“Jillian Camryn Marks, Summa Cum Laude,” the broadcaster announced several weeks ago at our daughter’s graduation from the University of Alabama.
Jill graduated with honors in four years with both her Bachelor of Arts and Master’s degrees from the business school.
[Sorry, I realize I’m turning into one of those annoying people who brags about their kids.]
Like most parents, I’m scratching my head wondering where the last four years went. Seems like just yesterday we moved Jill into her dorm room and said a tearful goodbye. (Well, I was tearful anyway. Jill, not so much.)
Both kids are home on a quick pitstop before their next adventures.
We are moving Jill out to Denver in a couple of weeks to start her full-time internship with the Colorado Golf Association. Can anyone say “road trip”?!
Drew is home for the summer working remotely for his internship with an international development agency.
Thankfully, both positions are paid and my hope is to remove at least one kid from the payroll soon. In the meantime, with both kids home, our grocery and electric bills have doubled.
I thought we became empty-nesters two years ago when our son left for college but it is slowly beginning to dawn on me that I ain’t seen nothing yet.
The real empty-nesting will begin later this summer when Drew leaves to study abroad for the year (Latvia and St. Petersburg) and Jill is working full-time at her first real job halfway across the country. No more school breaks to look forward to—for them or for us. Yikes!
Becoming an empty nester qualifies as a substantial change of circumstances in my opinion.
No more carpools.
No more weekend excursions to the ballpark.
No more planning vacations around the school calendar.
No more curfews and staying up late waiting for the kids to come home.
In other words, loads more free time and, hopefully, money!
Any substantial change in your personal circumstances (family, money, health, etc) should prompt a review of your current estate plan design, including who you are leaving your assets to, how your beneficiaries will inherit and on what terms, who you are trusting to manage decisions on your behalf, etc.
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It’s on my list to review our personal estate plans since it’s been five years since I’ve done so myself and lots has changed for us in the meantime.
Although our kids will be halfway across the country and halfway around the world next year, I suppose it's still a little premature to know if they will officially "launch." Fingers are crossed!
Kristen “Fingers Crossed for a Successful Launch” Marks
850-439-1191
