August!

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By David S. Edge

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August is an emotional month for many folks, especially anyone connect- ed with schools and universities.
It’s the “back to school month”, so there a lot of preparations, shopping, and plain old getting ready for the season. High school teens are already reporting for band and football practice camp, and teachers are getting lesson plans submitted for approval. It’s a large gearing up for many activities connected to the beginning of fall.

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Older teens and twenty somethings are starting to pack clothes and other items in preparation to return to college. Maybe a few tears from a mom or dad with their baby growing up and headed out of the nest for the first time.

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It’s hot, and we linger in the pool or stay on the lake for the last few lazy moments of peace and quiet, as the sun is telling us it’s time to start packing up and going home. Kids keep pleading that infamous “Just a few more minutes” knowing the end is inevitable. You’re finally getting the kids out of the water, shivering with chill bumps, looking for the warm towel to get dry. Who can forget the smells of BBQ and fresh cut grass, with wet towels that need to be hung up to dry? And…. who let the dog out? Ahhhh…. Nothing like summer wet dog smell.

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The emotions are mixed as parents are at the point that they can’t wait for school to start, and the kids don’t want summer to end. But the organization starts with the checklist of stuff to get prepared for fall.

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Nothing changes much for mom and dad other than keeping a watchful eye, to ensure the kids or young adults are finishing what needs to be organized before it all starts. But that’s the early training that responsible folks follow. Preparation!

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As we get older, we tend to start to let some things slide as the kids are grown and we’re busy with life and careers. Grown kids visits are less often as they are busy with their lives until all of a sudden there’s grandkids and the need for a baby sitter! But we can’t take our eye off the ball as the years start to roll by. We need to be prepared for retirement.

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Just as we once scolded our kids to get ready, who is scolding you to get ready? This isn’t something simple like make the bed and pick up your dirty clothes. These are adult preparations that have serious consequences for those who lack preparation. Health care planning, financial retirement planning, Power of Attorney for health and financial decisions, long-term care coverage, and your health directives. All these areas need to be planned and prepared for in advance.

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We are in the August of our lives, so don’t enter your retirement years unprepared. Get some free expertise on all that retirement stuff all in one place! Call us we can help!