Community Magazine November 2009

Ensure Your Home is Insured Don’t assume your summer home is insured just because it’s listed on your current home insurance policy. Properties that are unoccupied or vacant for 30 days or more can be disqualified from coverage. Policies differ, depending on the insurer and state so it’s important to pay attention to the fine print. Nineteen million U.S. homes stood vacant at the end of 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, many of which may not have adequate insurance coverage due to the vacant home clause inherent in most homeowners’ insurance policies. Furthermore, even summer homes that are in fact insured while vacant, may not be covered for damages if they are not properly winterized (pipes drained, gas lines disconnected, electrical items unplugged, etc.) to avoid mold, water and other damage that may occur. Joey Sasson, Garber Atlas Fries and Associates Inc. Estate PlanningWith Young Children It is important for people with young children, whether or not they own significant assets, to plan for the possibility of their own disability or death, Gd forbid. Certain difficult but critical decisions can be put in writing to ensure that the parents’ wishes are carried out. A will can: Designate a preferred guardian for minor children in the • event that both parents die in a common disaster. Designate a trustee to control any significant assets that • would be payable to children. For many couples in their 20s and 30s, this may be the death benefit of a term life insurance policy, since term life policies can be relatively inexpensive to maintain. A power of attorney gives an agent the authority to make • financial decisions on the principal’s behalf. Health care proxies and/or living wills designate someone • to make medical decisions if the patient is unable to communicate his or her wishes. A living will can also be tailored to ensure • that all decisions concerning life support are made with proper halachic guidance. Shaul Elnadav, Vishnick McGovern Milizio LLP Focus on First Impressions First impressions of a website are developed by web visitors within 1/20 th of a second, according to Canadian researchers led by Dr. Gitte Lindgaard at Carleton University in Ontario. Businesses have all of 50 milliseconds to impress clients with an impression of trust, professionalism and credibility. But many websites – even some that are content rich – fall short on this crucial measure. That’s why businesses that rely on their website address to lure potential customers and inform the public about their product or service, need to focus at least as much of their attention on their website’s form as its features. With just milliseconds to make a positive impression, it’s crucial for a business website to appear professional in order to build trust with potential clients. Hy Serure, HyQuality Media The Almost Free Home Security System The return to your winter home leaves your summer home vulnerable to thieves, vandals and even nosey neighbors. Alarm systems provide good basic protection, but false alarms are fairly common and can be a nuisance to both the neighbors and the homeowner. A good backup for your current alarm system is a simple do-it- yourself motion detection system which can be installed on a home computer computer. Here’s how: Connect a webcam ($20 or less) to a computer in the vacant 1. home. Aim the camera towards whatever area you feel is most 2. likely to be violated. Download and install one of the many free camera control 3. programs, such as www.yawcam.com. The webcam can then be used as a motion detector camera and set up to take pictures periodically and send you notification via email when movement is detected. The advantage is that you can see for yourself whether the disturbance is a false alarm or a break-in that should be handled by the police – and you’ll even have photo evidence of the intrusion. Hal Husney, Superior Development Center It’s Your Busine $$ Do you have a killer business or personal finance tip? Send your contributions to business@communitym.com 66 Community magazine