all clothing and jewelry purchases benefited The Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation. The foundation was established to nurture and educate underprivileged and vulnerable children near Johannesburg, South Africa, driven by the Players’ commitment to support and uplift young lives. For more information or reservations, visit 1000NORTH.com or call (561) 570-1000.
Abu
Nan O’Leary, Barbara Nicklaus
Barbara Nicklaus, Sherrye SammonsFenton
Gale Brophy, Mike McGann
Jeanie Porter
Amanda Leigh-Hall, Sherrye SammonsFenton
Tamra FitzGerald, Beth Neuhoff, Andrew Kato
Eirinn
Sherrye Sammons-Fenton, Gloria Hollis, Gale Brophy
Christina Van Vilet Rynasko
Christina Van Vilet Rynasko, Nina Pucillo, Jeanie Porter, Sandy Donavan, Crissy Poorman, Sherrye Sammons-Fenton, Allison Weistzman, Edwige Gilbert, Catherine McGlennon
Theresa Player, Amanda-Leigh Hall, Nan O’Leary, Barbara Nicklaus, Susan Waterfall
Photos courtesy of Tyler Benson Photography
Anne Fontaine Collection
The Pet Cottage Post
The Pet Cottage: Where Pets And People Belong
Happy New Year! As we welcome 2025, we’d like to share the story of The Pet Cottage, a unique organization where pets and people belong, where hearts grow bigger, and where those who are often overlooked—senior pets and people—are treated with the dignity, patience, compassion, and love they deserve.
When pets lose their humans due to death, disability, deployment, or challenges such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, or cancer, their world is turned upside down. Often these pets are older, facing health issues themselves, and feeling scared and uncertain about their future. That’s where The Pet Cottage steps in, transforming a heartbreaking situation into one filled with hope and care.
The Pet Cottage doesn’t just rescue pets; it provides a Forever Promise. Unlike shelters, which focus on adoption, The Pet Cottage offers Lifelong Guardianship. This means every pet that enters their program is cared for, loved, and supported for life. From medical care and surgeries to behavioral support and a stable home environment, The Pet Cottage ensures that no pet feels abandoned again.
A Story Of Healing: Meet Mister And Beary
Recently, two new members joined The Pet Cottage’s Lifelong Guardianship Program: Mister and Beary, a bonded senior pair who lost their mom to cancer. When they arrived, it was clear they needed immediate attention.
On December 17, Beary underwent emergency surgery for painful bladder stones. Thankfully, the surgery was successful, and Beary is now recovering comfortably under our care. Mister, however, will require a more complicated surgery this month to address his condition. These procedures, coupled with prescription diets and
ongoing care, are part of our commitment to ensuring that these two sweet dogs live happy, healthy lives.
Sadly, this isn’t uncommon. Many pets entering The Pet Cottage’s program come with untreated medical conditions or signs of neglect— not out of malice, but because their humans were struggling with their own health challenges. Yet, thanks to generous donor support and grants from foundations like the Haseley Family Foundation, the Cathleen McFarlane Foundation, the Peter H. Kamin Family Foundation, and the Knopf Family Foundation, The Pet Cottage provides the veterinary care and nurturing needed to restore these pets’ health, support their well-being, and ensure they thrive for the rest of their lives.
How You Can Help
The Pet Cottage is always in need of compassionate Forever Guardians. There is a special need for guardians who can welcome bonded pairs, large senior dogs, and cats. Guardians provide a loving home environment, while The Pet Cottage takes responsibility for the pet’s medical needs. It’s a partnership of love and care that makes a life-changing difference for pets in need and the seniors who love them.
As we look ahead to 2025, The Pet Cottage remains committed to its mission: ensuring that every pet who loses their human will always have a home, care, and love. If you’d like to learn more, donate, or become a Forever Guardian, visit https://www.thepetcottage.org/. Together, we can create a world where pets and people truly belong.
Medicare season is over … or is it? Jan. 1 to March 31 is Open Enrollment Period. During this time, people on a Medicare Advantage plan may make plan changes. If you meant to change and didn’t, there is still time. If you chose the wrong plan, you can change back to your original plan. Contact me to see if I can get you more benefits or lower costs than your current plan.
What about drug plans and supplement plans? If you are turning 65 or just activating your part B coverage now you can enroll in any plan. There are other circumstances that may give you a Special Enrollment Period.
People with Medicare and Medicaid have more options. Full Medicaid beneficiaries can change any quarter. Medicaid beneficiaries are eligible for plans that offer groceries. You may apply for Medicaid at myaccess.myflfamilies.com, this program is for very low-income people.
Choosing your Medicare and drug plan is very important, but not necessarily permanent. This is why the assistance of a no-cost local agent like me is invaluable.
Medicare New Year’s Advice
Review plan information so you understand benefits.
Download apps that your carrier offers to manage claims and benefits.
Review medications with doctor at your annual exam.
Earn rewards or use any extra benefits your Advantage Plan offers each month.
If you still need to review or change your Medicare plan, Open Enrollment is Jan. 1 to March 30 and you may qualify for a Special Enrollment. Call me! If you have Medicare Topic suggestions, email me at czak82@aol.com.
I speak Medicare: Supplement, Drug Plan and Advantage Plan.
For your free Medicare plan review please call me. Kathy Olejniczak, Agent, at (561) 835-5413 or cell/text (561) 212-7640.
By Sally Sima Stahl, Edward Jones
In life, you often get second chances—and the same is true with investing. To illustrate: You might not have been able to contribute to a Roth IRA during your working years due to your income level, but you may get that opportunity as you near retirement or even when you are retired— through a Roth conversion.
And you can do so by converting your traditional IRA to a Roth. While this sounds simple, there’s a major caveat: taxes. You’ll be taxed on the amount in pre-tax dollars you contributed to a traditional IRA and then converted to a Roth IRA. (If you have both pre- and after-tax dollars in your traditional IRA, the taxable amount is based on the percentage of pre-tax dollars.)
Why is a Roth IRA desirable for some people? Here are the key benefits:
If you have large amounts in a traditional IRA, the tax bill on conversion can be significant. The key to potentially lowering this tax bill is timing. Generally speaking, the lower your income in a given year, the more favorable it is for you to convert to a Roth IRA. So, for example, if you have already retired, but have not started collecting RMDs, your income may be down.
• Tax-free withdrawals—you put in after-tax dollars to a Roth IRA, so you can withdraw your contributions at any time, free of taxes and penalties. And if you’ve had your account for at least five years and you’re at least 591⁄2, you can also withdraw your earnings free of taxes.
• No RMDs—With a traditional IRA, you’ll have to start taking withdrawals — called required minimum distributions, or RMDs — when you turn 73, or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. But there’s no RMD requirement with a Roth IRA — you can essentially leave the money intact as long as you like.
Timing also comes into play with the financial markets. When the market is going through a decline, and the value of your traditional IRA drops, you could convert the same number of shares of the underlying investments and receive a lower tax bill or convert more shares of these investments for what would have been the same tax bill.
• Tax-free legacy for your heirs—When your heirs inherit your Roth IRA, they can withdraw the contributions without paying taxes or penalties, and if the account has been open for at least five years, they can also withdraw earnings tax-free.
Finally, you could lower your tax bill in any given year by stretching out your Roth IRA conversions over several years, rather than doing it all at once.
But even if you were aware of these advantages, you might not have been able to invest in a Roth IRA for much of your life. For one thing, you might have earned too much money— a Roth IRA, unlike a traditional IRA, has income limits. Also, a Roth IRA has only been around since 1998, so, in the previous years, you were limited to a traditional IRA.
You’ll want to consult with your tax advisor before embarking on this conversion—but if it’s appropriate for your situation, you could find that owning a Roth IRA can benefit you and your family for years to come.
As you approach retirement, though, you might start thinking of just how much you’d like to benefit from a Roth IRA.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Edward Jones, Member SIPC.
Edward Jones is a licensed insurance producer in all states and Washington, D.C., through Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P., and in California, New Mexico and Massachusetts through Edward Jones Insurance Agency of California, L.L.C.; Edward Jones Insurance Agency of New Mexico, L.L.C.; and Edward Jones Insurance Agency of Massachusetts, L.L.C. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax advice. You should consult your qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.
Contact us at (561) 748-7600, Sally Sima Stahl, CFP® AAMS™, 1851 W. Indiantown Road, Ste. 106, Jupiter, FL 33458.
Elder Estate Planning
Understanding The Antilapse Statute In Florida
By Anné DesormierCartwright, J.D., Esq.
In estate planning and probate law, unforeseen situations can arise when a named beneficiary in a will passes away before the testator (the person who created the will). This can lead to confusion regarding the distribution of assets.
To address this, Florida has enacted what is known as the antilapse statute, a legal provision that preserves the inheritance rights of a deceased beneficiary’s descendants.
What Is An Antilapse Statute?
The antilapse statute is designed to prevent gifts in a will from “lapsing” or failing when a beneficiary predeceases the testator. In such cases, the statute allows the gift to pass to the deceased beneficiary’s descendants, rather than reverting to the residuary estate or being redistributed to other beneficiaries.
The intent behind the statute is to honor the presumed wishes of the testator, who likely intended for the beneficiary’s family to receive the gift in their place.
Florida’s Antilapse Statute: Key Provisions
Florida’s antilapse statute is codified under Section 732.603 of the Florida Statutes. Here are the critical elements:
1. Application to Certain Relatives: The antilapse statute applies only if the predeceased beneficiary is:
◦ A grandparent of the testator, or
◦ A descendant of a grandparent of the testator (e.g., siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews). If the beneficiary falls within this category and passes away before the testator, the beneficiary’s descendants will inherit the gift per stirpes (in shares determined by their generational line).
2. Exclusions Based on Will Language: The antilapse statute does not apply if the will explicitly provides an
alternative plan for the gift. For example, if the will states, “If my son John predeceases me, his share shall go to charity,” the statute will not override this instruction.
3. Gifts to Non-Family Members : If a non-family member (someone not a grandparent or descendant of a grandparent) is the predeceased beneficiary, the antilapse statute does not apply. In such cases, the gift will lapse and fall into the residuary estate unless otherwise specified in the will.
How Per Stirpes Distribution Works
When the antilapse statute applies, the distribution to the deceased beneficiary’s descendants follows the per stirpes method. Under this method:
• The share of the deceased beneficiary is divided equally among their surviving descendants by generation.
• For instance, if a beneficiary has three children and one child predeceases the testator but leaves two children (grandchildren of the testator), the deceased child’s share will be divided between the two grandchildren. Practical Example Of The Antilapse Statute
Consider the following scenario:
• Testator’s will: “I leave $100,000 to my daughter Mary.”
• Situation: Mary passes away before the testator, but she is survived by two children.
• Outcome: Under Florida’s antilapse statute, Mary’s share of $100,000 would pass equally to her two children ($50,000 each), since Mary is a descendant of the testator’s grandparent.
However, if the testator’s will explicitly states, “If Mary predeceases me, her gift shall lapse,” then the antilapse statute would not apply, and the gift would fail.
Why The Antilapse Statute Is Important In Estate Planning
The antilapse statute plays a critical role in preserving the testator’s likely intentions and ensuring that close family members do not lose their inheritance due to the death of a named beneficiary. However, it is essential for testators to clearly outline their intentions in the will to prevent any ambiguity.
Avoiding Pitfalls: Drafting Clear Wills
To avoid unintended consequences, individuals creating a will in Florida should:
• Specify what happens if a named beneficiary predeceases them.
• Use clear and unambiguous language to outline alternate beneficiaries.
• Regularly update their will to reflect changes in family circumstances, such as the death of a beneficiary.
Conclusion Florida’s antilapse statute under Section 732.603 provides a safety net when a named beneficiary, who is a close family member, predeceases the testator. By ensuring that gifts pass to the deceased beneficiary’s descendants, the law upholds the testator’s presumed wishes and prevents the unintended lapsing of gifts.
However, careful estate planning and clear drafting of wills remain essential to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your precise intentions. For personalized advice, consulting an experienced estate planning attorney is always recommended.
We Are Here To Help
We understand that you are grieving the loss of a loved one. When you are ready, we are here to help you take the next step in your estate planning journey, whether you are starting, completing, or updating your estate plan. Give us a call to schedule your in-person or virtual appointment.
If you have questions about your estate plan and what documents you should have in place to plan your estate, schedule a free consultation today by calling our office at (561) 694-7827, Anné Desormier-Cartwright, Esq., Elder and Estate Planning Attorneys PA, 480 Maplewood Drive, Suite 3, Jupiter, FL 33458.
The content of this article is general and should not be relied upon without review of your specific circumstances by competent legal counsel. Reliance on the information herein is at your own risk, as it expresses no opinion by the firm on your specific circumstances or legal needs. An attorney client relationship is not created through the information provided herein.
To comply with the U.S. Treasury regulations, we must inform you that (i) any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this newsletter was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by any person for the purpose of avoiding U.S. federal tax penalties that may be imposed on such person and (ii) each taxpayer should seek advice from their tax advisor based on the taxpayer’s particular circumstances.
Meet the New Cardiologist in the Neighborhood!
Dr. Hemang B. Panchal, MD, MPH, FACC, FSCAI, is board-certified in cardiology, interventional cardiology, echocardiography, and nuclear cardiology. He recently established his new cardiology practice, South Florida Heart & Vascular, located in Jupiter, FL.
Hospital Affiliations:
• Jupiter Medical Center
• Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center
• Good Samaritan Medical Center
• Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital
• Cleveland Clinic Martin North and South Hospitals.
For more information, please visit our website at www.sfheart.org.
South Florida Heart & Vascular
4425 Military Trail, Suite 102 Jupiter, FL 33458
Phone: 561-208-5246
Fax: 561-245-5399
Email: infosfheart@gmail.com
We offer same-day or next-day appointments whenever possible.
Highlights of Dr. Panchal:
• 13+ years of experience
• Well-published in top-rated journals, including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Circulation.
• Helped reform the guidelines by the American College of Cardiology.
• Reviewer for many journals, including the American Heart Journal, British Medical Journal, and many others.