The Truth About the Upcoming Recession and Bankruptcy

Reorganizing Your Efforts for Strategic Growth This Spring

The Rise of Women

Let Us Dig You out of Student Loan Debt

Everything Popcorn

3 Ways to Honor International Women’s Day

–Christine Kingston

On March 8, people around the world will honor International Women’s Day. Adopted by the United Nations in 1975, the holiday is meant to highlight the immeasurable accomplishments of women throughout history and draw attention to the ongoing struggle for global gender equality.

International Women’s Day is celebrated differently around the world. Some nations, like Nepal, give all their citizens the day off. Most countries, however, including the United States, treat it as a normal day, at least officially. Even though we don’t have the day off, there are many ways for everyone to honor International Women’s Day this year. Here are a few of them.

TALK ABOUT THE WOMEN WHO INSPIRE YOU

From major innovators, like Ada Lovelace, the world’s first computer programmer, to

megalithic literary icons, like Maya Angelou, women throughout history have shaped how we live our lives. Whether you’re inspired by famous historical figures or the women in your own life, take the time to talk about that influence. Which women helped get you where you are today? What female leaders do you look up to? What are some lessons you’ve learned from them?

MAKE ROOM FOR CONVERSATION IN THE WORKPLACE

Many of the challenges women face globally happen in the workplace. If you think your company has room for improvement in its treatment of women, now is a great time to do something about it. Even if you believe your company treats women and men equally, there’s no harm in empowering your colleagues to talk to give their opinions. If you’re an employer, this could mean giving women

in your workplace an avenue to discuss issues, air grievances, and make suggestions. If you’re an employee, consider asking for such a forum. In either case, providing both public and anonymous avenues for women to express themselves is a great way for your company to take a step forward in fostering gender equality.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Regardless of your gender, March 8 is the perfect time to tune in to the larger conversation surrounding gender inequality, if you haven’t already. This could mean attending meetings or demonstrations in your town, reading works that capture the female struggle for equality, such as Roxane Gay’s “Difficult Women,” or seeking out blogs and social media accounts from gender equality activists online.

International Women’s Day is about appreciating the contributions of women to society and envisioning a more equal world for the future. However you decide to celebrate women this March, keep in mind that no matter who you are or where you come from, we all have the power to change our world for the better.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE5882 BOLSA AVENUE, SUITE 130HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92649

While the country’s economic future isn’t necessarily a topic that the

vast majority of Americans mull over at their kitchen tables, it’s one that

needs attention. Those who are paying attention to relevant markers

know that another recession is inevitable, and in fact, it’s already

started. For example, in the manufacturing sector, the first round of

layoffs has already begun. Perhaps more than any other event, layoffs

are a clear signal of upcoming societal financial hardship.

My intention here isn’t for you to interpret this article as some kind of

fear-mongering diatribe on upcoming economic stagnation. Rather,

I want to be 100 percent transparent about your options because,

while there is no halting the recession, you are perfectly capable of

navigating it — you just need the right preparations.

While doomsday preppers have a reputation for being overly

frightened conspiracy theorists, their ability to plan is unmatched.

Just as you would stock your underground bunker with water and

nonperishable items when preparing for the end of the world, you

need to bulk up your savings to prepare for temporary economic

decline. Pull back on spending and concentrate on the basic

necessities like food, clothing, and shelter. If you can afford your needs,

then start saving, saving, saving.

In addition to streamlining your budget, the best way to combat the

recession is to eliminate all the debt you possibly can. If you calculate

your cash flow and determine that it’s going to take you over five years

to pay off your loans, you should seriously consider bankruptcy as an

option. Take a look at the payment comparison chart provided.

If you have $30,000 in debt and you are making $500 monthly

payments at 15 percent interest, it will take you 9.3 years to fully pay it

off. That’s almost an entire decade of your life spent struggling to make

ends meet due to debt. The chart also delineates your repayment plan

if you were to file Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 bankruptcy, decisions that

would either cut your years of repayment nearly in half (with no interest

added) or reduce your debt to nothing. I’ll say it again: If it’s going to take you

longer than five years to eliminate your debt, you need to take a long, hard

look at alternatives — especially with a recession on the horizon.

A frequent initial fear I hear from clients whose debts I’ve settled is that they

worry that filing bankruptcy will lower their credit score so drastically that

they won’t be able to apply for a mortgage or car loan. From my experience

helping clients — and even from own personal experience filing bankruptcy

(yes, I’m a product of my own services) — the moment you get your

discharge, creditors will immediately start soliciting you for loans.

Another reason clients are nervous to explore this option is because there

is a stigma attached to the word “bankruptcy.” Given the societal beliefs

that money equates to success and admitting shortcomings equates to

weakness of character, people shy away from even discussing bankruptcy

as an option. They view bankruptcy as the ultimate failure, succumbing

to the misconception that it permanently destroys bank accounts, halts

momentum, and is symptomatic of a poor work ethic. This couldn’t be

further from the truth.

In fact, few people know that bankruptcy is actually a constitutional right

stemming from no source other than the Bible! Deuteronomy 15:1–2 states,

“At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to

be done...” Prior to the last couple of centuries, bankruptcy was not just

regarded as a legal human right; it was an expectation. To help get people

out from under the cloud of financial stress and withstand the coming

recession, we are dedicated to combating the stigma of bankruptcy and

helping you live the life you deserve. Give us a call to set up a consultation.

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3 WAYS TO HONOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

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MARCH 20191

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THE RECESSION IS COMING

How Can You Best Be Prepared?

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We’ve already established that another recession

is inevitable, but an infallible way to make

yourself recession-proof is to get your student

loan debt under control. If you feel like you’re

drowning in monthly payments, you are not alone.

With the national student loan tally measuring

approximately $1.5 trillion in the U.S. — more than

double what it was a decade ago — millions of

young adults across the country are struggling to

navigate the stress associated with their huge bills.

But while student loan debt numbers have

reached terrifying heights in recent years,

Americans are only beginning to understand how

this debt actually affects their lives. New research

shows that student loan debt may be

keeping people from

what some consider two major life milestones:

getting married and buying a home.

According to the National Longitudinal Study

of Youth, 70 percent of Americans were married

homeowners by their mid-30s in 1979. By the 21st

century, the percentage of marital unions were

sliced in half; however, the numbers had doubled

for cohabitation before marriage. The findings

are clear: The numbers of those who are living

together before marriage are increasing while

marriage rates are going down or are at least

being delayed. In short, the insurmountable

stress of student loans often encourages young

couples to move in together for one simple

reason: their need for lower rent costs.

At Surf City Lawyers, we can’t emphasize this

enough: You don’t have to let this debt govern

your life! Christine has now discharged over $1.3

million in student loans for struggling graduates.

In a recent student bankruptcy case, she took

the client’s bill of $250,000 and got it settled for

$10,000 at 1 percent interest! Settled cases like this

one have become the norm as Christine continues

to make great headway in this particular arena.

If you’re a former college student, you know the

sweat, blood, and tears that went into working

toward or receiving your degree. We don’t think

you should be penalized for that hard work. Don’t

let student loan debt keep you from living the life

you dream of. Give us a call at 714-533-9210 for a

case evaluation.

Spring is here, and watching flowers sneak up through the soil in your front yard may remind you to consider growth of a different kind — the growth of your business. Regardless of whether you soared over your revenue goals the previous quarter or you took these last few months to recover from failed marketing efforts and missed opportunities, spring provides a great opportunity for overall growth. Still, it’s hard to

know where you should focus your energy. To aid your efforts, here are four factors to consider for strategic business growth.

1. Leadership

Similar to nature’s processes during springtime, business growth begins far below the surface through good leadership. Your employees’ perception of you and your company’s mission is what determines their motivation to work hard. Take a step back to evaluate your leadership tactics and determine if they match your ideal business model. Often, replacing poor leaders with stronger ones makes all the difference in a company’s success.

2. Employee Training

Business growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Just as leadership from your management team should be a major focus, your employees need a standard but solid foundation of knowledge in order to cultivate their own growth in the company. This spring, consider revamping your training

programs by moving to online platforms that customize learning paths for each new employee based on previous employees’ feedback.

3. Customer Loyalty

While it is important to increase brand awareness and expand your customer base, it is essential to also increase sales potential with your existing customers. Look for opportunities to grow your profits with the customers you already have through add-on sales, customer loyalty programs, and referral business.

4. Social Responsibility

When you adopt policies of social responsibility, you affect your community — and therefore your customers — in a positive way. Take the month of March, for example, which is National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month. You can get your business involved in various organizations geared toward raising awareness. Through sponsoring events and donating money, you can increase your client base while simultaneously helping others.

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

March marks National Women’s History Month, an observance that started in

1981 when Congress requested that then-President Ronald Reagan designate

a set time to celebrate the great innovations cultivated by women. While the

observance began as a week-long celebration, it eventually grew to span

the entire month of March — a fitting decision, considering the phenomenal

inventions created by women throughout the years.

Past developments include Marie Curie’s discoveries of radioactivity,

polonium, and radium, Ann Tsukamoto’s complex isolation of the stem

cell for cancer research, and Shirley Jackson’s breakthrough explorations

on subatomic particles for telecommunication, among millions of others.

Just as the brilliant women of the past refused to let well-ingrained gender

inequalities prevent them from laying the groundwork for the development of

some of the world’s best technological creations, modern women have plowed

through archaic expectations of what they should or should not do.

Statistics in the educational and political spheres are staggering. Where

men once went to college in proportions far higher than women — 58

percent to 42 percent as recently as the 1970s — the ratio has now almost

exactly reversed. As of 2017, women comprise more than 56 percent of

students on campuses nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of

Education. And the trend shows no sign of abating.

Paralleling the rise of women in education is the rise of women in

the political sphere. The 116th Congress, which convened in January

this year, revealed that women now make up nearly a quarter of its

voting membership. With a record high of 102 women in the House of

Representatives and 25 in the Senate, this year’s elections marked the

highest percentage of women in Congress in U.S. history.

While modern women certainly have a leg up on the women of the past

in regard to patriarchal pushback against their educational and political

pursuits, they still face some roadblocks. In our own experience at Surf City

Lawyers, we’ve found that knowing your legal rights gives you a huge head

start on the path of your choice. Want our help? Give us a call.

• 3/4 cup popcorn kernels• 2 tablespoons flaky sea salt• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds• 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds

• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic• 2 teaspoons granulated onion • 1/3 cup canola oil• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds. Shake skillet often and cook until white seeds are golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and add garlic, onion, and salt.

2. In a large saucepan, combine popcorn kernels and oil. Cook over medium-high heat, covered, until popcorn kernels start to pop. Once popping, continue cooking and shaking the pan intermittently until popping ceases, about 3–5 minutes.

3. Transfer popcorn to a large mixing bowl. Pour in butter and toss to coat. Finally, add seasoning, toss again, and serve.

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In Honor of National Women’s History Month

4 FACTORS THAT MIGHT BE AFFECTING YOUR BUSINESS’S GROWTH THIS SEASON

SUDOKU

LET US DIG YOU OUT OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT

One Way to Make Yourself Recession-Proof

Everything is the best bagel flavor. This is not a matter of debate. Sprinkle the seasoning on popcorn for a delicious snack that will have people asking, “What does this remind me of?”

THE RISE OF WOMEN

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

EVERYTHING POPCORNInspired by Food & Wine magazine