Inside Your Wealth - August 19

Welcome Back to School and the Advent of the Fall Season!

August has traditionally known for “Back to School” events and getting in the last summer adventure. You may be surprised to learn that August has other notable celebrations. Some even celebrate the Dog Days of Summer! August 5th is “Work Like a Dog Day” (makes us think of curling up and snoozing!). August 26th is “Dog Appreciation Day.” We hope you have had an enjoyable summer filled with vacations, exploring new places, and building up family memories.

The Suey-Diamond family is preparing to send our youngest daughter, Chloe, to UC Davis for her freshman year. It seems this is the start of our empty nest transition. My husband and I are thrilled for Chloe and wonder what our next stage will hold.

Soon we will be celebrating Labor Day, signifying the end of summer and the start of the Fall season. For many individuals, it can be as much a time of new starts and renewal as Fall is often a time people may put more energy into professional and personal projects.
For our Savvy Women, please join us for our Fall events and another opportunity for inspiration, learning, and masterful tips for living your ideal life-style.

See our upcoming events on Page 6. Sign up at www.diamondgroupwealthadvisors.com/events, or call us at 925-229-0080.

Enjoy these remaining days of Summer!
Best Wishes,
Marilyn and Ora

A Prescription for Dementia Prevention

If you’ve ever played a party game that asks you to make difficult decisions, you may have run into a question like this one: Would you rather enjoy good physical health all of your life or good mental health all of your life?

As it turns out, it may be possible to have both.

There is no shortage of studies and reports indicating a healthy diet and regular exercise will help reduce the risk of developing heart disease or other illnesses. Now, research suggests diet and exercise can help prevent dementia.¹

Roughly 5 percent of the world’s age 60 and older population has dementia – and some people are afflicted at any earlier age. Dementia causes disability and dependency in older people and can have a profound effect on the people affected, as well as their families, caregivers, and communities.²

The World Health Organization (WHO) released guidelines intended to help people reduce the risk. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained, “In the next 30 years, the number of people with dementia is expected to triple…The scientific evidence gathered for the guidelines confirm what we have suspected for some time, that what is good for our heart, is also good for our brain.”^{1, 3}

WHO guidelines and other resources offered these dementia-prevention tips:

Just do it. Make a point of moving every day. Take a five- or 10-minute walk at lunchtime. Weed the garden after work. Take a bike ride around the block each evening. Start with just a few minutes a day and increase the amount of activity when you’re ready for more. Stick with it. Forming a habit takes time.⁴
Become a joiner. Isolation may be a contributing risk factor when it comes to dementia, so make sure you spend time with people – even if you’re not sure you’ll like it. Attend family gatherings, have coffee with friends, volunteer for a favorite cause, or join a gym. Engaging with others can help keep your brain limber.¹
Invite a friend. Having the emotional support of someone else can help you stay on track when it comes to exercise and social activities. Ask a friend or neighbor to walk, take a class, volunteer, or share meals with you.⁵
Eat like an Italian. The WHO guidelines suggest eating a Mediterranean diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fish, and legumes. In addition, consider limiting your intake of meat and dairy products. It’s also a good idea to avoid sugar, refined grains, trans fats, and processed foods. If that seems extreme, practice moderation.^{1, 6}
Talk with your doctor. Before making any dramatic changes to your diet or exercise routine, discuss the plan with your primary care physician. This is especially important if you have any chronic conditions.

A healthy diet and exercise have always been the basic building blocks of good physical health. As it turns out, they play an important role in good mental health, too!

A Grilled Treat for the Vegetarians You Love

If you like to entertain when the weather is nice, it’s handy to have a great grill recipe for the herbivores among your family and friends. This recipe from Martha Stewart is sure to leave your guests asking for second helpings.

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan⁷

Ingredients

4 medium tomatoes (1-1/2 pounds total), halved

1 shallot, halved lengthwise

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 large eggplants (2 pounds total), cut lengthwise into 1-inch planks

1 pound fresh salted Mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1 loaf rustic bread, such as ciabatta, for serving

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Brush cut sides of tomatoes and shallot with 1 tablespoon of oil. Grill, cut-side down, until charred in spots (4 to 5 minutes). Flip and continue cooking until vegetables soften slightly (2 to 3 minutes more). Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop and transfer to a bowl; season with salt and pepper.

Brush both sides of the eggplant planks with the remaining olive oil. Season them with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until lightly charred in places and almost tender (4 to 5 minutes per side). Transfer to a plate.

Top the eggplant with the Mozzarella. Return to grill and cook, covered, until cheese melts (1 to 2 minutes). Top evenly with tomato mixture, sprinkle with basil, drizzle with oil.

Serve with torn rustic bread.

What Do You Know About Medicare?

Healthcare is likely to be a significant expense throughout retirement. Fidelity estimates “a 65-year old couple retiring in 2019 can expect to spend $285,000 in healthcare and medical expenses throughout retirement, compared with $280,000 in 2018. For single retirees, the healthcare cost estimate is $150,000 for women and $135,000 for men.”⁸

The above estimates assume the retirees are eligible for Medicare. Find out what you know about Medicare by taking this quiz.

1. How many Americans does Medicare cover?

a. 1 in 100

b. 1 in 50

c. 1 in 20

d. 1 in 10

e. 1 in 5

2. At what age do Americans become eligible for Medicare?

a. 55

b. 62

c. 65

d. 72

e. 75

3. If you don’t enroll in Medicare at the appropriate age, then:

a. You may have to pay a penalty

b. You lose the right to enroll

c. You can enroll again at age 80

d. You must enroll in Medicaid

e. Nothing

4. Which of the following services does Medicare NOT cover?

a. Dental care

b. Eye examines and eye glasses

c, Hearing aids

d. Long-term care

e. All of the above

5. Does Medicare place a limit on annual out-of-pocket expenses?

a. Traditional Medicare has an out-of-pocket limit.

b. Traditional Medicare does not have an out-of-pocket limit.

6. What percentage of the annual United States budget is spent on Medicare?

a. 5 percent

b. 15 percent

c. 25 percent

d. 50 percent

e. 75 percent

Quiz Answers:

1. E – In 2018, Medicare provided health insurance coverage to 20 percent of the population. About 60 million Americans participate in the program, including older people and younger people with disabilities.¹³
2. C – Age 65. The seven-month Initial Enrollment Period usually begins three months before a person reaches age 65, includes the month a person reaches age 65, and ends three months after a person reaches age 65.¹³
3. A – If you do not enroll during your initial enrollment period, you may have to pay a penalty.¹³
4. E – All of the above.¹³
5. B – No. There is no out-of-pocket limit with Medicare.¹³
6. B – In 2017, Medicare costs comprised about 15 percent of the annual budget.¹³

Three Strategies for Avoiding Robocalls

Here’s a job robots are doing: Placing robotic calls. Some robocalls are annoying and legitimate, like appointment reminders. Others are annoying and nefarious. In April 2019, 4.9 billion robocalls were made in the United States. That’s 163 million calls a day, 6.8 million an hour, or 14.9 per person. Almost one-half of the calls – 45 percent – were from scammers, according to YouMail.⁹

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering a move that will allow phone companies to block robocalls.¹⁰ In the meantime, AARP suggests adopting one or more of these strategies:¹¹

Don’t engage. If you answer and it’s a robocall, hang up immediately.
Don’t answer. If you don’t know the number, don’t answer it. The same goes for calls marked ‘unknown caller.’ If it’s a legitimate call, they’ll leave a message. If they don’t, you can google the number or block it.

Use a call blocking app or service. There are a variety of call-filtering options available. Consumer Reports has done research into the options, which may help you decide which to try.¹²

Until issues related to robocalls are addressed, you’ll have to rely on your good judgment. If there is ever a question, remember, the government and legitimate businesses won’t ask you to pay them in gift cards or other forms of money that are difficult to trace.

Quick Tip - Fearlessness and Courage

We all have fears…Some more nagging than others.

How do we overcome these fears and have the courage to forge ahead?

How do we quiet that little voice that says, “You have not tried this golf shot before”…why now?

Well, why not now? How will we ever know how good we can be, if we don’t try? Whether on the golf course overlooking a big barranca or lake or on the Yellow Brick Road of Life, facing a steep mountain path…

Challenge yourself to be better, to grow inside and out. And smile after you try!

Do one thing every day that scares you.
Eleanor Roosevelt

F-E-A-R has two meanings: 'Forget Everything and Run' or ‘Face Everything and Rise.' The choice is yours.
Zig Ziglar

Family

What is the meaning of family? We can “google” the word family and what comes up is — a group of people that are related, especially, parents and their children. But ‘family’ can mean more than blood relatives with similar DNA, right?

Family for me means my eco-system of family, friends, colleagues, mentors, that fill my life with love, light, and support as I take my life’s journey. Whether we are related or not, they stand with me, behind me, to ensure that I can fulfill my mission to be a good citizen, a considerate friend, a great mother, wife, partner, and daughter.

Family can be those we confide in and with whom we share our deepest secrets. Family can be the best friends that absolutely know everything there is to know about us and yet are constantly learning something new.

They are the ones that we listen to and the ones that listen to us. The ones that we have not seen for 5, 10 years or more and in one day, can catch up with each other as if no time has passed.

Family is based on love, even if that love may change or be ‘twisted’ due to life’s events. Family means acceptance, even if it takes months, years of hashing out our differences. A family should not be “let go” no matter how annoying at times. However, we have all seen families/friends who have broken up and lost that loving connection.

Our immediate and extended Suey Leong family is one that has strong connections and innate values that we practice all the time. Yes, with over 150+ living members in our extended family there are differences of opinion, but our family comes first.

We serve and support each other to the best that we can.

The photo above is our immediate family, with our first daughter Nicole and our parents, taken in the year 2000. While our parents have passed away, their values, their strong sense of family remains with us.

The picture below is of our most recent Leong/Suey family reunion last year, where some 80+ people reunited to enjoy a weekend together. These young adults are the 4th generation of our family, who we have instilled the same values. We will see how they fare as they mature!

Family means everything to me. As an only child, I learned to reach out and befriend others and found those people who are like-minded and filled with that special love, light, and support that we all need and that we all can learn to share with our friends and family. These are the people who never give up on you and are there quietly waiting for you.

Lilo, in “Lilo and Stitch”, said it best,” Ohana means family and nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”

The above material was prepared by Peak Advisor Alliance. 1_859237