In an exciting development for residents of Van Wert and Paulding counties, the local Habitat for Humanity affiliates have announced their merger to enhance the efficiency and reach of their operations. The newly unified organization will officially begin operations under its new structure on January 1, 2025. According to Laurie Lucas, the Executive Director of…
On Friday, June 28 Paulding County Habitat For Humanity opened the doors of its newest home build in Paulding Ohio. After many donations of time and materials, this 3-bedroom home is ready to hand the keys to its new owner, Linda Koch-Kious. The board of the Paulding County Habitat for Humanity was prepared for this…
An estate plan is not just for high-net-worth individuals, it’s for everyone who is single, has a spouse, has a partner, has dependents, owns a business, has investments, has retirement funds, owns property, or has material possessions of value such as a car. An estate plan may reduce estate taxes and shield your beneficiaries from…
Aging is a fact of life and it comes with certain realities. While most of us probably don’t want to picture ourselves eventually needing help with daily activities, Americans turning 65 today have almost a 70 percent chance they will need some type of long-term care during their remaining years.(1) As this type of care…
Have you put off making a will? If so, you’re not alone. According to a 2020 survey conducted by Caring.com, only 33% of American adults have estate planning documents, like wills and living trusts, in place. While preparing a will may not be the most pleasant way to spend an afternoon, it could…
As Americans, we can take pride in the fact that we are a nation of givers. And as the economy improves, charitable giving is on the rise. In fact, according to the National Philanthropic Trust in 2020 total charitable giving from U.S. individuals, corporations, foundations, and bequests exceeded $471 billion with 69% coming from individuals.(1) …
We all know how important it is to be prepared for a fire, flood, or other type of emergency. What about something that seems less dramatic, but can be equally devastating, like unemployment? You can’t dial 911 or stop, drop, and roll, but you can take steps to help minimize some of the fallout from…
A special needs trust is a legal instrument that helps concerned parents like you set money aside for your child’s future care. Best of all, it does it without reducing your child’s eligibility for public assistance programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) (1). For obvious reasons, it is important that…
If your workplace offers life insurance at a low cost (or no cost) to you, you may assume it provides sufficient coverage for your family—and not bother to give the subject a second thought. According to the 2021 Insurance Barometer study, 57% of U.S. workers rely on their workplace for life insurance.(1) But you owe…
Here are five reasons why young families need life insurance: 1. You just never know. While it’s not the most pleasant thing to ponder, an emergency situation could quickly put your family’s finances under water. In fact, only 44 percent of Americans have enough savings to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense.(1) And when you’re starting…
You may think you don’t need to worry about life insurance until, or if, you have children. After all, there’s no one who relies on you to feed, clothe, and educate them. Remaining uninsured, however, could prove to be a big financial mistake, even without dependents. Here’s why. Life insurance can shield your surviving loved ones…
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a list of 14 common fraud schemes on its “Scams and Safety” web page, including credit card theft. The thief makes small purchases with your stolen credit card number and sees if they go through, if they do, then they hit your account for bigger purchases. You should…
