< Previous%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Clearview FCU employees helped raise $4,357 for the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank in a single day. It’s just one of a number of community efforts undertaken by the credit union to assist during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clearview continues community support during COVID-19 crisis CONTENT SUBMITTED Giving to the community is nothing new for Clearview Federal Credit Union, which each year donates thousands of dollars to various charitable efforts. In recent months, the credit union has been directing its assistance to aid both its members and the greater community impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Those efforts have helped mitigate food insecurity, risks to front-line workers, the spread of COVID-19 and the economic impact caused by the pandemic. On April 24, Clearview hosted a virtual Clearview Cares Day. The online day of giving was created by Clearview employees to give back directly to those impacted most by food insecurity during the crisis. Clearview employees well exceeded an initial goal of $3,000 by raising $3,717. In total, Clearview donated $4,357, or enough to purchase 15,000 meals for the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank. It was the largest amount ever raised in a single day by Clearview employees. Clearview staff also proudly wore Clearview Cares shirts and shared photos and videos of each other and their families making donations and supporting the virtual Clearview Cares Day. At the same time, the credit union has been purchasing thousands of dollars worth of take-out to feed frontline workers and support local restaurants. Clearview has been purchasing gourmet donuts from Peace, Love, and Little Donuts in Robinson and Beaver and sending them to West Hills Rehab in Moon Township, Senior Living at The Willows in Kennedy Township, and Brighton Rehab and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, both in Beaver. Clearview has also been purchasing pizzas from shops around Pittsburgh and delivering them to area frontline workers. The credit union even donated $1,000 to the organization Off Their Plate, which sends 10 meals to healthcare workers in the Pittsburgh area for every $100 donated. As well, Clearview also donated $10,000 to the The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Emergency Care Fund to be used by the Emergency Action Fund. These funds are aimed at helping the region’s most vulnerable populations recover from the effects of COVID-19. The fund provides financial support to nonprofits and government agencies that support senior citizen services, childcare services, health care, food provisions and shelter. Clearview also gave 150 t-shirts to local high school student Jocelyn Paulin, who undertook an effort to sew masks for frontline workers at the start of the crisis. The donation helped Paulin continue making masks as materials began to run low. More recently, the credit union launched its Takeout Banking initiative, which allows members to have their transactions completed ahead of time and ready for pick up when they arrive at a preset time to their financial center. The process is modeled after a strategy being employed by many small business restaurants, including those that Clearview has been supporting, that have switched to takeout meals. “This offering is quick and convenient for our members,” said Ron Celaschi, CEO of Clearview. Takeout Banking was developed and fine tuned by the Clearview Central Region Team and will roll out to all member financial centers. It is just one more way that Clearview continues to take a proactive, community-first approach to supporting its members during the COVID-19 crisis. Shannon Sullivan, a 16-year-old West Allegheny High School sophomore and member of her school’s JROTC program, has made great use of her time during the COVID-19 shutdown. She has been assisting Capt. Geoffrey Abner, a 911th Aeromedical Staging Squadron nurse, and his wife, Sharon Abner, an American Heart Association Training Center coordinator from the Community College of Allegheny County, with sewing cotton masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. “I knew the community needed help and I knew that I could help get them masks to stay safe,” said Shannon. The three have donated masks to multiple organizations, including the 911th Airlift Wing, Allegheny General Hospital and several food collection sites. Masks have also been distributed to community members in exchange for some small donations. Thus far, Sullivan and the Abners have made almost 1,000 masks. All donations have been used to purchase food and other essentials for local families and food banks. Donations have also assisted a food drive organized by the 911th Airlift Wing that assists local military members and veterans, as well as the Veteran’s Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania. The organization helps homeless veterans. “Members of the military and their families are struggling and it can be even harder when there are deployments involved,” said Shannon. “Because of my involvement with JROTC, it was only natural for me to help. Sgt. Major Robert Word (West Allegheny School District JROTC) taught me to help the community and volunteer any way possible.” Their efforts have also resulted in the donation of $500 to the Community College of Allegheny County GAP scholarship, which is a program that provides financial assistance to students in case of emergencies. WA JROTC sophomore helps make masks and assist those in need Shannon Sullivan 10 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2020% New in Town New in Town Dr. Maurielle L. Stacy is pleased to announce the opening of her new practice, which is limited to pediatric dentistry. Located adjacent to West Allegheny Middle School/High School, this state-of-the-art practice, Golden Triangle Smiles, is now accepting patients and offering a wide range of services. Preventive pediatric and special needs dental care, in this newly equipped office setting, provides both patients and parents with an enhanced level of comfort. Special accommodations have been made to ensure that Golden Triangle Smiles adheres to the most current Centers for Disease Control guidelines, ensuring the continued health of patients during the current COVID-19 situation. This preventative and comprehensive dental care is delivered in a kid-friendly environment, under the gentle hands of Dr. Stacy. Dr. Stacy’s relaxed, confident delivery of pediatric dental care instantly places the most apprehensive patient at ease. Building relationships with her patients has been a hallmark of Dr. Stacy’s career in pediatric dentistry and she is certain that even the youngest patients will enjoy their experiences in her new office. “As the eldest of five children, I have always enjoyed interacting with kids and developed a passion for working with children,” says Dr. Stacy. “I strive to make an impact in the lives of children by teaching them how to properly care for their teeth, love their smile and ultimately live healthier lives.” Dr. Stacy earned her undergraduate degree from Fordham University in New York City, afterward completing a Master of Science in biology from Chatham University. While earning her Doctor of Dental Surgery at West Virginia University, she became fascinated with the complexity and intricacies of treating the pediatric dental patient. In recognition of her outstanding efforts and patient care within the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Stacy received the Merit Award from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She continued to improve her knowledge and skills, completing her pediatric dental residency at the prestigious UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, which is consistently ranked as a leading pediatric facility by U.S. News’ Honor Roll of Best Children’s Hospitals. Dr. Stacy has the unique ability to establish relations with her patients. “I love interacting with new people, expressing creativity and helping young people improve their image through dentistry,” New state of the art pediatric dental practice opens in Imperial CONTENT SUBMITTED DR. MAURIELLE STACY she says. “I grew up around the dental world and worked as a dental assistant in New York City, while earning my undergraduate degree. All of my experiences fueled my desire to pursue a career in dentistry and my love of children solidified my decision to become a pediatric dentist.” Following her residency training, Dr. Stacy, a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, joined a bustling private practice limited to pediatric dentistry outside of New York City. During this time, she was recruited to return to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh as an attending pediatric dentist to treat pediatric patients and contribute to the training of pediatric dental residents. As Dr. Stacy embarks on this new facet of her professional life, she continues her love for dental education, serving as an associate clinical professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, Department of Pediatric Dentistry. Golden Triangle Smiles offers a wide range of services, including routine pediatric dental exams. The practice utilizes the most current treatment protocols and equipment found in pediatric dental, peer reviewed literature. Dr. Stacy’s practice, Golden Triangle Smiles, is located at 133 West Allegheny Road, adjacent to the entrance to the West Allegheny Middle School and High School campus. Dr. Stacy is eager to treat patients of the tri-state area and can be reached at info@goldentrianglesmiles.com and (724) 698-5986. Golden Triangle Smiles is continuing to operate throughout the yellow and green phases of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 shutdown. The practice is also utilizing all proper protective measures to protect against the spread of the virus. Golden Triangle Smiles is both kid- friendly and state of the art. June/July 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 11CAround Your Town Around Your Town When Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all non-essential businesses across the Pennsylvania to shutter in order to halt the spread of COVID-19 in March, Elissa Weimer’s Findlay Township-based dog training business Paw & Order wasn’t spared. Just like a lot of business owners across the state and country, Weimer found herself sitting at home come mid-month. The timing couldn’t have been worse. “We sold our first franchise on the first day of lockdown,” she recalls. A couple of weeks later, though, Weimer got an unexpected phone call from Rodney Little of Top Dog Services in Youngwood. Little wanted Weimer to help with a new program that could potentially help restart the country. Prompted by research being conducted in the U.K. and at several institutions here in the U.S., Little was starting up a regional task force of trainers and dogs to detect people infected with COVID-19. Little asked Weimer is she’d be interested in leading the training portion of the task force. She jumped at the opportunity. “We were a little surprised to get the phone call,” she says. In May, Weimer began conducting evaluations across the region. She’s since identified 10 dogs and 10 handlers as good fits. She hasn’t been getting paid for her work yet, but the initiative she’s part of - called the COVID-19 K-9 Detection Task Force, or KOVID-19 - is applying for a grant. She and Little are working with Dr. Theodor S. J. Davi of Gambit Interactive Corporation on the program. Their efforts have been spurred by research being conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Heather Juniqueira of the Florida-based nonprofit BioScent K9 is also researching the possibility. “So far the results have been pretty promising,” Little says about the studies, particularly when it comes to detecting samples of the dead virus. He says there have also been indications that dogs have already demonstrated an ability to detect an asymptomatic carrier, which is someone who has yet to show symptoms of COVID-19. Asymptomatic carriers are believed to have played a major role in the disease’s spread. Deployed at places like hospitals, airports and courthouses, Little says the dogs could help screen upwards of 340 people per hour from up to about 10 feet away. If it works, the program could be a game changer, given that fast, widespread testing is still lagging and proving to be a major hurdle to limiting the disease’s spread as the country reopens. Little says the dogs will likely be trained using infected urine or other bodily fluids to “imprint” dogs with the scent. Thus far, Little says they’ve been working with Westmoreland County to get the program started there but that, if they’re able to raise the funds, he’d like to establish a second team in Allegheny County. Weimer says she wasn’t at all surprised to hear about the research. “I figured it would work because dogs can already sniff out cancer and blood sugar dropping,” she says. Dogs have also been used to detect medical conditions such as cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Dogs’ ultra-refined sense of smell is powered by upwards of 220 million smell receptors. Comparably, humans have about five million smell receptors. Little says he initially suggested the idea of dogs detecting COVID-19 while calling into a radio show. Like Weimer, his business was shut down mid-March and Little, who is a veteran, suggested the possibility when asked what could help him get back up and running. The next day, he came across news articles about studies in the U.K. and was subsequently contacted by Davi, which led to the formation of the KOVID-19 task force. Since then, both the studies and efforts of KOVID-19 have been getting some widespread attention. ABC Nightly News reported on Dr. Cynthia Otto’s research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in early May. Also in May, ABC filmed an interview with Weimer that is, at the time of this writing, expected to air on the Nightly News with Tom Wallace in early June. Weimer says this has been somewhat, but not entirely, new territory for her. In addition to her local dog training business, she contracts with American K9 Detection Services to search correctional facilities and halfway homes across the state for narcotics. Weimer also served as an MP in the Army National Guard for six years and holds a criminal justice degree from California University of Pennsylvania. She’s an American Kennel Club Evaluator and a member of numerous canine associations. For more on the efforts of KOVID-19, and to donate, visit www. pawandorder.com/covid-k9-task-force/. Could this local dog trainer help re-open the country? STORY AND PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY Elissa Weimer is pictured with her husband, Steve Sentner, and their dogs. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY 12 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2020412.205.8998 | DDSWebDesign.com Websites that get results. Designed in Pittsburgh Contact us for a free website analysis. Affordable Custom Designs Responsive Sites | Content Management SEO | E-commerce | Hosting | Maintenance Imagine your website working as hard for your business as you do. June/July 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 13CAround Your Town Around Your Town Downtown Oakdale sees its fair share of truck traffic each day. However, 80 trucks all lined up in a procession is something of an anomaly, even there. That was how area truckers and business owners chose to show their final respects to Richard “Dickie” Ackman on May 8. Big rigs, work trucks, pickups and others followed a procession route from Thomas-Little Funeral Service in downtown Oakdale to Ackman’s business, D. Ali Trucking, before backtracking and heading up to Robinson’s Run Cemetery. Ackman was driven to his final resting place on the back of one of his lowboy trailers by his longtime friend David Bouch and his stepdaughter, Lori Miller. He passed away on May 4 at the age of 74. To those who knew him, it was an appropriate tribute to Ackman, who spent a lifetime working in the industry. He also had a passion for his profession, his friends and the town he called home for so many years. For the better part of four decades, Ackman operated D. Ali Trucking just outside of downtown Oakdale. In addition to Lori, he leaves behind his longtime partner, Janet Miller, who he married just three years ago. Ackman was known as one who would never hesitate to lend his time, expertise and resources to those who mattered most to him. He was a mentor to many young men coming up in the profession and his unique talents left a considerable impact on the Oakdale community. When those who knew him found themselves struggling with a truck or piece of commercial equipment - particularly anything with a diesel engine - they had a saying: “Call Dickie.” Ackman was known for having an almost encyclopedic knowledge of equipment and a knack for fixing machinery, despite never attaining a secondary degree. He attended Parkway West Career and Technology Center and completed apprenticeships at Dravo and Continental Can. It was at Dravo that he learned to be a machinist and his work was deemed so essential to national security that he was given an exemption from the Vietnam draft. Later, his abilities as a machinist would serve him well, particularly when fabricating long-since discontinued parts, both for his own equipment and that of others. His lot was, and still is, littered with numerous projects, and he loved attending shows at the National Pike Steam, Gas and Horse Association show in Brownsville each year, where like- minded individuals demonstrate early 20th-century construction equipment. Like many collectors, he also harbored a certain brand loyalty for Kenworth rigs and would only drive a truck with a Cummins engine. At the time of his passing, he had almost completed building a new four-axle Kenworth, one of many trucks he’d built over the years. What most people remembered about Ackman, however, was his larger-than-life heart. “If Dickie liked you there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for you,” recalls Mike Viveritto, a longtime friend of Ackman’s. “If he cared for you, he was one of a kind. I can never express how much he did for me.” To Viveritto, Ackman was also a link to an older generation of truckers and machinists. His grandfather belonged to that same generation and, after he passed, Ackman became his final link to it. Viveritto says that oftentimes he’d stop down to see his friend at his garage outside of Oakdale and inevitably end up spending hours helping Ackman fix a truck or other piece of heavy equipment. By the same token, though, he says Ackman would never ask for help and never charged his friends for the wealth of parts and assistance he freely gave. Viveritto says Ackman was always happy to help a friend diagnose or fix a problem, and could describe every nut and bolt on an engine with photographic recall. At the same time, Ackman was just as happy to help the town he loved. “He was one of those guys, if you needed something, he was just there to help,” says North Fayette Township supervisor JR Mangan, who first met Ackman when he was a volunteer firefighter with the Oakdale Hose Company in the late 1980s. Mangan recalls in particular how Ackman devised a method for transporting scaffolding the department used to house its tent during its annual fair. Because the department shared that same scaffolding with several other area departments, it needed to be deconstructed before Ackman came up with a way to transport it. Mangan says Ackman saved VFD members in multiple areas countless hours constructing and deconstructing the tents. In 2004, when Hurricane Ivan devastated downtown Oakdale, Ackman used his heavy equipment to clear debris from Oakdale’s streets. He also regularly helped clear streets and lots when there was a heavy snow. He even stored and transported the VFD’s trailer that it used each summer for its stage and kept its friers on his property as well. When the department got its new fire whistle, it was Ackman who hoisted it into position using his crane. Oakdale pays tribute to Dickie Ackman STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY ABOVE: Upwards of 80 trucks formed a procession for Richard “Dickie” Ackman on May 8. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY BELOW: Ackman celebrates his 74th birthday. PHOTO SUBMITTED BOTTOM: Ackman was known to lend his equipment to help when the Oakdale community needed it. Here, Ackman uses his crane to lift the Oakdale Hose Company’s siren into place. PHOTO SUBMITTED 14 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2020 “He was one of the best people I ever knew,” says his longtime friend Bob Kelly. “He had a heart of gold. He would help anybody. People he didn’t even know. He cared about everybody.” Kelly says he and Ackman shared a passion for old-time construction equipment and that, for the past two decades, Ackman hauled equipment for him. They regularly attended shows at the National Pike Steam, Gas and Horse Association, where Ackman tended to draw a small crowd, he says. “He had a wealth of knowledge,” says Kelly. “He didn’t go real far in school, but he was smarter than most college graduates. He was a perfectionist; everything had to be done just exactly; no cutting corners. That’s just how he was about his equipment. He wanted it to be perfect.” Another of Ackman’s friends, Steve Weaver, says he shared a similar passion with Ackman and got to know him after he approached Ackman about hauling a 1930s Caterpillar. It was through Ackman that Weaver became an unofficial member of the Sil’s coffee club that Ackman always attended. He says the two formed a relationship around talking shop and tools, and that they spoke the same language when it came to motors and machinery. That will be what he likely ends up missing most about his friend, he says. In addition to trucks, Ackman had a longtime affinity for American muscle cars and, in particular, Corvettes. In his 20s, Ackman was also a member of a successful local drag racing team. In the late 1980s, Ackman bought Ali Trucking from Lou Ali after working with him for a time. Around that same time he also met Janet. He later joked that he waited so long to marry her because he needed to space out the purchase of the ring. Over the years, though, he helped raise Janet’s daughter, Lori, as if she were his own. Those who knew him recalled him frequently bragging about her accomplishments but affectionately never referring to her as anything but “the kid.” Lori says that many of her dad’s friends would need to ask her name when they first met her. Regardless, Lori recalls a doting father who mentored her to become strong, independent and caring, just like him. Express knows jobs. Get to know Express. O ces in Robinson & Monaca 412.494.2000 ExpressPros.com Full-time and part-time opportunities in a variety of positions: Administrative, Professional, Industrial, Skilled Labor, Skilled Trades, and Skilled Professional No Fees! June/July 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 15CAround Your Town Around Your Town Judge Anthony Saveikis made an appearance on Court TV on May 8 to talk about a special pilot program that he’s been hosting in his North Fayette Township courtroom over the past six years. The program, which is coordinated through Crisis Center North, involves placing a support animal in a courtroom to assist victims of domestic violence. In Saveikis’ case, that animal has been Penny, a border collie and spaniel mix who makes appearances in the courtroom on Monday mornings. That’s when family court takes place in North Fayette and victims of domestic violence oftentimes end up facing their abusers. Saveikis was interviewed by Julie Grant, the former legal editor and anchor for CBS Pittsburgh. Grant is also a former assistant district attorney for Allegheny County. Talking with co-host Vinnie Politan, Grant provided important perspective on what victims of domestic abuse face in the courtroom and how Penny can help. “This is the time in the case when the emotions are most raw because the preliminary hearing is the closest to the event,” Grant says in the segment. “And a lot of domestic violence survivors can be discouraged from showing up to court by the batterer. A lot of times batterers will lean on victims not to show up so the prosecutor will be forced to drop the charges. And Penny gives that added confidence to a lot of victims.” In 2014, Allegheny West Magazine ran a story on the pilot program, which at that time had just begun. That same year, Saveikis received the Northern Star Award from CCN for opening his courtroom to the program. At the time, CCN’s director, Grace Coleman, who also happens to be Penny’s owner, told the magazine that Penny helps put victims at ease while at the same time communicating with her handler. Penny has even been known to insert herself in between victims and their abusers. “She has the uncanny ability to know who this person is and if they are a source of distress for the victim,” says Saveikis. “If the victim is in fear, Penny knows it. Penny will take a protective stance at times. It’s amazing to watch.” Saveikis says that, in a domestic violence hearing, it’s important for the court to determine whether the situation is an isolated incident or escalating. If there’s a trigger, such as money or substance abuse, the court needs to address that. In that case, he says, the goal isn’t punishment but rather treatment. If it’s evidence of something else, however, the court needs to take action. In either case, Penny acts as a victim advocate, helping victims tell their side of the story. This can be particularly effective when interviewing minors, says Saveikis. Coleman, who was also interviewed for the Court TV segment, says that Penny can communicate to her handler when someone is in need of a depression screening. She said Penny does so by lying at the person’s feet. No less incredible is the fact that Penny is a rescue dog and was in the running for the national 2020 American Humane Hero Dog Award. CCN’s program is now known as the Paws for Empowerment program and the organization has trained a second dog, Ari, to work in courtrooms. The Court TV segment is available online and can be viewed at: www.courttv.com/title/5-8-20-shelter-dog-turns-super-hero-for- survivors/. Judge Saveikis makes appearance on Court TV STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY Judge Anthony Saveikis is pictured in 2014 with Penny and her handler, Taylor Voss, after receiving the Northern Star Award from Crisis Center North for piloting the therapy dog program in his courtroom. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY 16 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2020June/July 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 17y > Learning Curves Learning Curves Michele P. Conti is an estate planning and elder law attorney. Conti attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Oxford University and Duquesne University School of Law. She received her LL.M. in taxation from Villanova University. She can be reached at (724) 784-0239 or michele@contilawpgh.com. BY MICHELE P. CONTI Imagine if you found yourself in a situation where you had become unexpectedly ill. You might not be able to speak for yourself, manage your financial affairs or make medical decisions concerning your wishes. Though scary, this reality is one that many individuals are finding themselves in during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been interviewed since the virus reared its ugly head and the most popular question asked is: What advice do you have for those who currently do not have any documents in place? At Conti Law, our answer hasn’t changed since the outbreak of coronavirus. Everyone over the age of 18 should have, at the very least, a financial power of attorney, health care power of attorney and living will. Depending on what assets are owned and the individual’s family makeup, a last will and testament may be a good idea, too. Without these documents, we fear that an individual’s family may experience both financial and medical difficulties. Without the appropriate record, your loved ones may be unable to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event that you are unable to communicate your wishes. Bills may go unpaid and bank accounts may be inaccessible without a proper financial power of attorney, not to mention the potential family infighting and strain over your medical care that can result. Without the essential and most basic estate planning documents in place, your family will have to go to court and request the legal authority to make these decisions on your behalf. They’ll also have to access your accounts to manage your financial needs. Normally, this wouldn’t be too big of an issue. However, like businesses, courts either closed or placed serious restrictions on their hours when the shutdown went into place. This could delay the court’s grant of authority and impact your health exponentially. It may also result in the court appointing someone you would not have personally chosen to act on your behalf. Fortunately, with some simple estate planning, you and your loved ones can be protected from these foreseen situations. We recommend drafting a healthcare power of attorney that includes a HIPAA authorization along with a living will appointing a trusted party to act on your behalf as your medical advocate. In a living will, you are able to outline and determine your desired medical treatment and end-of-life wishes, which include such things as CPR, the use of a ventilator, artificial nutrition and hydration, pain medication, donation of your organs, and the performance of an autopsy upon your passing. When creating a financial power of attorney, you assign an agent with the legal authority to access your bank accounts and manage your affairs without court intervention. They have the ability to make deposits, sign checks, pay bills, and sign contracts and agreements on your behalf. They can also access and sell property, among other things. Another consideration for those who have children who are minors is to update or create a last will and testament naming a guardian to take care of your children if you are unable to do so. If you want to create an estate plan that provides you with the peace of mind that your family, assets and medical care will be taken care of in the event you are unable to do so, we are here to help. At Conti Law, we have assisted thousands of clients with formalizing their wishes so that, upon an unexpected illness or death, their families are able to focus on their loved ones rather than a difficult legal process. Power of attorney during the COVID-19 crisis 18 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2020Mia A. Kovacs, CFP®, is a vice president and a financial consultant with Bill Few Associates. She can be reached at (412) 630-6041 or at mkovacs@billfew.com. y > Learning Curves Learning Curves SUBMITTED BY MIA A. KOVACS, CFP®, BILL FEW ASSOCIATES Mia A. Kovacs COVID-19 is a health crisis and yet it has impacted so much more than our physical wellbeing. The requirements of stay-at- home orders have also affected many financially. In an effort to provide relief, legislation has been enacted as people and governments around the globe struggle to contend with and contain COVID-19. At the end of March, the U.S. government put together a $2.2 trillion package to aid individuals and businesses. This economic relief package is probably best known for the distribution of stimulus checks, the Paycheck Protection Program and the expansion of unemployment benefits. However, a lesser-known inclusion created some flexibility and planning opportunities for retirees. This inclusion was the suspension of Required Minimum Distributions for 2020. First, a quick refresher: once you reach age 72, the government requires that you start to take taxable distributions from your IRA or company plan. Now, a lot of people need to take income from their retirement accounts much earlier than age 72 but there are those who are fortunate enough not to need that income. For those persons, they can skip their required minimum distributions in 2020. This will help to minimize their taxable income and allow their portfolios to recover from the market’s recent volatility. If you already took your RMD for 2020, you may still be able to put it back. Using the 60-day rollover rule, you can redeposit any funds taken from an IRA or company plan within 60 days of receipt. Additionally, the government provided an extension to this rule, allowing those who withdrew funds on or after Feb. 1 to get those funds back into their accounts by July 15. Unfortunately, if you took your RMD in January and let the 60-day window lapse, there is no exception. If you took an RMD from a non-spousal inherited IRA, you are also out of luck since the 60-day rollover rule is unavailable for non-spousal inherited IRAs. There is more to consider than just whether you need the income. You should also consider your tax bracket. With taxes seemingly due to rise, you may want to distribute a portion of your IRA or company plan funds now. If you do not need the income, those funds can be converted to a Roth IRA for tax-free growth. As a financial planner, I work with my clients to make sure they stay informed and benefit from changes in legislation. As lawmakers continue to create new legislation around COVID-19, be sure to check in with your financial planner. We can help you navigate the uncertainty of these times. It might be time to revisit your required minimum distributions June/July 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 19Next >