Page 8 - Martin Downs Bulletin - September '20

Page 8, Martin Downs

FINaNCIal art happeNINgs

MCOST Raffle Will Benefit •Red Barn Furniture, 513 S.E. Monterey Road, Stuart,
FoCus Local Artists 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Saturday
•Kling Gallery, 723 S. Colorado Ave., Stuart, 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday
By Jackie Holfelder •Stuart Art Supply, 45 S.E. Kindred St., Stuart, 10 a.m.
Financial Moves For Widows For the past four years, January on the Treasure Coast to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday
has been highlighted by the Martin County Open Studio
•Gilt Complex, 608 S. Colorado Ave., Stuart, 10 a.m.
And Widowers Tour (MCOST). to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday
This artist-run event is presented by The Martin •The Palm Room, 3760 S.E. Ocean Blvd., Sewall’s
By Bryce Buchanan, Artisans Guild, a 501 (c) (3) organization which was Point (Harbour Bay Shoppes), 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Edward Jones created to nurture the production of fine art and craft, Wednesday to Saturday
If you’ve recently increase awareness of local art, facilitate development and The Fifth Annual Martin County Open Studio Tour is
become a widow networking among working artists and create marketing scheduled for March 6 to 7, 2021. Visit www.MCOST.
or widower, you’re venues for our members. org for information.
obviously dealing with Unfortunately, several artist members of the guild have Photo provided by Martin Artisans Guild
an enormous emotional been adversely financially
burden, and coping impacted by COVID-19 this
with your grief can year and fellow members
seem like a full-time of the nonprofit are using
struggle. Unfortunately, their talents to benefit and
the business of life must subsidize their colleagues
go on – and the financial moves you make at this time during these tough times.
can have a big impact on your life. Twenty-six members of
So, as you attend to your affairs, consider the Martin Artisans Guild are
following suggestions: offering 35 original works
• Don’t make hasty decisions. Even though you of art in pottery, jewelry,
will need to make some moves in the near future, glass work, sculpture,
don’t feel rushed into decisions that may prove to be photography, drawings
ill-advised. For example, don’t immediately sell your and paintings in a unique
home or liquidate all your stocks. auction.
• Consult with your estate planning professional. Tickets are $20 each and
If you and your spouse created an estate plan involving can be purchased online at
a will, living trust or other documents, you’ll want Martin Artisans Guild www.
to consult with your estate planning professional to mcost.org/chances-for-art or Martin Artisans Guild board of directors members Mallo Bisset, president; Eduardo Gomez,
determine what steps should be taken to implement at the following locations (a vice-president; Barbara Bucci, member-at-large; Lynn Morgan, member-at-large; Jane
these arrangements. sampling of the artwork can Lawton Baldridge, member-at-large; Laura Kay Whiticar Darvill, treasurer; Dot Galfond,
• Address life insurance issues. If your spouse had be seen at all locations): secretary; with the works they donated to the raffle.
a life insurance policy, you’ll want to contact your
insurance agent for help in navigating the paperwork KIds CorNer
necessary to receive the death benefit. Of course, some
financial advisors also sell life insurance within the
context of your overall financial strategy, so, if this is
your situation, you’ll want to speak with your advisor Why Don’t Public Schools problems that are primarily the result of a visual, hearing,
about how to handle the insurance proceeds. motor, intellectual, or emotional/behavioral disability,
• Apply for Social Security benefits. If you are Test For Dyslexia? limited English proficiency, or environmental, cultural,
60 or older, you may be entitled to Social Security or economic factors.”
survivor benefits, along with a one-time death benefit. By Jim Forgan, Ph.D., The International Dyslexia Association definition
Contact your local Social Security office to stop the School Psychologist is very specific and states, “Dyslexia is a specific
benefits your spouse received and apply for the new The public school learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is
ones for yourself. system does not test for characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent
• Change the name on financial accounts. If dyslexia but instead tests word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding
you and your spouse had jointly held accounts with for a general “specific abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit
“right of survivorship,” the assets will typically pass learning disability.” This in the phonological component of language that is
automatically to you, the surviving spouse. However, is surprising to many often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities
for legal purposes, it’s still a good idea to retitle these parents because dyslexia is and the provision of effective classroom instruction.
assets in your name. This usually only requires filling a type of specific learning Secondary consequences may include problems in
out some simple documents, which are available disability. You need to reading comprehension and reduced reading experience
from your financial institutions – bank, credit union, seek private testing if want that can impede growth of vocabulary and background
investment firm, etc. But you also may need to change to know if your child has dyslexia. knowledge.”
the beneficiary designations on accounts held only in A main reason public schools don’t test for dyslexia is Diagnosing dyslexia primarily falls upon psychologists
your name, such as your 401(k). These designations because of the definition of how kids qualify for special and dyslexia treatment is from specially trained public
are powerful and can even supersede instructions in services. They have a general definition to qualify for school and private educators who are experts in teaching
your will or living trust. special education services. students to read and spell. The majority of students with
• Go over bills and debts. Review all your bills, In Florida, a specific learning disability is a general dyslexia respond well to Orton-Gillingham based reading
automatic payments and outstanding loans. If they term defined as, “A disorder in one or more of the basic instruction which is a special way to teach children with
are in your spouse’s name, or in both your names, learning processes involved in understanding or in dyslexia. This approach teaches students the six most
contact the merchant or financial services provider to using language, spoken or written, that may manifest common syllable types in a multisensory, systematic and
change all correspondence and account information to in significant difficulties affecting the ability to listen, direct approach. The average student with dyslexia takes
your name only. For any outstanding accounts in your speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematics. Associated 18 to 36 months of one-to-one teaching to reach grade
spouse’s name, you may need to notify the business conditions may include, but are not limited to, dyslexia, level.
that all payments will be handled by your spouse’s dyscalculia, dysgraphia, or developmental aphasia. A We offer both dyslexia testing and treatment. Learn
estate, if you choose to go that route. You may need to specific learning disability does not include learning more at JimForgan.com or call (561) 625-4125.
provide these businesses with the contact information
of your estate planning professional. Dyslexia, ADD/ADHD,
• Plan for your future. Once you’ve handled the
immediate financial needs described above, you’ll
want to think about your own future. This means you Gifted Testing
may have to update your estate plans and insurance
policies. You’ll also want to consult with your financial
advisor to see what changes, if any, you might need to NOW OFFERING: Dr. Jim Forgan & Associates
make to your investment portfolio. • Jupiter & Stuart Offices
Only time can ease the pain of losing a spouse. Licensed School Psychologist
But by taking care of the mundane matters of daily • Testing for Processing www.JimForgan.com
living, you can at least alleviate the feelings of being Problems, Anxiety,
overwhelmed – and that, in itself, has value. Defiance (561) 625-4125
This article was written by Edward Jones for use • Weekend and After
by your local Edward Jones financial advisor.
School Appointments

“Helping Parents Help Children”

h