S1-West Vero Beach Living-Vol.563

EAST COAST TAX & FINANCIAL PLANNING

Your Accountant, Financial Advisor, & Insurance Agent...

By Gabby Gregory

When was the last time you sat down with your accountant, nancial advisor, and insurance agent all in one room or on a conference call to talk about you, your money, and your goals? If you’re like most other people, then your answer is “never.”

At East Coast Tax & Financial Planning, however, you receive comprehensive advice about all three — accounting and taxes, insurance, and investment/ nancial management — during each and every meeting. After all, as the owner and CEO of the business — Danny Howes, EA, RFC — says, “You can make the best nancial investment decisions in the world, but if you’re giving most of it to Uncle Sam, it’s not a good investment strategy.”

Discovering the Dangers & Disconnect

For the past 20+ years, Danny has been working in the nancial services industry with a speci c mission in mind: to prevent people from going through the same unfortunate scenario that his family did.

Indeed, Danny’s father had no plans in place when, suddenly, he died of a heart attack at 60 years old. This tragedy led to a dif cult and challenging journey to put the pieces back together and ensure his mother and family were taken care of properly. In response to the experience, Danny transformed his whole approach to nancial planning and went to the drawing board, designing a planning process to help others avoid similar situations.

As he spent more time in the nancial industry, Danny realized that there was a “huge disconnect” between taxes, insurance, and investments. He decided the best solution would be to bridge those gaps himself, as he had the training, experience, and licenses for each.

All in One!

Comprehensive Financial Planning for Everyone

East Coast Tax & Financial Planning is a full-service accounting rm and insurance agency that offers investment management and nancial advice. Even if the experts at East Coast Tax & Financial Planning aren’t providing services in all three of these areas, they are happy to collaborate with your other providers to ensure that the advice and guidance given in any of these areas is accurate.

Danny and his professional team strive to educate and empower their clients to make smart nancial choices, whether they are business planning, saving for retirement, or already retired. Their process meets their clients where they’re at now, and they work together to develop a plan and a strategy to help their clients get where they want to go.

“It’s essential to look at potential pitfalls that can derail your plan and then proactively add measures of protection and maneuvers to navigate through the ‘what-ifs’ in life.

Like in science, we look at your nancial plan and apply pressure. We want to see what your plan looks like in alternative environments. For example, economic downturn, disability, premature death, long-term care, etc. Planning for these things makes it much easier to handle them when they arise, instead of dealing with them in real-time with no clear plan in place.”

— Danny Howes, EA, RFC

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” —

Benjamin Franklin

Visit East Coast Tax & Financial Planning sooner rather than later to make the proper plans to protect yourself, your family, and your loved ones! Danny attests that his clients have expressed that they wish they had started the process much sooner.

Danny Howes, EA, RFC

Wealth Management and Investment Advisory Services are offered through Truvestments Capital LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor.

2.) Danny Howes is an Enrolled Agent (EA), which is the highest credential awarded by the IRS. This designation means that he is unrestricted as to which taxpayers he can represent, which IRS offices he can represent clients before, and what types of tax matters he can handle.

3.) East Coast Tax & Financial Planning is a year-round tax firm, meaning that if you ever have questions about or issues with your taxes, then you can get in touch with the actual person who completed them... no matter the season!

For What It’s Worth

So, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, about why most of our lives have become so hectic, and lamenting over the good old days. Of course, I know that in hindsight, it was probably hectic back then as well, but I miss the idle time I used to have, even though my husband and I raised four children. Still, it seemed as though there was plenty of time to sit at dinner and go over each other’s day, talk about upcoming plans, and maybe sit down for a quiet evening while the children went to their rooms to do homework. What the heck happened?!

I’m going to go out on a limb here, and blame the internet, and possibly technology in general, but as I write these words, I feel the entire population ganging up on me. Yes, I use the internet everyday. Yes, I ask google for answers to questions that I’m too lazy to research, and yes, I’m on my computer as a writer, non-stop, so who am I to make unkind remarks about the internet? I don’t disagree. All I’m saying is that I feel like families are losing valuable teaching moments, emotional moments, and yes, even punitive moments because everyone has a device in their hands and are spending an inordinate amount of time that could be spent interacting with others. I remember when texting rst became a thing. I thought it was ridiculous. I didn’t see the point of it. If I had something to say, I could just call the person.

by Dr. Melfi,

en, a er free time was sucked into the atmosphere, I realized the beauty of texting. A sentence is typed and received within moments, and the receive answers immediately. ere is no interruption in time management. In fact, you can be speaking to someone on the phone, and texting someone else at the same time. Magic! I don’t know how we ever lived without texting.

But, I digress. Now, when my grandchildren come over, they are glued to their iPads. In restaurants, I see perfectly well-behaved children with their parents, who are free to dine with the other adults free of the inconvenience of their children’s whining or back-talking, because their children are otherwise involved in FaceTime, Tik-Tok, video games and the like. It seems like a winwin, but sometimes I wonder if it isn’t a lose-lose. When I was a child eating at a grownup dinner table, I had to sit politely, and endure an hour or more of adults reminiscing about generational stories that were handed down from one to another. ose stories may be dying at the dinner table as we speak, because children have no interest in hearing them, and are not subjected to sitting there listening. It feels like our ancestors are begging for a chance to be remembered, but the younger generation has little interest in hearing about anything that doesn’t pertain to them or o er immediate grati cation. Please understand,

Ph.D.

I’m speaking in generalities, not about your children or grandchildren speci cally. I am simply stating that I feel a great loss of free time, storytelling, family time, and just lazy fun in general.

But how do we go back? e sad news is that we don’t. Without technology, we would have to live o the grid, or on another planet to communicate the way we used to. Everything is done with the internet, and even that is changing so quickly I can barely keep up. For those of us who are of a certain age, it seems like we are falling behind quickly, with no chance of catching our breath.

For What it’s Worth, I’d like just one more day of being in a family where it was exciting to nish dinner and look forward to putting a puzzle together or playing a good old fashioned game of monopoly, but that’s just me. A hopeless romantic, and wide-eyed optimist.

Comments or Suggestions DrMelfi@mediaoms.com

By Gabby Gregory

medical MARIJUANA Is

just more…FAKENEWS?

Bynow, you’ve likely heard the almost miracle-like anecdotes from “patients” on the news about medical marijuana as it becomes more mainstream. When I hear these stories, I have to wonder: are they legitimate? I had to know the TRUTH, so I arranged to sit down with Dr. Anne Lynn Morgan, the Chief Medical Of cer at MMJ Health, Florida’s top-rated medical marijuana doctor’s of ce.

Many people don’t know that medical marijuana is legal in Florida, let alone readily available at over 250 in-state dispensaries (imagine a pharmacy speci cally for medical marijuana). For years, pop culture has depicted marijuana primarily as a recreational drug, but there’s more to the plant than what’s shown on the silver screen. Since its legalization, medical marijuana’s profound effects have changed the lives of countless Floridians. Dr. Morgan, as Florida’s top rated Medical Marijuana Specialist, is responsible for much of this positive impact. Indeed, she and the staff at MMJ Health were honored to be named by The Palm Beach Post as the “Best Medical Marijuana Card Provider” for their level of service and ef cacy in 2020!

Additionally, Dr. Morgan is an expert in the eld of medical marijuana, and is among one of the most respected clinicians in the industry. She sits on the board of directors for the American Academy of Cannabis Medicine, is a member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, and is considered to be one of the industry’s highest-rated cannabis clinicians (no pun intended). Dr. Morgan has been in practice for 33 years and was the former Medical Director for United Health, Metropolitan Health, and Humana.

Dr. Morgan has been practicing marijuana medicine speci cally for the last 9 years, with licenses in Florida, Washington, and Pennsylvania. After years of education, research, and hands-on experience, Dr. Morgan attests to the relief medical marijuana brings to people, saying, “We have found that we have over a 90% success rate with medical cannabis.”

Dr. Morgan explains that medical marijuana patients at MMJ Health, rather than experiencing psychoactive effects or feeling high, nd relief from various medical conditions, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, arthritis, cancer, IBS, epilepsy, PTSD, autoimmune disorders, migraines, Parkinson’s, ADHD, Fibromyalgia, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and more. Medical marijuana is not for getting high, it’s for feeling better! How does it work? It’s simple –THC and CBD.

THC and CBD are two chemical compounds that come from the marijuana plant and affect the endocannabinoid system, the human body’s natural system for processing cannabis. “The endocannabinoid system’s reason for existing is to keep our bodies in homeostasis, i.e. healthy and balanced. Cannabis can positively affect so many systems in the body that are not being managed properly by pharmaceuticals,” says Dr. Morgan. Many of MMJ’s patients, since using medical cannabis, have been able to drastically reduce their prescription medication regimen, or have stopped taking prescriptions altogether!

Marijuana is still classi ed as a Schedule 1 substance federally, but Dr. Morgan explains, “It’s not what you think… Medical marijuana is not a narcotic. In fact, after using medical marijuana, many of our patients have reduced taking narcotics and/or opiates without even being asked!”

Medical marijuana is not like anything sold on the street... it’s completely safe! When you get your marijuana from a dispensary, you don’t have to worry about whether it was adulterated. Dr. Morgan clari es, “Florida has very stringent rules about how medical marijuana is grown and prepared, so you know it’s clean, pesticide-free, and has no bacteria or viruses.”

Medical marijuana has become a go-to for doctors across the nation to give their patients relief from a myriad of conditions without having to worry about the severe side effects associated with many pharmaceuticals. For the patients at MMJ Health, medical marijuana is 100% making a difference in their everyday lives. The stories are real. Dr. Morgan says that it is not uncommon for patients to cry, hug, and thank her because they are feeling better than ever since using medical cannabis. Dr. Morgan has seen the results, and she urges anyone and everyone to consider trying medical marijuana.

MMJ Health is at the forefront of technology, so nding out if you qualify for a medical marijuana card is super simple! The MMJ Patient Quali cation System, accessible at www.mmjhealth.com, allows you to nd out in minutes whether you qualify. If you do, then the MMJ Health of ce will contact you. MMJ Health has all of the resources necessary to get your health back on track!

So the real question now is: why wait? MMJ Health is the only all-inclusive medical marijuana of ce in Florida, so you can get quali ed for your medical marijuana card in one visit. The friendly and knowledgeable staff will ll out the tricky government application for you, take your ID photo in their of ce, and submit all of your paperwork to the Florida Health Department. The only thing you have to do once you leave their of ce is wait for your card!

“You shouldn’t have to suffer… medical cannabis can help you! We are real doctors who provide real results,” says Dr. Morgan. The expert staff at MMJ Health encourages you to “Please come and see the MMJ Health difference. We care, we make a difference as a team, and we know our cannabis medicine. Isn’t it time to live your life the way you want, symptom and side-effect free?”

MMJ Health is located at 600 Sandtree Drive in Suite 108 in Palm Beach Gardens. MMJ Health also has locations in West Palm Beach, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Melbourne, Wellington, Boynton Beach, and Boca Raton. Their of ces are open Mondays-Fridays from 9AM-7PM and Saturdays-Sundays from 10AM-7PM. For more information, please call 561-631-7994 or 772-212-4032, or visit www.mmjhealth.com.