Page 8 - Palm City Spotlight - September '20

Page 8, Palm City Spotlight DOUBLE SPACE

Financial Focus

Financial Moves For with your estate planning professional to determine what • Go over bills and debts. Review all your bills,

Widows And steps should be taken to implement these arrangements. automatic payments and outstanding loans. If they are
• Address life insurance issues. If your spouse had a
in your spouse’s name, or in both your names, contact
Widowers life insurance policy, you’ll want to contact your insurance the merchant or financial services provider to change all
agent for help in navigating the paperwork necessary correspondence and account information to your name
By Bryce Buchanan, to receive the death benefit. Of course, some financial only. For any outstanding accounts in your spouse’s name,
Edward Jones advisors also sell life insurance within the context of your you may need to notify the business that all payments
If you’ve recently overall financial strategy, so, if this is your situation, you’ll will be handled by your spouse’s estate, if you choose to
become a w idow or want to speak with your advisor about how to handle the go that route. You may need to provide these businesses
widower, you’re obviously insurance proceeds. with the contact information of your estate planning
dealing with an enormous • Apply for Social Security benefits. If you are 60 professional.
emotional burden, and or older, you may be entitled to Social Security survivor • Plan for your future. Once you’ve handled the
coping with your grief benefits, along with a one-time death benefit. Contact immediate financial needs described above, you’ll want
can seem like a full-time your local Social Security office to stop the benefits your to think about your own future. This means you may
struggle. Unfortunately, the business of life must go on – spouse received and apply for the new ones for yourself. have to update your estate plans and insurance policies.
and the financial moves you make at this time can have a • Change the name on financial accounts. If you You’ll also want to consult with your financial advisor
big impact on your life. and your spouse had jointly held accounts with “right of to see what changes, if any, you might need to make to
So, as you attend to your affairs, consider the following survivorship,” the assets will typically pass automatically your investment portfolio.
suggestions: to you, the surviving spouse. However, for legal purposes, Only time can ease the pain of losing a spouse. But by
• Don’t make hasty decisions. Even though you will it’s still a good idea to retitle these assets in your name. taking care of the mundane matters of daily living, you
need to make some moves in the near future, don’t feel This usually only requires filling out some simple can at least alleviate the feelings of being overwhelmed
rushed into decisions that may prove to be ill-advised. For documents, which are available from your financial – and that, in itself, has value.
example, don’t immediately sell your home or liquidate institutions – bank, credit union, investment firm, etc. But This article was written by Edward Jones for use by
all your stocks. you also may need to change the beneficiary designations your local Edward Jones financial advisor.
• Consult with your estate planning professional. If on accounts held only in your name, such as your 401(k).
you and your spouse created an estate plan involving a These designations are powerful and can even supersede
will, living trust or other documents, you’ll want to consult instructions in your will or living trust.

tip oF tHe tail

Feline Upper Respiratory carrying the viruses that lead to URI. While in shelters or Diagnostic testing has become more widely available
Infection in catteries, one cat can easily transmit viruses to another in recent years with the development of panels specific
cat. Additional influences, such as overcrowding, stress,
for feline URI. A negative test is a near conclusive method
concurrent illness, parasitism and poor nutrition, can of ruling out acute infection; however, intermittent
predispose cats to develop URI. shedding may occur with several of the URI pathogens.
The following agents are the common causes of URI: Positive test results to any of the URI pathogens can
Feline Herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), Feline Calicivirus (FCV), occur in clinically normal cats. Therefore, positive test
Chlamydophila felis (C. felis), Mycoplasma species results must be interpreted with caution and in the light
and Bordetella bronchiseptica. Approximately 80 to of clinical symptoms.
90 percent of cases are thought to be caused by one of Most cases of URI will resolve within 7 to 10 days.
the two viruses above. Feline URI is readily spread via Treatment for URI varies depending on the causative
fomites and droplet transmission (over distances of 5 feet agent(s). Because clinical signs of FHV-1 are specifically
or less), or, most importantly, via reactivation of latent activated by stress, management of stress is crucial in
herpesvirus due to stress. Herpesvirus can remain latent prevention and treatment of this disease. As mentioned
in cats for years and only appear during times of stress. previously, antibiotics may be indicated, but only if a
Cats can be easily stressed for many reasons, including bacterial infection is suspected.
moving homes or getting new housemates. Oftentimes, The best prevention for these diseases is vaccination.
the cause of stress cannot be determined. Vaccines are available containing Feline Herpesvirus,
Feline upper respiratory infection (URI) can be one Primary respiratory pathogens may increase a cat’s Feline Calicivirus, and Feline Panleukopenia (FVRCP).
of the most frustrating illnesses to treat, both for the cat susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections. A multitude Routine vaccination reduces severity and duration of
owner and for the veterinarian. Many cats are adopted of bacteria can be isolated from the respiratory tract of disease. Your veterinarian can provide more information
from animal shelters and enter shelters already silently cats infected with URI, including Pasteurella, E. coli, on an appropriate vaccination schedule for your cat.
Streptococcus, Enterobacter and Staphylococcus species. Established in 1981, Palm City Animal Medical
Not all cats develop bacterial infections that require Center is dedicated to providing the best possible care
Palm City Auto antibiotics. In most cases, a definitive causative agent is for your pets. With focuses on compassionate care in
not identified in individual cases of URI. An educated
surgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation, preventative
Lube & Services guess is based on clinical signs. FHV-1 is more likely to medicine, extensive diagnostics and emergency service,
Palm City Animal Medical Center combines exceptional
cause keratitis or corneal ulceration. FCV is reasonably
likely to be associated with oral ulceration or limping. medical care with a caring philosophy for pets and their
Chlamydophila and Mycoplasma are more commonly owners. For more information, call (772) 283-0920, visit
The DiTerlizzi Family of Companies associated with conjunctivitis without other symptoms. www.palmcityanimalmedicalcenter.com or find us on
However, all causes may have overlapping clinical signs.
Facebook at www.facebook.com/PalmCityAnimalClinic.
Celebrating Our 30th Year

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$10 off
our “full Service oil Change”
Enjoy by 9/30/20.

Complete Auto Repair

• Brakes • Diagnostics
• Tune-ups • Oil/Lube
• Air • Tires
Conditioning • Tire Repairs

DiTerlizzi family
owned since 1990

772-223-LUBE (5823)

3584 SW Armellini Ave., Palm City
Located in the “Pure” gas station