Vol. 8, Issue 5, May 2020
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Divorce Without War Goes Virtual to Help Those Dissolving Their Marriage by Deborah Bostock-Kelley Two predicted outcomes of living in close, constant proximity with your spouse in Cornavirus lockdown are births and divorces. Derek Lucas can help make the latter as painless as possible. As this prolonged period of togetherness may have fractured any attempts to repair the relationship, Derek and his company, Divorce Without War, offers an affordable
alternative to costly litigation. Meeting virtually on Zoom and other online platforms, he confidentially mediates a divorce to promote healthy relationships and positive emotional well-being for both spouses going through a painful, complicated process, often with children in the crossfire. Serving the North Tampa area for five years, Divorce Without War guides couples through the divorce process, See “Divorce” on page 10
Derek S. Lucas, Esq.
A Christian-Focused Financial Advisor – Brent Hulling
By Tom Bostock
Have you ever heard of a faith-based financial advisor who believes in and incorporates biblical references and Christian core values into his financial practice; without pressure, he is happy to discuss them with his clients, but only if they are interested. Well, neither did I, until I recently interviewed Brent Hulling, First Vice President, Investments with Raymond James. He also is a member of Kingdom Advisors since 2017. Brent earned a prestigious designation called the Certified
INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Editor.................................................5 COVID-19 Announcement..............................6-7 Bob the Computer Guy.....................................8-9
Kingdom Advisor (CKA) where he was taught a process to help incorporate Christian values into his financial practice and continues to offer biblically wise advice when asked for. Through his church, Grace Family, Brent works with a small group of other Kingdom Advisors. Brent and his caring family are an integral part of their neighborhood, supporting the community that they live in. He actively participates in his 9 year old twin boys activities. One son is active in baseball and Brent, not one to sit on the sidelines, coaches his son’s baseball
See “Hulling” on page 12
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4 MAY 2020
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Staying positive through everything that’s been going on in my life was challenging enough before the Coronavirus. Now, it’s a million times harder. I am sure it hasn’t been easy for anyone, much less for those essential workers and healthcare professionals. I would personally like to thank all of you for your courage, dedication, and perseverance during these trying times. With all these tragic things happening, it seems like an unusual time to discuss ways of staying positive. Yet staying positive and remaining calm are critical ingredients in the recipe for successful coping in a crisis. So how can you feel optimistic when all around you is all doom and gloom? Here are some ideas of things you can do to get you into a more positive mindset: 1.) Limit Your “Depressive News” Intake - Seriously, try to limit how many hours you spend listening to all these devastating world news on a given day. Choose a single news source that you trust and restrict yourself to an hour (or two tops) a day. That way, you’ll still be informed of the latest events, without feeling overwhelmed by all the negativity. These days we’re all constantly bombarded with articles and “questionable” news that are not even 100% accurate. Like I said, limit your news sources to only trusted sources. 2.) Take Care of Your Loved Ones & Strengthen Your Connections - You may be young and healthy, but it may not be the case for some of your relatives, friends or even neighbors whose immune systems are compromised. Check with them regularly to make sure they are doing ok. Offer to go grocery shopping for them. 3.) Support Your Favorite Local Business! We frankly don’t know how much longer this social distancing will last. Still, we know that it has negatively
affected many small businesses in the Tampa Bay area, bars, and restaurants in particular. Show your support by buying online gift cards, ordering to-go, and using apps like DoorDash and UberEats. 4.) Take Advantage Of Your Free Time - I cannot begin to express how annoyed I get when I hear people say they are bored. Make use of your new-found time to learn a new skill or practice your favorite hobbies (by respecting social distancing rules, of course). Learn to cook or improve those family recipes. Read a book, read another, read one more. Take care of all those items on your Honeydo list. Clean your closet. Clean your children’s closet. Clean your partner’s closet. Declutter. You’ll feel so much better with less stuff. Best part? You can donate all your gently used items to charity and organizations currently helping thousands of struggling individuals right here in our city. 5.) Be Thankful and Treasure Every Small Moment - Even during quarantine and a global pandemic, you still have many small moments to appreciate and feel thankful for. Cherish that kiss from your spouse, that warm hug from your child. Laugh out loud at that silly yet funny video your friend just sent you. If you’re a pet parent, enjoy your four legged-friends companionship as much as possible. Go on many walks with your dog. Play with your cats. Open that nice bottle of wine and enjoy it, because why wait? Enjoy today, live today, be in the moment. Allow your brain a chance to process these happy little moments, and they will boost your serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter that will help elevate your mood and make you feel more relaxed. Stay safe, stay positive! Until next time,
Carla M. Dubis. Tedeschi.
COVID-19 Announcement from Trinity Family Physicians To Our Beloved Patients, The health and safety of our patients, the community and staff is our utmost priority. As you know, the Coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic is a constantly evolving situation. We want to assure you we are following situation closely to stay informed and keep you safe. Here are some things we are doing to keep everyone safe: 1. We are screening patients over the phone prior to every visit by asking patients if the have any upper or lower respiratory symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, etc). If they have any of these symptoms or have been exposed to anyone with these symptoms, we are asking them to avoid coming into the office at this time. These patients are being scheduled for Televisits to avoid getting others sick. 2. In addition to our routine cleaning procedures, we have increased the frequency of our cleaning schedule to ensure everything patients come into contact with is disinfected. 3. We have expanded our waiting room and removed chairs to comply with social
6 MAY 2020
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distancing recommendations given by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). 4. We are asking all patients to schedule Televisits unless it is medically necessary (as determined by our providers) for them to come into the office for evaluation. These patients are also being asked to come alone to the appointments unless it is absolutely medically necessary for the patient to be accompanied and assisted. 5. If you must come into the office for an appointment please bring your own pen and magazine to avoid potential transmission of the Coronavirus. We offer two options for Televisits: A subscription basis which starts at $10 per person per month and on an as needed basis. Please call the office for details on each option. You can rest assured that we are doing everything we can for our patients and the community, online and in person. In the office or online we are here for you! Precautions YOU should take: • Stay at home if you are sick or have been exposed to someone who is sick and restrict contact with other people. • Even at home, remain at least six feet away from other people while you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcoholbased hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth especially with unwashed hands. • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. • The CDC continues to recommend the use of face masks for people who do not have symptoms. To stay updated on current information about Coronavirus refer to the following websites: • World Health Organization: https:// www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novelcoronavirus-2019 • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/ coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html • Florida Department of Health: http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-andconditions/COVID-19/ We feel confident that our state and
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local communities will eventually be back to normal, as will our country. We intend to be open, clean and safe for you every step of the way and if anything changes with your health we want you to know we are a better option over the packed Urgent Cares, Emergency Rooms, and Hospitals. More importantly, we know you and your medical history. At times like this the subscription Telehealth service can be astronomically expensive but we are announcing and debuting our subscription service for only $10 per month for existing patients. If you are not a patient there is more reason than ever to join! If the subscription service is not an option for you please feel free to use the Televisit service on an as needed basis. Check out our Facebook page and our website for Televisit instructions. Please pass this message on to everyone you know in the Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties and the entire Tampa Bay Area! Dr. Eldridge and Dr. Shirmohammad are from the Tampa Bay area and are committed to their hometown. Thank you for Letting Our Family Care for Yours! God Bless you, your families and our resilient country!
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Bob the Computer Guy: STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE SCAMMERS! By Bob Dalles Buckle up my friends. Hang on and get ready for the ride. Trillions of dollars of government relief money is up for grabs. Your phone is likely to get bombarded with phone calls and text messages from scammers promising to help you claim your share of that money. Some might tout that they can help get you your money faster. The IRS says it can take as long as 20 weeks for some people to see their money. Meanwhile the assault on your email’s inbox will continue by criminals drooling at the chance to steal your money. If you have an email address or phone number you can be an easy mark, because just about everyone is expecting to receive some type of financial assistance from the government. And with all of this happening… Many people still take a casual attitude when comes to their computer security. They have become so comfortable
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using the internet that they don’t think about its dangers. It’s like driving a car. Probably the most dangerous thing we do on a regular basis, but we never think about it. Do you say to yourself when you get in your car, “I have a 1 in 114 chance of dying by getting behind the wheel today?” Probably not, but you do, according to the National Safety Council’s website at the time of this writing. After all, it’s our nature to not think of the dangers and consequences of our choices and actions; while we bask in their conveniences. I have been receiving calls from folks who have an increasing concern regarding the security of their computers. As they should, with the growing number of people working from home, attending school, conducting their financial affairs and just plain trying to stay in touch with each other. The safety and security of their computers concern them and they want to know what measures to take to stay one step ahead of the scammers.
A simple three-step process can help you head off a world of problems with your computer… First, make sure your digital environment is clean. Your digital environment is the intangible software that instructs your computer to be a web browser, tax software, or solitaire game. You need to begin with a clean software environment in order to create a safe environment. Your computer needs to be thoroughly scanned for any
infections; then eradicate those infections. The only way to know for sure if your system is infected is by using multiple methods to deeply analyze the safety of your computer’s environment. Your computer has hundreds of thousands of files on it, perhaps even millions. If you are serious about this, I recommend you have a trained professional do this for you. Their experience is invaluable when it comes to the “looking for a needle in a
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haystack tactics” they develop from doing this for years. Second, once your digital environment is clean, you are ready to maintain your computer’s safety by implementing an anti-malware solution to your computer. There are many options available, both paid and free. Some are better than others. None are perfect. I suggest you implement one and keep it up to date. Unfortunately, many people who take the lead and install anti-malware on their computer, drop the ball by failing to keep it up to date. Third, count to five before you click any link, especially links in unsolicited emails that show up in your inbox. Most phishing scammers hope to tempt you into clicking their link. They play on your emotion and hope you will act without a second thought. I’m telling you to consciously give it a second thought by counting to five before you click. You’ll be glad you did. That’s it! Implement these three simple steps today and you will significantly reduce
your susceptibility to being yet another internet crime statistic. If you need help call me. I have programs in place to provide the solutions you need. We can scan your computer and clean out the infections. We can do it all remotely without you having to leave your home or office, and without us coming to your location. See not only does your computer stay safe, so do you and my team while we provide this vital service to you. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Each of us looking out for each other. Cyber criminals will exploit the easy victims and unprotected systems. Protecting yourself online is your responsibility. Don’t go it alone. We’re here to help. If you are not sure your system is safe, please have it looked over by a Professionally Certified IT Specialist. Call us now at 727534-4000. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades. Be Safer In Your Digital World!
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“Divorce”
- continued from page 1 mediating all issues related to it, making the process and the transition to a post-divorce relationship as simple as possible, avoiding litigation. With experience as an assistant state attorney doing child support enforcement and working in a private family law firm, Derek discovered that mediation in family law was often a kinder and more effective option than litigation. “If you can avoid litigation and reach an agreement through a virtual mediation, the statistics show you are less likely to come back to court.” Mediating standard and intricate issues related to divorce including, but not limited to, custody, parenting plans, marital property and debts, child support, alimony, visitation, timesharing, post-divorce disputes, benefits, and insurance. He offers a free consultation to answer any questions and to get a feel for whether mediation
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is the right option for the couple. Generally, most people are more in agreement than they want to admit. If they want to move forward, Derek offers four hours of mediation for $850. He also has drafting services that are based
on the income and assets of the parties. With virtual hours Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, after-hours and Saturday available as-needed, he tries to assist couples preemptively, before they have representation from an
attorney. Though some already have a lawyer, all cases related to family law in Florida are required to go through mediation. Derek always encourages the couple to have a lawyer review any agreement they reached, but getting to that agreement can be
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done with or without attorneys based on the couple’s preference. “Florida is a no-fault state, meaning either party may seek a divorce without providing any reason other than they don’t want to be married. That lets the other party know that they don’t have a choice on getting a divorce but may make some choices of how to go through the process of divorce,” Derek explained. “Mediation is less stressful than litigation as the couple can make decisions without a timeclock of the court.” “When you file with the court, a deadline starts – a timeclock - so if people are a little more hesitant at what they want to do, starting a mediation before them filing anything gives them the ability to take their time,” he said. “A lot of times, one person wants the divorce more than the other. If they’re willing to work together and take the time to work together to go through the process a little slower, sometimes it helps the other party who isn’t on board with the divorce to prepare and get ready for it. My goal is to try to provide
that alternative to the traditional adversarial litigation that comes with family law cases.” Derek also uses mediation to help parents to co-parent and have a better relationship, being able to deal with the other parent better than when they were married. A service mediation provides that litigation does not deals with children over 18. The courts don’t review concerns about children over 18, as they are considered legal adults. Mediation provides a way to put into legal writing items like payment for college or other situations facing older children agreed-upon during the marriage. With mediation, the couple can add that type of information into the agreement, and when it gets ratified by the court, it becomes a valid agreement that can be enforced through the court. Though money, childrearing, and empty nest syndrome are often the critical causes of divorce, Derek expects that stress of the uncertainty of Coronavirus adds to these underlying issues. Many spouses have been
furloughed from their jobs; illequipped parents are attempting to work from home and become educators to their children, spouses who usually have the ability for “me” time are no longer able to leave home. But the news is not all bad. Sometimes mediation may even result in reconciliation. Frequently the worst offenders in a marriage are the lack of communication, an imbalance of power, and arguing about parenting and finances. Improving communication, speaking out rather than holding things in, results in a stronger bond, thus a stronger improved marriage. If the marriage does have to end, Derek focuses on what the specific family needs rather than a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all solution. “I want them to be able to be at their child’s graduation or wedding together amicably,” he said. “We want to keep the family unit together. That’s our main goal. Just because the marriage ended, the family doesn’t have to.”
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Though doing virtual mediation during COVID-19, Divorce without War is located at 13920 North Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 2. For more information about mediation services or to schedule your free consultation, call 813.527.0343 or visit www. divorcewithoutwar.com.
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“Hulling”
- continued from page 1 team in the Lutz Little League. His wife Erika was a teacher at Oakstead Elementary School since 2007 but moved to McKitrick Elementary this past year. He had previously noted that he was especially proud of his charity work, both financial and through personal involvement, and his church’s own financial support of charities that help make the Tampa Bay area a better place to live for all of its residents. Brent came to his chosen profession by a somewhat circuitous route. Originally interested in a technologyrelated field, after his graduation from Chamberlain High School, he attended the University of South Florida where he earned a degree in Organizational Communication. Not
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surprisingly, throughout his financial career, the skills that he learned in that course have made him a more effective advisor, able to empathize and communicate with clients from all walks of life, assisting them with their financial needs. Following a five-year stint with another investment firm, Brent decided to broaden his employment experiences,
working in insurance, property and casualty for only a single year. In his heart, Brent knew that his first love lay in helping people with their needs and returned to financial services as a financial advisor. He noted that “I really love finance and I love going to work every day.” Bridging the gap between “just getting by” and financial independence for his clients
with timely investment strategies has always been Brent’s goal for his clients. With an average life span of 70 years for men and 81.1 years for women, according to World Data.info (2019), unprepared seniors can potentially face financial vulnerability in later years; timely financial planning today is no longer an option, but a necessity!
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Living longer, financially unprepared seniors may find themselves with their Social Security payment as their only source of stable income. Their “golden years” may quickly tarnish, leaving financial worry in place of the freedom that they had envisioned. With Brent’s assistance, the future can be planned better. He can review existing portfolios and make sound investment recommendations or create initial portfolios, depending upon needs and specific financial goals. What about you? Stocks, bonds, futures, options? Questions about liquidity or long-term security? What do the terms like “bull” or “bear” market mean to you and how do they impact your investments or potential ones? What does upward movement in the bond market tell you about the economy? Are you a young family with
children just starting out, in your middle age with older children getting ready to start college, an “empty nester” preparing to start a new, more solitary life, or a senior, ready to retire or already retired? Each represents a different need that Brent considers as part of the formulation of his individualized financial strategy for his clients. These are just a few indicators that Brent Hulling willingly shares the wisdom of his extensive financial background, experience and biblical perspective (optional), with clients from all stages of life without discrimination or regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. It is his ingrained core value of “giving back” to both his clients and community that guides Brent in both his business and personal life. There are many financial advisors in the industry to
choose from, consider Brent Hulling. He is helping to build a more confident tomorrow, today, for his clients, one investor at a time! Brent Hulling: 100 N Tampa St, Suite 2400 Tampa, FL 33602 Call 813-202-1102
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Disclaimer: Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the services of the Kingdom Advisors. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected.
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