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BUSINESS Estate Planning is Financial Planning April is financial literacy month. On behalf of all estate planning attorneys I am proclaiming that we are standing up to be counted as a vital part of Financial Literacy. We are often overlooked and excluded when the discussion of financial literacy is presented. Typically, there is a cursory discussion that says get a Will. The Financial Literacy courses spend substantial instructions regarding creating a budget, reducing debt, savings, investing and home ownership. The end of the course typically says, “and complete a Will to have your affairs in order”. I agree with the importance of living with intentionality financially. I agree that it is necessary to have a budget road map that creates a strategy for living and spending. A budget allows your money to have an assignment. That is one of the key statements of estate planning. There is no reason to change the philosophy of how your money is treated after you pass away. Estate planning is about being strategic in planning for the future, including the use of resources. I agree with reducing debt and investing as a focused strategic plan. We are all aware of the many “Go Fund Me” pages we see when people have passed away without Life Insurance. The presumption that I have is there was not only no money to provide resources to be laid to rest, there is no money to pass on. We should indeed have a strategic plan not to burden our family with our passing. The Black community has been subjected to hundreds of years of discrimination and exploitation financially by 5 A D.C. Circulator bus. (Courtesy Photo/Google) Banks and Insurance Companies. We have been overcharged and undervalued such that we were denied access to insurance for our lives but allowed just to pay for our death policies, in many cases costing Deanwood Leaders Excited About D.C. Circulator Possibilities more than that would be paid out. One guaranteed bet we can make is that we won’t leave this life alive. We can invest in ourselves and our families by securing life insurance that offers a benefit that can support our families when needed by providing a platform for stabilization or a platform for jumping to a higher position. Life insurance has a great capacity for impact if we choose to make the investment on ourselves for our families or loved ones. Yet, we know that money without instructions often will simply evaporate. Estate planning provides the opportunity to give the money that is left behind instructions. We want our loved ones to be prudent with the resources that are left behind. Grief and Greed are James Wright ported single-family houses in Dean- two of the strongest emotions that we deal with during highly emotional times. Strategically planning WI Staff Writer wood ranging from $125,000 to $1.1 allows for planning that will guard against the devastation that can occur and manipulation that may million while in the District overall a be employed

Plans to bring the D.C. Circula- similar house could cost $809,500 I agree that homeownership is one of the best ways in which we can increase net worth. We all have tor—the District government’s pub- according to the website Curbed DC to live somewhere. Homeownership allows us to make an investment that enables us to continue to live lic bus system managed by the D.C. in June 2019. Green said as more where we choose, control the costs and simultaneously creating an appreciating asset. It also provides Department of Transportation-- to people come to Deanwood to live, a home for our children and our children’s children that will provide a base of financial and emotional the Deanwood section of the city has they want more transit options oth- support. Yet, we have seen what happens when there is no strategic plan. We have seen family houses neighborhood leaders upbeat about er than the Metro Station located in that are sold because one of the heirs wants his or her portion. We have seen abandonment because the possible expanded transit options the western part of the neighborhood everyone was responsible but no one took responsibility. and its potential to increase economic and the Circulator would work as a Estate Planning is such a significant part of financial planning. Wisdom is the application of knowldevelopment. transportation option. edge. When we know better we do better. It’s not just enough to learn the distinctive components of

“The D.C. Circulator coming to DDOT has discussed with ad- financial literacy. It’s vital to create a comprehensive plan to build for the future. Let’s leave an inheriDeanwood is one of my top priorities visory neighborhood commissions tance to our children’s children. as an advisory neighborhood com- and civic and community groups in missioner,” Anthony Lorenzo Green, Ward 7 about expanding the D.C. The Griffin Firm, PLLC who represents single-member dis- Circulator service there for a number www.yourestateplanningattorney.com trict 7C04 said. “For many years, of months. The agency has drawn up (202)379-4738 Deanwood was considered this far- a plan of seven routes of which three 5335 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite 440 Washington DC 20015 off Northeast community in D.C. have stops in the Deanwood neigh- 1401 Mercantile Lane Suite 383 Upper Marlboro MD 20774 for many years that was considered borhood. One route would start at 100 International Drive 23rd Floor Baltimore MD 21202 living in the country. That’s not the Union Station and end up at the 1100 Peachtree ST NE Suite 200 Atlanta GA 30309 case now but we are in a fight to re- Deanwood Station by going through 2530 Meridian Parkway Suite 300 Durham NC 27713 image our area to get more attention East Capitol Street and servicing the from the city.” Stadium-Armory and Benning Road

Green’s sentiments about Dean- Metro Stations while another propos- one D.C. Circulator route coming to Antwan Holmes, who represents up in River Terrace,” Holmes said. wood—bordered by Eastern Avenue al starts at the New York Avenue sta- Deanwood. 7C07, agrees with Green on Dean- “Routes like the U4 are what our resto the northeast, Kenilworth Avenue tion and head to Deanwood Metro “If we could get two, that would be wood being a part of a new Circu- idents need. I feel the Circulator can to the northwest, Division Avenue and terminate at the Benning Road great,” he said. lator route that will help his constit- fill those routes that Metro may want to the southeast and Nannie Helen station. The third route would start at The Circulator has been in Ward uents who sometimes struggle with to cut. The Circulator could compleBurroughs to the south— are preva- the Skyland Town Center and move 7 previously but it didn’t extend to getting to Metrobuses. ment the well-used X2, X9 routes.” lent among leaders in Ward 7 as the north to the Minnesota Avenue sta- Deanwood. The former route grazed “When it comes to Metrobus, While advisory neighborhood neighborhood gains in reputation tion and terminate at the Deanwood the ward’s southern edge near Sky- Metro seems to want to close routes commission 7F chairman Tyrell M. as having lots of affordable housing Metro. land and the District closed it due to that come through Deanwood, like units. The website, realtor.com, re- Green said he wants more than low ridership in 2018. the U4 which starts here and ends DEANWOOD Page 38