Networking, Networking, Networking

Regardless of your chosen career (or perhaps you are preparing to enter the job market) today’s economy demands that you establish and extend your personal and professional network. Opportunities are often discovered through the connections you have made in the marketplace and therefore increasing your connections will increase your opportunities. There are a myriad of online options that permit “networking” without the intimidation that make accompany introducing yourself to someone for the very first time; however, such networking alone is not the answer and is best used to complement meeting new people in the real world (that means you actually have to get out there and meet people – real, living and breathing people). Here are some tips to consider:

Alumni Groups. Contact the Alumni Offices where you earned your undergraduate and graduate degrees (high school alumni groups also exist). Inquire about Alumni Groups and events that may exist in your area. Additionally, you can usually find out if there are alumni that live in your area. Once you have located alumni, you actually have to take some action. If there is a group or event, attend and participate. To connect with individual alumni, consider putting together an email requesting coffee or lunch so you can pick their brain about their area of expertise (whether that area is a specific career or perhaps working in a new location). You will be surprised by the positive responses that many alumni provide.

Volunteer. Find a cause or entity (for example, a hospital) that you believe in and find a way to volunteer. Ideally, you should volunteer somewhere where you are likely to meet valuable connections that could generate business or lead to additional career opportunities. Of course, you can just volunteer because you love to give, but as this post is targeting networking for professionals, giving with an objective in mind is a good idea.

Networking Groups. There are endless choices when it comes to Networking Groups. They are appearing everywhere and while some are valuable, many are not. Look for groups that are specific to your geographic area. Additionally, be wary of groups that require you to submit a quota of referrals. In my experience this results in a quantity over quality approach for those referrals that are given to you, as well as puts you in the position to give out information of your own clients. Business is about relationships and in my opinion, a good networking group focuses on building relationships rather than each member filling their quota in order to remain in good standing with the group.

Gyms, Clubs and Other Social Activities. Fitness Centers, Social Clubs and other social activities such as golf and bowling leagues are excellent places to network with others. These environments are designed to increase interactions between participants and taking advantage of these interactions will allow you to build relationships with others. Again, keep your objectives in mind and try to join social activities that are consistent with those objectives (for example, if you offer health-related services and are looking for clients, you should join social activities that cater to clientele who need and are interested in your services).

Follow Up. The number one rule of successful networking is follow up. Once you have made an initial contact and met someone new, you should remember to follow up with them. It can be something as informal as an email or text to say that you enjoyed meeting them. If you feel the meeting was a beneficial one, take steps to develop the relationship. For example, if the individual you met is employed at a company you wish to work for, ask them if they will review your resume and provide feedback (great way to get your resume into their hands). Once they provide feedback and you have had additional interactions, ask them for guidance in getting your resume into the rights hands.

Successful networking will provide you with additional business and other opportunities that would probably not have occurred otherwise. Keep the tips set forth above in mind and remember that to network efficiently and effectively, you must develop your objectives and proceed accordingly. That being said, let’s do lunch?

Central Ohio Memorial Day 2012 Events

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY 2012!!!!!!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

 Please find Below a Schedule of Local Memorial Day Events

Canal Winchester: Memorial Day services will be held May 30 at 10:30 a.m. at Union Grove Cemetery in Canal Winchester. Mayor Michael Ebert will be the speaker. Also Buckeye Girls State Representatives will participate and Buckeye Boys State Representatives will speak.  The Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, Blue Birds, Campfire Girls, the Canal Winchester High School Band will also participate.  The program is sponsored by Leach Benson Post 220, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 220 and the VFW Post #10523.

Columbus: 9:00 a.m., flag-raising and salute conducted by American Legion Southway Post 144, Asbury Cemetery, 4737 Winchester Pike.

Dublin: 11:00 a.m., parade from the Bridge Pointe Center through the historic district to Dublin Cemetery, with a wreath ceremony on the Bridge Street bridge; 11:30 a.m., service at Dublin Cemetery; noon, commemoration at Grounds of Remembrance in Veterans Park; 12:30 p.m., free picnic lunch on the grounds of the Dublin Library

Gahanna: 1:00 a.m., Veterans Memorial Park, dedication of 31 new bricks with the names of veterans from American conflicts dating back to World War II.

Grove City: 11 a.m., parade from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church to ceremony at City Hall, then to service at Grove City Cemetery.

Newark:  FRIDAY» Noon: Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 55 hosts a free coffee break on Interstate 70 between Ohio 79 and Ohio 13. Will be offered until Monday. SATURDAY» 9 a.m.: Moundbuilders Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1060 placing of flags on veterans’ graves at Newark Memorial Gardens. MONDAY » 7 to 9 a.m.: Free breakfast at American Legion Post 85, 85 S. Sixth St., Newark. » 9 a.m.: Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 55 service honoring Vietnam veterans, Licking County Courthouse Square. » 10:15 a.m.: Newark Memorial Day Parade to begin at Everett Park and proceed to Cedar Hill Cemetery, where a ceremony is scheduled to start at 10:45 a.m. with guest speaker Newark Mayor Jeff Hall. Parade will begin forming at 9 a.m. » Noon: American Legion Post 85 free lunch. » 2 p.m.: Short presentation, including a 21-gun salute, followed by lunch, Moundbuilders VFW Post 1060, 469 Forry St., Newark.

Pataskala:  » 10 a.m.: Flag raising and prayer service at Pataskala Cemetery followed by flag raising by Scout Troop 21, prayer service and reading of names on memorial bricks at Veterans’ Memorial, Main Street. » 11 a.m.: Mead-Needham Museum, Main Street, opens to showcase military displays. The museum also will offer a free picnic lunch.

Powell: 10:00 a.m., parade from downtown to ceremony at Veterans Memorial in Village Green Park.

Sunbury: 10 a.m., parade starting at J.R. Smith Park.

Westerville: 9:45 a.m., parade from the corner of State Street and College Ave., pause at the old National Guard Armory on State, then proceed to Otterbein Cemetery. Address by U.S. Navy Commander John R. Sterba, a Westerville South High School graduate. From1 p.m. Friday until 1 p.m. Monday, annual Field of Heroes display of 2,500 flags at Westerville Sports Complex, 325 N. Cleveland Ave. Information atwww.fieldofheroes.org.

Worthington: 10 a.m., parade from Rt. 161 and High St., south to Walnut Grove Cemetery.

Top 10 Reasons to Make a Will

TOP TEN REASONS TO MAKE A WILL

1.     Determine where your property goes after you die

If you die without a Last Will and Testament, your property will be divided according to the Ohio Law of Descent and Distribution. You may find this surprising, but that law has no regard for your wishes involving your property after you pass away. Without a Last Will and Testament, instead of deciding who will receive your property, the legal system will distribute your assets after a lengthy and expensive probate process. For example, if you have no living relatives, your property goes to the State of Ohio. I somehow doubt that was your intention. Allowing your estate to pass to others without a will or trust can often be more expensive and time consuming and require court intervention than if you had taken the time to have a will properly created.

2.     Determine how your estate will be managed

If you die without a Last Will and Testament in Ohio, you will not be able to determine who will manage your affairs after you pass away. Rather, your remaining family members will have to hire an attorney to request that the Probate Court appoint an administrator for your estate. A costly administration bond will probably have to be posted with the Court as security and detailed accounts will have to be prepared. The result is several thousand dollars of additional expenses that could have been avoided by having a Last Will and Testament prepared.

3.     Designate Guardians and Establish Trusts for Minor Children

Should you and your spouse die prematurely, identifying a guardian for your minor children will ensure that they are cared for by the person you choose, rather than the person appointed by the Court. A Trust will ensure that the property left to your children is managed for their benefit without costly, court-administered guardianships. Additionally, a Trust can be prepared to stage the distribution of your property to match the age and degree of maturity of your children.

4.     Minimize the Costs of Probate

The cost of Probate may differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction in Ohio. A ballpark range is 2% to 7% of the value of your estate (e.g., if you have a $300,000 estate, the probate expenses may be anywhere from $6,000 to $21,000, depending on where you are and how complex your estate is). A Last Will and Testament provides you the opportunity to take advantage of Ohio laws that allow you to avoid Probate and authorize the Executor of your estate to act without costly and time-consuming Court supervision.

5.     Minimize Estate Taxes

In Ohio, the current Estate Tax for estates over $338,333 but less than $500,000 is $13,900 plus 6% of the excess over $338,333. For estates over $500,000, the Ohio Estate Tax is $23,600 plus 7% of the excess. In addition to the Ohio Estate Tax is the current Federal Estate Tax Rate of 35%. These taxes can result in a significant decrease in the assets of your estate. However, with proper planning and a comprehensive estate plan, your tax liability may be reduced.

6.     Issues Involving Previous Marriages or Relationships and Divorce

Gifts passing to a spouse in an Ohio Last Will and Testament are automatically revoked upon divorce. This will result in any such gift passing to the “residuary” portion of your Last Will and Testament. Accordingly, the gifts will likely not pass according to your wishes. Therefore it is important to have your will updated in case of divorce. Also, without a Last Will and Testament, Ohio’s Statute of Descent and Distribution will require that certain shares of your estate pass to any of your children from a prior relationship. Usually these shares are different than the shares that will pass to your spouse and any children from a current relationship.  Finally, it is important to note that Ohio does not recognize common law marriages entered into after October 1991.

7.     Provide for Requirements of a Special-Needs Beneficiary

Dependents with mental or physical disabilities may have increased expenses for housing, personal assistance or other unusual expenses. A Last Will and Testament can be utilized to set aside funds and direct the administration of those funds to ensure a special-needs beneficiary is provided for. Usually, this is done by establishing a trust that permits money and assets to be distributed in a manner to maximize any disability support that may be available through the government.

8.     Disinherit a Child

This is usually not a popular decision, but if it needs to be accomplished, a Last Will and Testament provides you the opportunity to do so. The more likely situation is the desire to distribute your property unequally among your children because one them may have already received substantial gifts from you or perhaps another has special needs.

9.     Protect a Family Business

A comprehensive Estate Plan may be utilized to streamline the transfer of a business that you have spent your life building to the next generation in a manner that minimizes tax consequences and potential for conflict among family members.

10.  Avoid Do-It-Yourself Estate-Planning Services

Perhaps you are considering a DIY Estate Plan because it appears cheaper than hiring an attorney. Essentially, there is one potential situation in which DIY Estate-Planning products may be sufficient – you are (1) single, (2) childless, and (3) broke. If you do not meet all three requirements, DIY Estate-Planning poses a danger to you because the individuals working for  DIY Estate-Planning companies are not acting as your attorney; their legal documents are not a substitute for factual advice from an attorney; the information you submit is not reviewed for legal adequacy; and their information and forms are not guaranteed to be up-to-date, complete or accurate. In fact, most DIY Estate-Planning companies explicitly claim not to provide legal advice (this should be your first red flag). Providing for your family and loved ones after you pass away is too important to be cobbled together with legal duct tape and generic forms. Contact an Ohio Estate-Planning Attorney at Hallowes and Ebbeskotte, LLC to ensure your wishes are carried out. Additional Estate-Planning Information is available at  http://thehelawfirm.com/areas-of-practice/probate-wills-and-trusts/probate-administration-wills-and-trusts/.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”

- Benjamin Franklin.

Do you have a trampoline?

Trampolines, swing sets, pools. All good things. All create liability. Unfortunately, no one realizes it until someone gets hurt. If you happen to offer these types of activities (in addition to a number of others) on your property, you should [strongly] consider having a Release of Liability form signed by those who participate. This type of Release can shield you from the liability that often results when someone is injured on your property. You may think it will be awkward to ask friends and family members to sign the Release, but it will be less awkward than being sued by them. “They would never do that” you say? That is what everyone says, right before they get sued. Contact me today and have a Release of Liability drafted. “What a fool does at the end, a wise man does at the beginning.” Anonymous

Do you have a lawyer “on-call”?

If you are reading this, it is likely that you have your own personal attorney “on-call”. I am generally available via Twitter (@joshdiyanni), Facebook and Linkedin Monday – Friday from 8:30am – 5:30pm. My hope is that you find those mediums a convenient and comfortable means by which to contact me with quick and simple legal questions. Additionally, if your matter is more complex, Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin provide a quick contact point through which we can communicate with each other. So if you have a question, concern, or just want to say hello, please feel free to contact me via any of the means listed above, in addition to the more traditional methods (i.e. phone or email).

Josh DiYanni

Hallowes & Ebbeskotte, LLC

Josh@theHElawfirm.com

(614) 759-4603.