Heroes don’t always wear capes – they wear boots and fatigues or carry a badge.
They work tirelessly to serve others without asking for anything in return. That’s why, for their dedicated, selfless service, we want to give back.
Our Heroes Loan Program provides military members, veterans, police officers, firefighters, and EMTs the opportunity to own a home with fewer fees, little down and lower monthly payments. This loan offers great rates, affordable payments, and fewer upfront cost.
For more information, please contact Steven Long, Mortgage Loan Officer at Northwest Bank – 716-903-1819.
Very often we see families struggling when their parents have not made even the simplest of estate planning moves or have made moves without the aid of sound legal advice. Some common mistakes are:
Making bank accounts joint with one child so he or she can have access to your money to pay bills;
Only creating a Power of Attorney at your bank;
Placing too much power in the hands of one child and not including others;
Keeping all assets in husband’s name because he handles the money;
Having the cars in husband’s name because he picked them out alone;
Failure to create a well thought-out Power of Attorney;
Failing to create a Health Care Proxy with sound legal advice;
Failure to create a Will;
Promising a piece of furniture to a child, but not making a specific mention of that promise in your Will;
Failing to create a Special Needs Trust for a disabled child;
Failure to name a Guardian for your minor children;
Failure to create a Trust in your Will for minor children;
Having your minor children the beneficiaries of your life insurance;
Failing to review your Will as your life and circumstances change;
Not keeping good records of all of your investments; and
Listening to your neighbors rather than contacting an experienced estate planning attorney.
Copyright 2018 Law Offices of Nancy W. Saia
You can find Nancy online at www.lawsaia.com
There are countless old wives tales and superstitions people believe even in this day and age. One of which that might strike you odd that can be found in the Buffalo area is dried cats in the walls!
“In some European cultures, the custom of placing a dried or desiccated cat inside the walls of a newly constructed home was a sign of good luck and to ward off evil spirits. Immigrants to Buffalo brought this tradition with them; this mummified cat was found in the wall of a 1935 home in the City. X-rays show the animal was intentionally prepared prior to being placed in the wall of the house.” – Buffalo Museum of Science.
In most cases the cats were likely already dead, arranged in manner such as mid attack; tail erect, posed with dried birds and mice. The idea was that this scarecrow like defense would ward off not only vermin but carry an energy around the house to protect from larger threats as well.
Cat’s are known to supposedly have a sixth sense, and people hoped to use this “psychic ability” to find and ward off unwanted spirits. Rooting from Roman folk practices that spread throughout Europe and parts of Australia, these mummified felines could be found in buildings along with shoes and witch bottles. It is also widely believed that animals, cats in particular can sense ghosts and other supernatural elements. They were placed inside walls during new home construction, under rafters in the roots, under floor boards, and even behind chimney stacks in cases of warding off witchcraft.
On a lighter note, cat’s were also seen as a sign of good luck, prosperity, and encouraged fertility! In Ancient Egypt, cats were regularly depicted in religious practices. Several gods and deities were characterized by cat-like heads, representing justice, fertility, and power. Cats were also recognized for protecting Pharaohs as they were famous for killing venomous snakes.
While most people stick to buying burglar alarm systems to protect their homes, mummified pets may be a unique alternative for those looking to secure their home from physical and paranormal threats.
