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Estate planning 101

• Consider your goals and objectives for your estate plan. Clarify your wishes for asset distributions, property, guardianship, and any other specific considerations you may have. 
  
• Build a comprehensive list of all your assets, including bank accounts, investments, real estate, personal belongings, and more. This helps to designate what goes where in the event of your passing. 
• Start to decide on who the beneficiaries of your estate will be and who you would like to appoint as the executor to administer your estate.
• Consult with an experienced estate planning attorney or professional who can provide guidance and ensure that your estate plan meets all legal requirements and addresses your unique needs.

Don't flush money down the drain — maintain your toilets

• Clean your toilet regularly, including those water jets located just under the rim of your toilet. If they become clogged, they will prevent your toilet from flushing properly.
• Never, ever flush anything other than regular waste and toilet paper. Home plumbing systems and utility sewer systems were not built to accommodate anything that doesn’t break down easily and this will quickly cause issues for your indoor plumbing — and potentially your neighbors' — if the sewer system becomes overwhelmed with inappropriate materials.
• If your toilet appears to be running at odd times or consistently, it likely means a loose flapper in your toilet tank. This is a circular piece of rubber attached to the flush handle by a chain that sits over the drain connecting the water tank to the bowl. If the flush chain is too tight or the rubber has deteriorated over time, it can prevent the flapper from completely blocking the drain, causing water to leak and requiring the toilet tank to refill more frequently. The chain is simple to adjust and replacement flappers are inexpensive, easy to obtain, and easy to install without professional assistance.
• Check the water shutoff valve located behind your toilet. This valve can stiffen up over time, becoming hard to turn, which is not something you want to discover when you need to shut off the water quickly. Be sure to twist it on and off occasionally to make sure it remains easy to twist.
• If your home has a septic system, be sure to flush a septic maintenance compound, such as Rid-X down your toilet once per month, in addition to having your tank pumped once every three years to keep your plumbing working properly.

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