How Estate Planning Is Like Baking | Cooper, Adel & Associates

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Issue One of the Domestic Estate Planning Series by Melissa Reynard

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Ok, so some of you may be wondering how on earth frosting a bunch of cupcakes is anything at all like Estate Planning.? And some of you would be right, there are some differences, but there are a lot of similarities as well.

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Estate Planning, like Baking, involves multiple ingredients, no person?s ?recipe? is the same, and it?s often wise to refer to your cookbook?..er??I mean Elder Law Specialist when attempting anything complicated or for that matter easy.? After all, have you ever put that wonderful looking cake batter in the oven, only to have it fall as soon as it comes out?? Do you lament the wide cracks that appear in your bread? ? These issues are small when faced with the perils of not planning your estate and throwing ?ingredients? every which way, hoping for the best.

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So let?s talk about ingredients.? When most people think of estate planning, they think of a will, maybe a trust, and not a whole lot else.? Sure, there are wills, and trusts, but you should also plan for other things, like Healthcare decisions and Powers of Attorney.? ? How could a catastrophic illness like a stroke play into your plan?? Your bank accounts, IRA?s, Insurance, and other policies likewise all have a place in your estate planning. ?

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Each person is going to need different things from their estate planning as well.? There is no one size fits all to these types of things.? Some may have property and farmland they want to consider while other people live in an apartment but have invested heavily their whole lives.? Incomes are different, assets are different;? and as you well know, that recipe for the brownies you got at that party, tastes nothing like your last batch of brownies you made from another recipe.

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So who?s to help you with your estate planning?? An Elder Law Specialist.? Just like a baker has their trusty cookbook, an Elder Law Specialist specializes in just that, estate planning!? They can help you develop a will or trust, advise on important documents, and give ideas for your financial accounts.? The offices of Cooper, Adel and Associates offer seminars to give you a better idea on what we can do for you, and while it may not be as fun as a cooking class, it?s definitely just as informative.

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Onion Dill Bread

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1 Cup Cottage Cheese

1/4 Cup Water

1 TBSP Butter

2 1/2- 2 3/4 cups flour, divided

1 Envelope or TBSP Active Dry Yeast

2 TBSP Sugar

3 TBSP Dried Onion Flakes

3 TSP Dill (more if fresh)

1 TSP Salt

1/4 TSP Baking Soda

1 Egg, Beaten

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Mix cottage cheese and water in a small saucepan.? Add butter, and heat on medium until mixture reaches 125*.? In separate bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, dill, onion, salt and baking soda and mix.? Add in the warmed cottage cheese mixture and egg and mix well.? Add 1 cup of the remaining flour.

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Work the dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic and add the remaining flour if needed.? Cover and let rest for 15 min.? Shape into a ball and place on an oiled baking tray and cover with plastic wrap.? Let rise until the dough has doubled.? Uncover and bake for 45 minutes in a 350* oven.? If you prefer a normal shaped loaf, this mixture can be prepared in a bread pan as well.? Simply let rise in the bread pan and bake at same temperature.

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