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Everyone has heard the terms “will” and “trust,” but not everyone knows the differences between the two. Wills and trusts are important tools of estate planning. Each has strengths and limitations. Here’s Understanding Wills what to know and Trusts as you determine what’s best for you and your estate plan. A will is a legal document that helps ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes. A will can accomplish four things, to occur upon death: 1. Assign someone to oversee your estate. 2. Name the personal guardian who will care for your minor children and the person who will manage the children’s assets. 3. State how your assets and property will be distributed. 4. Help manage estate taxes and related costs. Without a will, your state’s inheritance laws will dictate who gets what, generally deferring to your spouse, then your (Financial cont’d on pg 2)
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(Financial cont’d from pg 1) 4. Keep the details of the
help you explore these distribution of your estate options and decide how assets private. to optimally pass your 5. Help manage estate assets to your heirs. taxes.
children or next of kin. The court will determine who becomes your children’s guardians until the To take effect, the title age of emancipation. to your assets must The following limitations be transferred to the of a will may prompt you trust during your lifetime. These assets can to look for a more cominclude cash, stocks, prehensive estate planning tool, such as a trust. bonds, real estate, artwork, and insurance policies. You can still 1. Having a will does retain control of the asnot eliminate the probate process. Governed sets placed in your trust during your lifetime. by your state’s laws of inheritance, probate is A trust can provide greata legal proceeding that oversees the division of er assurance that your your property. There are property will be managed according to your wishcosts involved. The details of your probate will es, including the distribution of charitable gifts. It be made public, which can also fulfill your wishcan put your beneficiaries at risk of unwelcome es for the care of special needs children into solicitations. adulthood without jeopardizing government as2. A simple will cannot void your spouse’s rights sistance. It’s a preferred to inheritance, so it may way to avoid the delays of the probate process not be adequate if you and some trusts can help wish to make special protect your assets from gifts or “bequests” to a potential creditors. While friend or charity. a trust can be expensive A trust is a legal entity to establish and maintain, the benefits can designed to provide additional protections ultimately outweigh the drawbacks for large and to your estate. A recomplicated estates. vocable living trust is the most common trust option. It can accomplish Put your estate in order. Most individuals four things: enlist an estate planning attorney to help create 1. Assign a trustee to a will or trust. The size oversee your estate. 2. Avoid the probate pro- and complexity of your estate and your family’s cess and its associated goals will help you detercosts. mine which arrangement 3. State how your assets and property will be works best for you. Your financial advisor can distributed.
Duane J Lusson, CFP, ChFC, CLU, MSFS, is a Private Wealth Advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Ottumwa, Iowa. He specializes in fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 30 years. To contact him, call 641-684-4200 or stop by his office at 527 W. Second in Ottumwa, Iowa. This information is being provided only as a general source of information and is not a solicitation to buy or sell any securities, accounts or strategies mentioned. The information is not intended to be used as the sole basis for investment decisions, nor should it be construed as a recommendation or advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual investor. Please seek the advice of a financial advisor regarding your particular financial situation. Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value. Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. and its affiliates do not offer tax or legal advice. Consumers should consult with their tax advisor or attorney regarding their specific situation. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2022 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. File #4754350
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someone,” I explained.
An Uneasy Feeling The alarm went off at 6:45 on a beautiful summer morning. The air was cool, so I had the windows open rather than running the conditioner. I wanted to stay in bed to sleep longer but forced myself up for Nova Mae. Our young dog, Nova Mae, slept by my side. I shook her gently, “Come on, Nova, we have to get up.” She wanted to sleep longer, too. Finally, after a series of yawns and stretches, she lumbered off the bed and went to the door. When she came in from her morning walk in the yard, she followed me into the bathroom and sat by my feet while I got ready. I put on my Tshirt and began to feel uneasy, and I didn’t know why. “Dad, did you forget to put breakfast in my bowl,” the young canine inquired? “I didn’t forget,” I assured her, “we’re going to eat later.” Something just felt strange about the morning. “Come on, baby girl,” I said as I opened the sliding door on the van. Nova Mae eagerly jumped into the van, then hopped up into the driver seat. I walked around the van and opened my door. Nova sat, looking forward through the windshield as if she didn’t see me there. “Move it, sister. You know the routine; I’m driving.” She crossed over into the passenger’s seat, and we set out for our destination. The conversation in the van was like talking to a young child. Nova opened the conversation, “Why didn’t we eat breakfast, Dad?” “We’ll eat after your appointment,” I replied. “What’s an appointment,” she asked. “It’s when you set a time to meet with
and I had every confidence in the doctor and her staff. Still, I “Who am I going felt a light pressure to meet,” Nova wonon my throat, and my dered? shoulders felt weird like they were being “You have an appoint- pushed back. ment with Dr. Kylee today,” I told her. Ashton came through the side door to take Nova was puzzled. Nova back for her sur“But we were just gery. “You can come there a few weeks back for her between ago; why are we going three-thirty and four,” again?” she said, then escorted Nova away. “That was for your rabies shot,” I explained. My wife called me “Today, you’re going around nine. “Have to be spayed.” So you heard from naturally, Nova had to Kylee?” ask what it meant to be spayed. “It means “Not yet,” I said, then Dr. Kylee is going to explained, “I’m sure discombobulate your everything went fine. baby maker.” Kylee is probably busy, and besides, Nova looked around she would have called the van, noticing that right away if anything Edgar Allen, our cat, went wrong. Somewasn’t with us. “Why times not hearing from isn’t Edgar going with the doctor right away us? He should get is a good thing.” As I spayed, too.” Nova was hanging up the said. phone, I noticed I had missed a call from I chuckled. “Edgar is Thomas Veterinary a boy. Boys don’t get Clinic. spayed.” My uneasiness inten“Why not,” the dog sified, and my T-shirt wanted to know? worked up on my neck, trying to choke “Because boys don’t me. I put my fingers have baby makers, inside my collar as if only girls do.” I was to loosen it and called still feeling uneasy the clinic. They put me about the day, and this on hold. conversation wasn’t helping. A moment later, Dr. Kylee came on the Then Nova Mae phone, “Hi Tom. I was asked, “Dad, where just calling to let you do puppies come know everything went from.” fine with Nova’s surgery. She’s resting Nova wore me down in recovery now, and with all of her quesyou can come to get tions, and I wasn’t her after three-thirty.” prepared to have ‘the Whew! The doctor’s talk’ with our little girl. report was comfortAs I turned into the ing, but I still had the driveway at the vet’s pressure around my clinic, I sighed with neck and shoulders. I exasperation, “Nova, thought I might know you’re going to see what the uneasy feelDr. Kylee to get treats, ing was. okay? You’ll spend the day with her, and then I don’t like trimming she’ll give you treats.” a dog’s nails, and I Nova seemed content knew Nova’s needed with that; she likes attention. “Kylee, I fortreats. But, I still had got to ask if you could an uneasy feeling. trim her claws while she was sedated.” Inside the office, Ash- The doctor laughed; ton greeted us from she knows I struggle behind the counter, with this. then looked at our file. “Nova Mae is here “I took care of that for for spaying and dew- you,” she assured. claws?” That should have brought me relief, “No,” I said, giving the but it didn’t. Instead, receptionist two hard the pressure lingered winks with my right throughout the day, eye. “She’s just here and I couldn’t figure for treats.” We shared out why. The pressure a good laugh about wasn’t intense, just that, although Nova annoying. Maybe I’d didn’t understand why settle down and feel we were laughing. better when Nova was back with me. I don’t know why I had such an uneasy I returned to the clinic feeling. Nova’s proa little before four. cedures were routine, While Ashton ex-
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plained the meds and care following Nova’s procedure, I felt uneasy again. When she handed me my bill, I felt the pressure on my neck and shoulders. I didn’t understand why; the bill was the exact amount they said it would be.
had noticed! Then they brought Nova out to me. I looked at her and acted shocked. “Nova, what happened to you,” I asked with alarm.
Nova’s eyes weren’t big and bright as usuOnce again, I attempt- al; they were glassy ed to loosen the tight and not fully open. collar around my neck The poor dog looked with my index and pitiful, but I think all middle finger. Then, dogs look pitiful when for some reason, I wearing a lamp shade pulled the collar foraround their neck. ward to look inside my shirt. “Oh, my Lord,” I In addition to the exclaimed. transparent lampshade, Nova’s front I told Ashton about paws were wrapped the uneasy feeling I’d with yellowish-green had all day, the pres- tape over the gauze sure on my neck and to protect the incisions shoulders, and how I from her dewclaws. felt like my collar was Then, a white band trying to choke me. of tape was wrapped I laughed nervously, above; I suppose to feeling like a fool as I keep the bandages confessed, “I put my secure. “You’re not T-shirt on backward! funny,” she said, lookNo wonder the collar ing at me through the has been riding up my slits that were her neck all day.” We had eyes, but I played a good laugh about dumb. Finally, Nova that. It was even more leveled an accusaawkward knowing that tion, “You knew what no one mentioned the they were going to do pocket on my back all the Other Day cont’d on day. Surely someone (Just pg 5)
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Mole Control I am not one of those people that are fanatics about the appearance of my lawn, but I do like the look of even rolling hills of neatly trimmed grass. One day, all is well and the next day, moles have moved in creating ridges and mole hills. This was
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unacceptable. They would have to die. Moles are attracted to areas where there is a food source of worms and grubs. They burrow at the root level of the grass, which usually kills it along their tunnel. Periodically, they mound the dirt up from excavation in unsightly mounds. I can tolerate many things from the wildlife in the area, but I see no need to ruin my lawn when there are plenty of other places for them to live. I declared war on the little varmints. I decided to seek professional help from the experts at O’Hara Hardware. From driving about the countryside, I noticed I was not the only one with a mole problem. If anybody knew what would stop the invasion, O’Hara’s would. I learned there are several things a person can do to get rid of moles. Insecticide can be spread on the lawn to kill off their food source which would make them leave. To me, this seems rather drastic. I do not really want to kill all insects, good and bad, worms, and grubs. Other things such as birds depend on insect as a food source, and I was not too sure about the dogs being on grass that had been covered with poison. Another option is poison pellets that can be placed in the mole’s tunnels. This may also be effective, but I was afraid the dogs would dig up and eat the poison. Dogs can do stupid things when a person is not watching. The option I chose was a smoke bomb that is placed in a mole run or mound that spreads poison gas down their tunnels. The bomb is
quick acting and dissipates in short order, so I did not need to worry about the dogs getting poisoned. I placed one smoke bomb in a tunnel under a fresh mole hill and lit it. It must have worked as I saw no fresh mole activity after several days. About a week later, Billie, the poodle, was out in the yard near where the moles had been. He seemed very interested in something there. I assumed he smelled a dead mole underground but would occasionally cock his head as though he was listening to something. I called him away before going back inside to work in the office. Billie wanted to stay outside so I thought no more about it. A while later, my wife called down, “Billie is outside with something in his mouth!” I jogged up the stairs and out to the porch to see what he was doing this time. He approached me, quite proud and happy, but did not have anything in his mouth. When I asked him what he had, he walked a short distance away and pointed at a dead
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mole in the grass. It was a fresh kill, and I could see by the disruption of the grass in the area, it had taken a considerable amount of digging for him to get it. It looked like a dozen wild hogs had been rooting in the area. I would guess, my smoke bombs had killed one or more moles
in the lawn. Another had recently moved in and taken up new tunneling. Though Billie was successful in getting this one, I would recommend the smoke bombs from the hardware store. When Billie got done, the lawn was in much worse shape than from the mole damage.
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Warrant Wednesday
Wapello County has over 500 active warrants. Warrant Wednesday’s are designed to help law enforcement locate wanted persons, with the public’s help. Do NOT attempt to apprehend these individuals. Instead, call the Ottumwa Police Department at (641) 683-0661 or Wapello County Sheriff ’s Department at (641) 684-4350 if you have any information on their whereabouts. Your tips can be made anonymously.
Name: Tiffanson Apaisam DOB: 07/19/1989 Warrant Issued: 07/06/2022 Warrant Details: Failure to Appear Original Charge: Trespass
Ray’s Longbranch Homemade 1/2 lb. Tenderloins & Hamburgers Drakesville, IA • 722-3355
(Just the Other Day cont’d from pg 3)
when you brought me here.” “Nova, you were standing right here this morning when I told them you were just here for treats,” I defended. “There must have been a little misunderstanding,” I said as I gave the receptionist two obvious winks with my left eye. Then, I put my hand inside the funnel-shaped collar, giving Nova a rub on the head. After a nice dinner,
Nova Mae used her back leg to scratch vigorously at the lampshade around her head. “Dad, have you ever had an uneasy feeling where it seems like your collar is riding up on your neck, trying to choke you?” “As a matter of fact, I have had that feeling, Nova,” I answered. Then, to give her some relief, I scratched her neck under the base of the plastic cone. “Don’t let it bother you, Nova Mae; that feeling will go away in about ten days.”
Name: Alonzo Jenkins Jr. DOB: 02/27/1995 Warrant Issued: 01/12/2022 Warrant Details: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Sexual Abuse 2nd Degree, Lascivious Acts With a Child & Violation of Probation
Name: Amber Rose McNeely DOB:07/16/1980 Warrant Issued: 07/07/2022 Warrant Details: Violation of Parole Original Charge: Possession of a Controlled Substance
Name: Tyler Michael Moore DOB: 11/14/1990 Warrant Issued: 07/08/2022 Warrant Details: Violation of Probation Original Charges: Prohibited Acts x2 & Possession of a Controlled Substance
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