture, and special events.

The luminous fabric is available either as finished products, such as table cloths, table runners, cushions, curtains, or even dresses, T-shirts, etc... , or as fabric panels that can be directly integrated into furniture, objects, or be used as wall panels, etc...

Panels of fabric can be up to 150 cm (69") wide, and up to 10 meters (10 yards) long.

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The Different Styles of Oak Floors for Your Home

Oak is a strong and tall tree that grows up to a height of above 50 ft. Oak has different species of very strong wood, so much so that a few centuries back, the wood was used for constructing ships. This is why people increasingly prefer oak floors, furniture and oak doors. Oak wood flooring has its advantages and this is why it is classy and rich, to start with. There are different shades and styles that have a unique finish. The width of oak can be adjusted easily for flooring purposes. The wood that is derived from oak is guaranteed for years although it is a bit expensive. The price of oak differs from one country to another.

Solid oak flooring has high quality and this is because the boards are thick and can be conveniently removed and replaced without leading to too much of expenditure and damage. As the surface of oak is extremely smooth, it can be used repeatedly. Solid wood flooring that is engineered is a popular variety. Its specialty is that it has various boards that are bonded to various types of timber. The board is highly durable, and is free from twisting. The flooring is available for rooms in which problems of under heat may arise.

Solid oak floors are available for matching the floor needs of residential and commercial buildings. The floors can be customized according to the budget and demands of the homeowners. Different varieties are available with the antique oak doors and flooring to the specialized designs of the living room. You may choose something that matches the looks of your home. You may choose the red and white flooring which is eye catching due to its look and color. Red oak is a preferred choice for flooring, but then white is not much used for the floors. It is mostly used for furniture.

Red oak is prominent among the home owners as it is stylish and durable. It is moreover potent against dust and other related problems. Due to prolific availability, the rates are low and this wood is affordable. Hard wood oak flooring keeps the surfaces of the floor fresh and clean. It makes the room feel airy and fresh. The look is pleasant too.

The advantage of oak wood floors is that they can be cleaned easily with a mop and vacuumed conveniently. This is why you can eliminate the dust, dirt and other germs or particles from the surface. You can use doormats inside and outside the doors to reduce the dirt that is brought about by shoes. The oak floors must not be stained with spills. Make sure about using cleaners that are specifically meant for hardwood.

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Create Your Own Wooden Headboard

Furniture projects can be a fun way to personalize your home without spending a lot of money. Bed frames with headboards can cost in the thousands of dollars at furniture stores. By creating your own headboard, you can save money and ensure that the final piece is the exact style and color you're seeking. You can also create a headboard as simple or as intricate and creative as you desire, giving you limitless options that you won't find in any store.

By creating a headboard that attaches to or leans against the wall, you can personalize a bedroom without building an entire bed frame or taking up space in the room. An inexpensive metal frame can support the box springs and mattress while the headboard is propped behind the bed or affixed to the studs in the wall. Some considerations when planning your homemade headboard project are how (or whether) you will attach it to the wall, the size of the mattress, the desired height of the headboard and the style of other furniture in the room. The headboard can be short or tall and can extend beyond the width of the mattress, depending on the look you desire.

Before you get started, you'll need measurements of your mattress and a design plan that is feasible given your skill and comfort level. By building a wooden headboard, you have limitless design options. You can stain or paint it any combination of colors and give it a distressed or a polished look.

Whether you are leaning or affixing your headboard to the wall, carefully decide the height at which the headboard should sit before you start the project, as this may influence the dimensions of the headboard. There are several appropriate methods of attaching a headboard to a wall, but you will need to attach it to the studs inside the wall for the most secure installation. Some ideas for installation are to use flush mounts, or to build a frame onto the headboard that attaches to boards screwed into the wall.

For a simple wooden headboard design, begin with an appropriately sized, single piece of wood spanning the width of the mattress. The main piece of wood may be framed and painted or stained as desired, or even covered in cushioning and then wrapped in fabric. Alternatively, you can create a grid pattern using multiple boards or wooden squares for a more contemporary style. These simply made custom headboards can be adorned with wood buttons, dowels or cubes for a unique look. Even old wooden doors or shutters can be repainted and repurposed into headboards, so don't hesitate to scour antique shops and flea markets to get fresh ideas and inspiration for your headboard project. Think of your headboard as a work of art; no style or color is off limits!

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Helpful Ideas For Kids Woodworking Plans

Do your children like to help you in your shop? Would you like to show them what they could make with their very own hands? Finding some easy kids woodworking plans might be just what you're looking for. Not only can woodworking be fun for kids, it can also be very rewarding for us parents too. Having the chance to get our children involved in something can be fun for the whole family. Many parents think woodworking is too dangerous for younger kids, but it really just depends on what the project is. As long as you go over all safety rules with your kids, and make sure they completely understand them and follow them at all times, they should be fine. Adult supervision is always recommended.

Age is sometimes an issue, but young kids of any age can help with a project. Pick something basic, such as an easy shelf, a small chair or a bird house. Ask your child what he or she would like to make. Parents should always have some involvement in the woodworking projects with the kids. Pencil boxes, pen holders, small boxes and toys are some other projects that are quite easy to do. Kids love them because they can be used for storing their own pens and pencils, etc. and can show them off to their friends. They can also make frames for photos or displays for various small items, etc.

A high quality set of woodworking plans should always include diagrams of the project to be made, simple step by step instructions with all the measurements and also a complete list of materials and hardware needed. They may also give a rating of how difficult the project is and a list of necessary tools to complete the project.

These are just a few ideas for kids woodworking plans. Older kids can, of course, get into more challenging projects.There are all kinds of woodworking projects that kids can do. There are also quite a few books available that contain some simple woodworking projects for children. The easier to plans are to follow, the better. You will be able to find some free plans on the internet and also some plans that you will have to pay for. If you want quality plans that are accurate, you will want to invest in the ones that you pay for. As the saying goes, "you get what you pay for".

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Body Protection in Woodworking

The safety of the woodworker must be ensured while at work, and this could only be done by the worker himself. Knowing all the safety precautions is very important while working with sharp tools and equipment. In connection with this, it is worthwhile focusing on the safety measures to protect the worker's body from injury and hazards in the woodshop. It will be very helpful to illustrate a detailed discussion on safe clothing and woodworking safety equipment.

Safe clothing involves wearing of appropriate clothes while working in the woodshop. The clothes should be long enough to cover the rest of the skin so that the worker can be protected from wood dust, debris and wood particles. However, the clothes should not be loose in order to keep them from getting caught by the machine. Moreover, to ensure comfort while working, the clothes to wear should be suitable to the weather condition such as thick ones during winter and thin ones on hot days.

Some workers do not bother the dust on their skin so they prefer simple shirts and jeans because they feel comfortable in them. Aside from the basic clothing requirements in woodworking, there is special attire needed to be worn while engaging in wood turning because a lot of wood debris get airborne. Wearing long sleeves and long pants is required to cover the entire skin. Further, full protection with apron and face shield is strictly advised.

Another body protection requirement is wearing of safety equipment. While using power tools, debris and wood particles fly to the air hence safety glasses are needed to protect the eyes. To protect the ears and avoid hearing loss, ear protection should be worn while using noisy tools like joiners, routers and planers. Moreover, airborne wood dust and particles are harmful to the respiratory system when inhaled; thus using of face mask is advised. Similarly, a respirator should be used when applying finishing chemicals such as paints and varnishes. Likewise, power tools generate flying wood particles or chips which can cause face injury hence a full face shield is necessary aside from eye mask.

Woodworking is not an easy job because it requires attention to body protection against harmful effects of chemicals and hazards of airborne dust and particles. However, following safety measures and wearing those safe clothing and safety equipment is easier for those who love their health more than their work. All those safety protection measures for the worker's body should follow the rules of comfort while at work.

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