The SunWest Life - March 2023

March Madness, a tournament with 68 college basketball teams competing for the national championship title.

With the warm, Spring weather headed our way, gardening season will be at its peak. Is your green thumb ready?

SCAMS

With fraud at an all-time high, you can never be too cautious. Learn about imposter scams and how to avoid them at all costs. 16

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A successful investor maximizes gain and minimizes loss. Here is a list of six basic principles that may help you invest more successfully.

Living in one of SunWest Management’s communities is more than just having a place to rest your head — it’s where you call home. At SunWest Management, we know it’s a privilege to say, “Welcome home!”

In our wide variety of communities that meet virtually every need, the perfect fit for your lifestyle is just through the front door of your next dream home in one of our Southern Utah communities.

green living

How to Make Your Home More Sustainable

By Ally Thompson

by using energy-efficient appliances, switching to LED light bulbs, and ensuring that your home is properly insulated. By reducing your energy consumption, you’ll even save money on your utility bills.

Green or sustainable living, is the practice of making environmentally responsible choices in order to reduce one’s impact on the environment. This can include things like reducing energy consumption, recycling, and using sustainable products. One of the most important aspects of green living is making your home more sustainable.

One of the easiest ways to make your home more sustainable is to reduce your energy consumption. This can be done

Another way to make your home more sustainable is to use sustainable building materials. This can include things like bamboo flooring, cork walls, and ecofriendly paint. These materials are often more durable and long-lasting than traditional building materials, and they can help to reduce the impact of your home.

Recycling is another important aspect of green living. By recycling, you can reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills and help to conserve natural resources. This can be done by

setting up a recycling program in your home and making sure to properly dispose of items such as paper, plastic, and glass.

Believe it or not, but incorporating plants is another way to make your home more sustainable. Plants not only purify the air, but they also help to regulate humidity, which can help to reduce the amount of energy used for heating and cooling.

Water conservation is also an important aspect of green living. This can be done by installing low-flow showerheads and toilets, fixing leaks, and using rain barrels to collect rainwater for irrigation.

Finally, it’s important to be mindful of the products that you bring into your home. This includes things like cleaning products, personal care products, and even furniture. Together, our responsible efforts will conserve resources!

MARCH MADNESS

By Christian Gates

March Madness is the popular nickname given to the College Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, held every year in the United States during the month of March. It is a single-elimination tournament featuring 68 college basketball teams from across the country, competing for the national championship title.

March Madness is highly anticipated by fans and is considered one of the biggest events in American sports. The format of the tournament is unique, as the teams are divided into four regions and play in a series of rounds, starting with the First Four, then moving on to the Round of 64, Round of 32, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, and finally the National Championship Game.

The tournament is known for its high stakes, upsets, and dramatic finishes. One of the most memorable moments in March Madness history came in 1992, when Duke defeated Kentucky in

the regional finals with a buzzer-beater shot. Another iconic moment came in 1985, when Villanova upset Georgetown to win the national championship.

The tournament also holds cultural significance, as fans participate in bracket challenges and make predictions on the outcomes of the games. The excitement and unpredictability of the tournament have made it a popular subject for sports analysts and commentators, who provide expert analysis and commentary throughout the event.

In conclusion, March Madness is a major sporting event that brings together basketball fans from all over the country. With its high stakes, dramatic finishes, and cultural significance, it is one of the most beloved and widely watched events in American sports. Whether you are a die-hard fan or a casual observer, March Madness is an event that is not to be missed.

BENEFITS OF HOME INSPECTIONS

By Joseph Brimer

Home inspections are a key part of general home maintenance. I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself: “Yeah, I get that done whenever I buy a new home”. But what if I told you that you should be getting a home inspection every 3-5 years? Yes, it’s true! Just as you do with your personal health, your home needs to be regularly inspected to keep optimal performance. Depending on how old your home is, there are numerous benefits to performing regular inspections.

EXPECTED EXPENSES-

I think we can all agree that no one likes to receive an unexpected bill, but you can’t put off replacing or repairing components of your home. By having regular inspections, a vendor can help you set expectations regarding when it might be best to replace an item and budget ahead of time.

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE-

A lot of vendors perform inspections during their regular service cycles and sometimes uncover potential problems. Mitigating these

issues before they become a disaster is the key to protecting your home. Comparing to your health, your doctor keeps record of your vitals in order to assess whether larger issues could be looming.

PEACE OF MIND-

As GI Joe says, “Knowing is half the battle”. Knowing that the maintenance on your home is being performed regularly and any components that may need to replaced soon; you can finally get back to enjoying your home.

INCREASED VALUE-

If the only time you’re performing inspections of your home is when you sell, the inspector may come back with a laundry list of items that need attention. This could hold up the sales process or have other unintended consequences. Additionally, if one part of your home isn’t getting the attention that it needs, it could put stress on other parts meaning nothing is functioning as efficiently as it should.

So why mortgage your future now?

Imposter Scams

Paying with a gift card or wiring money is like sending cash. Do not send money to people you do not know.

• Do not give out your personal information to people you do not know.

• Do not give access to your computer to people you do not know.

How do I spot an imposter scam?

Most imposter scams look like this:

• Someone asks you to put money on a gift card or to wire money.

A scammer might use different ways to convince you to send money. The scammer might say:

• You have a problem with your computer and you have to pay to fix it.

• You owe taxes to the IRS.

• You won a prize, or inherited money, but you have to pay fees first.

• A friend or family member is in trouble and needs you to send money to help.

• You got a check for too much money and need to send back the extra

These are all tricks. When you hear stories like these, you have spotted an imposter scam.

How do I avoid an imposter scam?

Scammers are good at being friendly. They are also good at fooling people. Here is how you can stop a scammer:

• Never send money to someone you do not know.

• Never send money because someone contacted you:

» even if you feel like you know the person.

» even if the person says he is your friend or related to you.

What if I’ve already sent money to someone I don’t know?

If you sent money to someone who contacted you, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

• Call the FTC at 1-877-382-4357.

• Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

The FTC uses complaints to build cases against scammers. Any information you can provide to investigators is beneficial.

Spring into action:

A

Guide to a Thorough Spring Cleaning

By Ally Thompson

Spring cleaning is the practice of thoroughly cleaning and decluttering a home or office at the start of the spring season. It’s a time-honored tradition that has been used for centuries to freshen up the home and get rid of unwanted items after a long, cold winter.

One of the main benefits of spring cleaning is that it can help to improve the overall cleanliness and organization of a home or office. When you declutter and deep clean your space, you can create a more comfortable and inviting environment that is easier to navigate and maintain. Additionally, getting rid of unwanted items can help to reduce clutter and make it easier to find the things you need.

To get started with your spring cleaning, it’s helpful to make a plan and set specific goals. Start by making a list of the areas of your home or office that you want to focus on, such as the living room, kitchen, or bedrooms. Then, break down each area into smaller tasks, such as dusting, vacuuming, and organizing.

When it comes to decluttering, it’s helpful to focus on one room or area at a time, starting with the spaces that tend to collect the most clutter. Go through each item and decide whether to keep, donate, or throw it away. Some items that are

not used frequently or have sentimental value, could be stored or given to a friend or family member for safekeeping.

Spring cleaning is also a great opportunity to perform deep cleaning tasks that are typically neglected during regular cleaning, such as cleaning the windows, baseboards, and ceiling fans. It’s also a good time to change air filters, check the batteries on smoke detectors, and perform any other maintenance tasks that need to be done.

Another aspect of spring cleaning is to bring a fresh start to your outdoor spaces. Clear out any debris, tidy up the garden, pressure wash or paint the exterior of your house, or even plan a new landscape design.

Spring cleaning is a great way to improve the overall cleanliness and organization of your home or office. By breaking it down into smaller tasks and focusing on one area at a time, you can make the process more manageable and less overwhelming. Additionally, it’s a good way to refresh your outdoor spaces too. By performing deep cleaning and decluttering tasks, you can create a more comfortable and inviting environment that is easier to navigate and maintain.

gardening Green Thumb

By: Nick Boulton

As a boy I would enjoy watching my mother’s father, my Papa, work in his farm and going out to help him in it. I also enjoyed the many great things that would come from all his hard work, and at times, my hard work. Really though the majority of the credit needs to go to him and my Nana. I remember all the pies, cobblers, and meals that they would prepare all throughout the year that they would harvest from their garden, and share with us. Any time we visited, the kitchen would be filled with the aroma of baking cobblers, pies or breads, spaghetti sauces or canned food, fruit leather and meats. We would gorge ourselves! A lot of care and time went not only into cooking and preparing food, but growing it as well.

My favorite thing, still to this day, that he would make was strawberry rhubarb pie. For weeks in advance Papa would tell us to stay out of the strawberries and not to eat them so that he could make the pie for us. Otherwise all the

strawberries would “disappear” along with the grapes, raspberries, blackberries, peaches and pears. With 16 grandkids, I’m sure you can’t imagine how this would ever happen...

Wink Wink!

One of the things that I remember my Papa doing was watching him prune his tomato plants, along with all the other crops and plants daily. As a child I never understood why pruning was done and how this would help the plant and not hurt it. I would sit and watch him go over his dozens of plants, some being small and others being larger. Each one got the same amount of care and thoughtful nurturing.

As I watched and helped the best I could, he explained that it is a way of not only training the plant, but maintaining the plant to help it to its fullest capability. This is obviously an optional technique and some may choose to not do any

at all. But I have to say the yield that my Papa got every year was amazing! And this was not only the tomatoes, but many other plants that he would methodically prune and maintain to perfection.

As far as pruning your tomatoes though, it is important to make sure that your tomato plant is an in-determinant tomato plant and not a determinant. If it is a determinant plant you could hurt the yield quantity and quality of the tomatoes that will be produced by pruning it. Most of the time you can find this out by the variety of plant it is. Pruning will also help with more air flow and less leaves to be infected with pests. In the early to mid-season, remove all leafy suckers just beneath the first cluster of blossoms so that they will not slow the continued growth and development of the fruit. Suckers are the tiny shoots that form in the spot called the axil.

This is where the leaf stern attaches onto the main stem. In our warmer climate area it is often recommended to practice what’s called Missouri Pruning. This is where you pinch off the leaflets on the end of each sucker, leaving only the two base leaflets in place. As these leaves will enlarge, they can help with shading the fruit and protecting it from Sunscald.

As an adult, looking back on all that my Papa taught us and all the time that he spent in his garden with us, I now see what a joy it was for him and us to maintain and nurture plants to their fullest potential...even if us grandkids ate a good majority of the food before it even made it to the kitchen.

With that little bit of helpful tip on tomatoes, let’s just get the warm weather here and we’ll be off to the garden to make sure that we are getting it ready for this upcoming spring. Here’s to doing everything for those new plants to yield the most they can for us, and those around us!

THE TRUTH ABOUT PRESERVATIVES AND DYES: ARE THEY SAFE?

By Casey Ritter

My friend from England asked me why American bread was so sweet and why it took so long to grow mold. This conversation started my shocking research on preservatives and foods accepted by the FDA in America but wholly banned in other countries.

THE FIRST SYNTHETIC DYE WAS DISCOVERED IN 1856 BY A BRITISH CHEMIST NAMED WILLIAM HENRY PERKIN.

I discovered that over 1,000 additives used in American food production for coloring, flavoring, and preservatives are substances banned in the E.U.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) take a stance that food products should only be banned when they are proven to be harmful. In contrast, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) only considers food safe for human consumption once proven so by independent scientific evidence.

Synthetic dyes like Yellow No. 5, No. 6, and Red No. 40 give color to food products, but they aren’t necessary, and they are often used to create the impression that the food contains natural fruits or vegetables even when they don’t. Furthermore, they have been associated with hyperactivity and behavioral changes in kids.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, existing research raises concerns about these dyes and their role in child behavior and exacerbating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and eliminating them may be beneficial. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recommends avoiding all three synthetic dyes.

Titanium Dioxide additive is used for coloring and is found in Skittles, Starburst, baked goods, soups, broths, sauces, and sandwich spreads. Titanium dioxide can build up over time and doesn’t get excreted very well. On May 6, 2021, The European Food Safety Authoity (EFSA) issued a statement that it no longer considered titanium dioxide safe when used as a food additive. The additive has been shown to be genotoxic in studies, which is why it is banned in Europe. Genotoxicity refers to the ability of a chemical substance to damage DNA, which is the genetic material in all cells, and it may lead to carcinogenic, or cancerous, effects.

Did you know that in Britain, fresh apples only keep for a few weeks, maybe longer if put in the fridge? While in America, apples can keep for up to 18 months because they are treated with diphenylamine, a toxin that is banned in the E.U.

Potassium bromate, an oxidizing agent, is often used in bread and dough and is banned in Europe because they are linked in animal studies to cause kidney and thyroid cancers. Also prohibited is Brominated vegetable oil, found in citrus sodas and drinks.

It’s not just Europe that bans the toxins frequently used in American foods; many other countries, including Japan, also prohibit them.

Japan, with an average life span of 83.7 years, currently has the highest life expectancy in the world, closely followed by the Mediterranean countries at 82.9 years. The U.K. comes in at 26th and the USA at 43rd place out of 195 countries, but on current trends, the USA is predicted to fall to 64th place by 2040.’

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Selecting foods with fewer ingredients is typically the best way to go.

• Avoid foods with preservatives and dyes.

• Read product labels.

• Use phone apps to help you make sure the foods you’re buying are safe — search “food ingredients scanner” in the App Store. One such app is Sift Food Labels, where you can look up food or scan the bar code label, and it will alert you of any potentially risky additives.

• Pay attention to your body: If you notice that certain foods cause negative effects, such as headaches or stomach discomfort, avoid those foods in the future.

• Consume fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables.

• When possible, make meals from scratch.

Six Keys to More Successful Investing

By: JC Hallman

A successful investor maximizes gain and minimizes loss. Though there can be no guarantee that any investment strategy will be successful and all investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, here are six basic principles that may help you invest more successfully.

Long-term compounding can help you nest egg grow

It’s the “rolling snowball” effect. Put simply, compounding pays you earnings on your reinvested earnings. The longer you leave your money at work for you, the more exciting the numbers get. For example, imagine an investment of $10,000 at an annual rate of return of 8 percent. In 20 years, assuming no withdrawals, your $10,000 investment would grow to $46,610. In 25 years, it would grow to $68,485, a 47 percent gain over the 20-year figure. After 30 years, your account would total $100,627. (Of course, this is a hypothetical example that does not reflect the performance of any specific investment.)

This simple example also assumes that no taxes are paid along the way, so all money stays invested. That would be the case in a tax-deferred individual retirement account or qualified retirement plan. The compounded earnings of deferred tax dollars are the main reason experts recommend fully funding all tax-advantaged retirement accounts and plans available to you.

While you should review your portfolio on a regular basis, the point is that money left alone in an investment offers the potential of a significant return over time. With time on your side, you don’t have to go for investment “home runs” in order to be successful.

Endure short-term pain for long-term gain

Riding out market volatility sounds simple, doesn’t it? But what if you’ve invested $10,000 in the stock market and the price of the stock drops like a stone one day? On paper, you’ve lost a bundle, offsetting the value of compounding you’re trying to achieve. It’s tough to stand pat.

There’s no denying it — the financial marketplace can be volatile. Still, it’s important to remember two things. First, the longer you stay with a diversified portfolio of investments, the more likely you are to reduce your risk and improve your opportunities for gain. Though past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, the long-term direction of the stock market has historically been up. Take your time horizon into account when establishing your investment game plan. For assets you’ll use soon, you may not have the time to wait out the market and should consider investments designed to protect your principal. Conversely, think long-term for goals that are many years away.

Second, during any given period of market or economic turmoil, some asset categories and some individual investments historically have been less volatile than others. Bond price swings, for example, have generally been less dramatic than stock prices. Though diversification alone cannot guarantee a profit or ensure against the possibility of loss, you can minimize your risk somewhat by diversifying your holdings among various classes of assets, as well as different types of assets within each class.

Spread your wealth through asset allocation

Asset allocation is the process by which you spread your dollars over several categories of investments, usually referred to as asset classes. The three most common asset classes are stocks, bonds, and cash or cash alternatives such as money market funds. You’ll also see the term “asset classes” used to refer to subcategories, such as aggressive growth stocks, long-term growth stocks, international stocks, government bonds (U.S., state, and local), high-quality corporate bonds, low-quality corporate bonds, and tax-free municipal bonds. A basic asset allocation would likely include at least stocks, bonds (or mutual funds of stocks and bonds), and cash or cash alternatives.

There are two main reasons why asset allocation is important. First, the mix of asset classes you own is a large factor — some say the biggest factor by far — in determining your overall investment portfolio performance. In other words, the basic decision about how to divide your money between stocks, bonds, and cash can be more important than your subsequent choice of specific investments. Second, by dividing your investment dollars among asset classes that do not respond to the same market forces in the same way at the same time, you can help minimize the effects of market volatility while maximizing your chances of return in the long term. Ideally, if your investments in one class are performing poorly, assets in another class may be doing better. Any gains in the latter can help offset the losses in the former and help minimize their overall impact on your portfolio.

Consider your time horizon in your investment choices

In choosing an asset allocation, you’ll need to consider how quickly you might need to convert an investment into cash without loss of principal (your initial investment). Generally speaking, the sooner you’ll need your money, the wiser it is to keep it in investments whose prices remain relatively stable. You want to avoid a situation, for example, where you need to use money quickly that is tied up in an investment whose price is currently down.

Therefore, your investment choices should take into account how soon you’re planning to use your money. If you’ll need the money within the next one to three years, you may want to consider keeping it in a money market fund or other cash alternative whose aim is to protect your initial investment. Your rate of return may be lower than that possible with more volatile investments such as stocks, but you’ll breathe easier knowing that the principal you invested is relatively safe and quickly available, without concern over market conditions on a given day. Conversely, if you have a long time horizon — for example, if you’re investing for a retirement that’s many years away — you may be able to invest a greater percentage of your assets in something that might have more dramatic price changes but that might also have greater potential for long-term growth.

Note: Before investing in a mutual fund, consider its investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses, all of which are outlined in the prospectus, available from the fund. Consider the information carefully before investing. Remember that an investment in a money market fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporate or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund.

Dollar cost averaging: investing consistently and often

Dollar cost averaging is a method of accumulating shares of an investment by purchasing a fixed dollar amount at regularly scheduled intervals over an extended time. When the price is high, your fixed-dollar investment buys less; when prices are low, the same dollar investment will buy more shares. A regular, fixeddollar investment should result in a lower average price per share than you would get buying a fixed number of shares at each investment interval. A workplace savings plan, such as a 401(k) plan that deducts the same amount from each paycheck and invests it through the plan, is one of the most well-known examples of dollar cost averaging in action.

Remember that, just as with any investment strategy, dollar cost averaging can’t guarantee you a profit or protect you against a loss if the market is declining. To maximize the potential effects of dollar cost averaging, you should also assess your ability to keep investing even when the market is down.

An alternative to dollar cost averaging would be trying to “time the market,” in an effort to predict how the price of the shares will fluctuate in the months ahead so you can make your full investment at the absolute lowest point. However, market timing is generally unprofitable guesswork. The discipline of regular investing is a much more manageable strategy, and it has the added benefit of automating the process.

Buy and hold, don’t buy and forget

Unless you plan to rely on luck, your portfolio’s longterm success will depend on periodically reviewing it. Maybe economic conditions have changed the prospects for a particular investment or an entire asset class. Also, your circumstances change over time, and your asset allocation will need to reflect those changes. For example, as you get closer to retirement, you might decide to increase your allocation to less

Refer

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES

volatile investments, or those that can provide a steady stream of income.

Another reason for periodic portfolio review: your various investments will likely appreciate at different rates, which will alter your asset allocation without any action on your part. For example, if you initially decided on an 80 percent to 20 percent mix of stock investments to bond investments, you might find that after several years the total value of your portfolio has become divided 88 percent to 12 percent (conversely, if stocks haven’t done well, you might have a 70-30 ratio of stocks to bonds in this hypothetical example). You need to review your portfolio periodically to see if you need to return to your original allocation.

To rebalance your portfolio, you would buy more of the asset class that’s lower than desired, possibly using some of the proceeds of the asset class that is now larger than you intended. Or you could retain your existing allocation but shift future investments into an asset class that you want to build up over time. But if you don’t review your holdings periodically, you won’t know whether a change is needed. Many people choose a specific date each year to do an annual review.

Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. does not provide investment, tax, legal, or retirement advice or recommendations. The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances.

To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances.

These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable — we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.

Prepared by Broadridge Advisor Solutions Copyright 2023.

SUNWEST MANAGEMENT?

SunWest Management specializes in helping you develop a strong sense of community and promote harmony in your community. Prudent financial management, the best governance practices and maintenance strategies, yeah, we’re good at that too! We work with you to keep your property values high and your community thriving.

Our digital magazine is another way we share our passion and commitment to serve community associations everywhere. Read on for best practices, tips and offers to enhance your home and community.