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[brandon-kreiner]

How do you become a caricature artist?

A caricaturist is an artist who focuses their talents on portraits or drawings that preposterously represent a person or thing. Professional caricaturists can work for a newspaper or political group, amusement or theme park, magazine company or publisher, private business, party or event planner, or be employed as independent contractors.

Learn the Fundamentals of Drawing & Portrait Art

The word caricature means "loaded portrait." A caricature is an overdone or garish portrait of a person or thing that exaggerates a subject's eccentricities, defects, or distinguishing features but still retains a likeness to the original. They are typically drawn with pencil, crayon, pen, charcoal, or pastels, but caricatures may also be drawn digitally using computer software, like Photoshop CC, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Painter, and ArtRage Studio Pro.

The caricature was used, both drawn and written, early in the 17th century to convey facts or personal beliefs which are frequently repressed or censored. They were also used to mock and ridicule public figures, just like today. Think of that famous caricature of Napoleon Bonaparte by James Gillray, which showed a very short emperor wearing an enormous hat, and as a result, we think of Bonaparte as much quicker than he really was.

Today, the caricature has developed into a form of art that is popular and accepted globally and has continued to poke fun at public figures, including politicians and movie stars. The magazine and newspaper editors happily welcome artists who draw caricatures. Even though they might disagree with the ideology portrayed, they still respect the artists' work and ability to give a humorous slant to a subject.

Magazines like Mad, Time, The New Yorker, US News Report, and more rely on caricature artists to create characters that grab at people's consciences, make the reader laugh, and leave a lasting impression. Because caricatures can be both funny and lifelike, an artist must be part psychologist and part artist who can draw a distorted likeness of a subject and interpret their attitude and personality.

Improve Your Drawing & Communication Skills

An artist must understand anatomy to reference during the drawing phase to create a stylized caricature. Although the final portrait is typically skewed and misshapen, if the anatomy is wrong, the drawing is going to take on an unusual and disjointed appearance, unlike the subject. It's also significant that caricature artists pick out a distinguishing feature in their subject to emphasize, something that makes the subject unique that the artist can then accentuate and play up in his or her drawing. So, observation skills are essential.

Caricature artists must be good at communicating with humor and satire because most caricatures, particularly in the case of editorial cartoons, address potentially controversial topics.

Caricaturists should be good writers, too, as many caricatures will include titles or short dialogue. And, besides having the ability to draw exceptionally well, artists must also understand color and which colors work well together and complement their subject. Understanding advanced drawing skills like perspective, style, gesture, proportions, and composition is also essential to creating a polished caricature. They need to know how clothing fits a subject, add details to hair and body, add in background, and have complete knowledge of any software used to create caricatures digitally, like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, or ArtRage natural painting software. At first, most artists rough-sketch their caricatures first using pencil and paper, charcoal, pens, or some other similar medium, so understanding which works well to achieve the desired affect is also crucial.

You do not need any specific training to become a caricaturist. However, to create the professional skillset necessary to break into this competitive field, earning a degree is desirable. If you choose to pursue a degree, a bachelor of arts (BA) with an emphasis in visual arts may be best. There a several US schools that have degrees specifically in illustration and cartooning, and if this is the route you choose, you will graduate with a bachelor of fine arts (BFA). The curriculum is very similar in both programs and includes illustration, design, English, computer graphics, writing, and art. BFA degree programs that emphasize cartooning will also feature classes in the history of cartooning, advertising, storytelling, drawing and perspective, portrait and figure drawing, color theory, and portfolio, and possibly 2D and 3D design.

College programs give students a chance to create a portfolio, find internships, exhibit their work, and find employment after graduation. Additionally, there are online programs, vocational schools, community colleges, and art institutes that offer courses in cartooning.

Refine Your Skills & Develop Your Style

Aspiring caricature artists have to constantly practice their skills. It can take lots of sketches and many versions of the same caricature before it meets your needs or the needs of your employer or client. As you polish and sharpen your skills, you will be able to develop your own style and unique formula for creating caricatures that make you stand out and give you a level of recognition. If you want your work to appear in print, magazines, and newspapers, you can begin by sending samples of your most recent work to local newspapers and magazines. If you choose to work in advertising, then send the work to advertising directors at local ad agencies. Of course, if you plan on being self-published on the Internet, then making your own website, blog, and using other social media outlets such as Instagram, Facebook, Flickr, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube, or some sites specific to cartoons, such as GoComics and Illustration Friday are all good choices.

It is easier to create or update your portfolio after you have some of your work published, which in turn may help you get a syndicated comic strip. Of course, if you graduated with a degree, you've already created a portfolio. You have probably also created a portfolio of work if you've been freelancing. However, constantly updating samples of your work is essential, as it shows your progress and improvement over time. Without a portfolio that demonstrates your unique style and drawing ability, the world's best resume won't get you hired.

Employers appreciate training and experience when hiring a caricature artist. Previous experience demonstrates to employers that you can generate great work on deadline, that you are dependable and willing to learn. According to a report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), syndication companies vie for newspaper space and want caricature artists that attract subscribers, so artists with a strong following are more competitive and often win out over those without any experience whatsoever. Caricature artists can gain this experience by drawing live people at fairs and carnivals, at weddings and parties, art fairs, and at any event or social function where people gather.

Of course, networking with others in the industry is also important to an aspiring caricature artist's career. There are dozens of associations and organizations across the US offering online workshops and opportunities to network with seasoned professionals. Contacts can also be gained through internships, joining clubs, a personal blog, and working in another department for a local newspaper.

[brandon-kreiner]

Care For Off-Season Lawns!

It's mid-winter in the northern United States, the snows continue to pill up, and below zero temperatures have forced you to hibernation for weeks at a time, but, even though this should be the farthest thing from your mind, you just can't stop thinking about getting started on all those outstanding lawn projects (or perhaps not, but it's still better than shoveling snow).

Believe it. Few things can be accomplished in the frozen winter months to get an advanced start on spring. Unknown to most, cool-season weeds thrive, and if left unchecked, they could already be plotting a takeover of your yard. This is terrible news. In the dormant warm-season grass, anything green stands out like a sore thumb, so if you only have a few evil broadleaf weeds, spot-treat them using an herbicide (but get an early start on this as too many could be exceedingly more difficult to treat).

 The first step is to fertilize (using a spreader) before winter even sets in. There are push as well as hand spreaders available. Never exceed the recommended amount of fertilizer, so you don't burn your grass. Next (still before the snow flies), keep mowing your lawn regularly as winter weeds won't survive repeated cutting but are sure to capture any seeds before they get a chance to spread across your yard. (Note for next year: application of a fall herbicide should provide the same results with far less hassle), that is what I did.

Aeration of your lawn is another hugely beneficial practice. This delivers plenty of air to the grassroots, which aid in spring growth. It's also a good idea to limit the foot traffic over your lawn (use sidewalks if you have them), and this is doubly the case during the winter months. Repeated traffic can severely damage or even kill your grass, and that leads to bare spots that will need fixing down the road.

Take advantage of an unexpected thaw. You should seriously consider removing any leaves that slipped through the cracks last fall. However, rake with care; at this point in the season, your grass is dormant and fragile; vigilant raking can easily damage or pull out the needed roots, rendering your efforts pointless.

After all your careful prep, seeding is essential. Be sure to purchase "cool season" or "cool weather" grass seeds, as regular warm weather seeds will likely not take root this time of year. Even distribution always shows the best results. Winter weather can be a mixed bag, so it's essential to stay on top of your lawn and keep the new seed moist. However, you never want to over water. Too much or too little moisture can leave you with a lot of work with little return.

Winter salt and snowplow damage are common and tough on grass lawns. Take time for necessary repairs. Reseed the damaged areas should become a priority. However, if you are planning to apply pre-emergent weed control, be extra careful, as it will prevent all seeds from germinating, and haphazard application could do lasting lawn damage.

The arrival of early spring (one can always hope!) often provides a compelling opportunity for a head start if you take advantage of it. Disease, insects, and snow mold are your first concerns, but thorough raking, which increases airflow throughout the grass, can go a long way to reducing the threat.

Endless raking (endlessly, it seems) to clear leftover leaves from fall will also yield great results. Start with matted sections of the lawn and work your way to the rest. This will go a long way in allowing new grass to grow with the slightest difficulty.

 Crabgrass will quickly become the next target. Apply a crabgrass control early is helpful. Timing is vital as the application should be done before the ground reaches temperatures in the mid-50s or 60 degrees. Be ready because if you miss this opportunity, crabgrass germination can get out of control.

Fertilize in the early spring. This helps your yard get a head start towards shaking off its long winter hibernation. You want to provide necessary nutrients which allow for typical summer weather, such as heat and exhausting drought conditions, which invariably slows the growth of your yard during the growing season.

Aeration (again) is also good practice in the springtime for all the same reasons as before. It allows for air and moisture to penetrate deep down to the roots. There is one particular concern to consider here, though, which is temperature-related. Like the issues surrounding crabgrass, if you don't aerate before temperatures creep above 60 degrees, you will invite sneaky weed seeds that can wreak havoc on your lawn.

Although tempting as it is, there is never a time of the year to neglect your yard. Especially if you strive for perfection. Every season offers several opportunities and projects that can make your yard stand out as perhaps the most beautiful in your neighborhood, assuming you are willing to put in the time and effort.

[brandon-kreiner]

Independence Day celebrations for seniors!

July 4th is Independence Day in the United States. This is a seminal date in this nation's history, as seen as the beginning of the American experience.  In almost 225 years, this country has seen much history. But it is often considered as the subject of books and classes.

 Grandparents and Senior Family Members are the guardians of each family's history. One memorable way to celebrate our nation's history is to capture all the family legends and lore from your household's perspective.  We’d all appreciate having a documented version of our family history to recall and then pass down, but someone has to start the process. While reminiscing seems to be the prevalent way to share, just talking through incidents cannot be referenced in the future.

 Capturing The Memories

 A wise soul once said that a good pen is better than a great memory. Capturing the family story and putting them in a safe place for reference and passing down is far better than trusting that you can recall what was said one night after dinner.  

 Here are some prompts that can start the ideas flowing and the pens or computers capturing. Family stories don't have to be long; they can be brief. Of course, it is acceptable to video these as well.

 Use the holiday as a chance to share stories. Ask all family members to write a short paragraph sharing wisdom on a particular topic. For example, they could share a spiritual story, a story about overcoming, life lessons, or one piece of knowledge. It's best to give everyone an idea of the length to shoot for, such as 200 to 500 words, 10 to 20 sentences, or no more than one single-spaced page.

 Another way to approach capturing this wisdom, ask everyone to write a letter to their younger selves sharing life lessons or thanking their younger self for doing something. If new babies are in the family or on their way, ask everyone to write a letter to future generations or all kids under 5 to share with them at a future time. Then you can collect them all and print them for everyone to have.

 Ask family members to capture the most pivotal moment in their life. This one reveals so much insight into each person. Interview each family member and ask them what the most pivotal moment in their life so far is and why (they may need some time to think about it). Then write out the story behind that particular moment.

 Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. As each person matures, they tell themselves a story about the world and how it works. Ask every person the same question: What was the story you told yourself about the world when you were younger, or you could also say "coming of age."

 What’s your family’s specific “Thing”? You know, the topic that you always trade stories, talk about, or do when you get together? Find a way to collect and document these. Here are some starter ideas: recipes, games, faith, politics (nothing gets people talking like giving a political opinion), occupations, quotes (and why), advice, inventions (what is available now that wasn't when you were a child), holidays, favorite Christmas gift, family motto, and so much more. Then, you could collect the actual items, pictures, or mementos representing the theme or write about them.

 Write a family joke book. Certain family members are known for specific humorous stories, puns, experiences, and telling the same joke repeatedly. Capture all these in a journal. You can even formally retire those jokes which have been said to death.

 A family memoir is a great way to assemble stories. Collaboration is essential here. Have each person write a three to five-page "chapter" then pass this over to the next person. Incorporate family themes listed above, or the chapter can be about the smaller family unit and reveal funny stories or insights that others may not know.

 Ways To Share History Beyond The Holiday

 The family playlist is a different take on this. Using Apple Music, Google Play, or Pandora, could you put together a collection of everyone's favorite songs? You could assemble them through a playlist and make a silly story out of all the titles. Then, you could make a game like name that tune or have everyone match the favorite song to the person. Get folks talking about what they love about the music and what was happening in their life when it first debuted. If you have someone musically inclined, they could even create a personalized family song.

 Email a new question each week or so to the family members, then collect everyone’s responses in one place. You could share all the answers in a blog each week or wait until the year is up and provide everyone with a printed copy.

 Have everyone create their own bucket list and then compile them into a master family bucket list. Then cross off those items that anyone in the family has done (not necessarily the one whose bucket it’s in). Finally, have the person share about achieving this experience. This is fun because everyone can compare buckets and discover who has more crossed-off items. You could even use the list of ideas to plan the next family get-together.

 Set a schedule once a week to have family members share a photo and its memories. The beauty of this is that many different memories may pop up throughout the year because it is unstructured.

 Choose someone to be the family anthropologist and assemble various artifacts from all the other family members. Have them in a box and when everyone gathers during the holiday, have them each share the story behind each item.

 Collecting such memories provides a valuable connection between the stories of the family's past and the historical context in which they occurred. Use the Independence Day holiday to link together the past, present, and future.

[brandon-kreiner]

Dry Out Your Damp Basement

What do you do if there is water in your basement?

There are not many things worse than the discovery of a wet basement as a homeowner, or worse, basement which is flooding that's gone beyond just a little water. There are some things you can do before to begin drying out your basement before you call in a basement waterproofing company so it doesn't happen again.

 ·   •As soon as you see some water, stop and make sure to shut off all power around the area or entire home. This includes main electricity and gas. Never enter a flooded or wet area while the power is on in your home. If you are not sure how to shut these areas off, call a professional electrician before entering your basement to make an assessment and start work.

·   As soon as you notice water, get to work. If rain or stormwater is the source of the flood, wait until it's passed before taking action.

·   Protect yourself no matter where the water comes from, wear boots and thick gloves and a protective mask if necessary. If you are dealing with basement flooding and not just water, hip or chest waders can be useful if you have some available. Take care when walking and moving around the flooded area. It will likely be very slippery.

·   Verify the source of the water. If a burst pipe is the cause of the flood, shut off water to the basement.

·   If your basement has a floor drain, check it to ensure it has been clogged and is causing the basement flooding. Keeping your drain open and clear of debris will help drain standing water from your basement.

 What do you do if you have water in your basement?

Now that we've covered the safety basics and worked to determine no more water is coming into your basement, you can do several things to dry the area yourself. If the basement flooding is moderate to severe or you see mold or mildew starting to develop, it's time to call professional basement waterproofing specialists.

 ·   You are removing water from the basement. There are a few options all depending on the amount of water your are faced with in your basement. You can rely on a sump pump, use a pool pump, a wet/dry vacuum, or a mop and bucket. Sump pumps are located in the lowest part of a basement and work by sending water away from home after a flooding. Without a sump pump, water can come up through the ground and enter the home, causing flooding in not only the basement but other parts of the house as well. After most of the water has been removed, soak up the remainder with towels or sponges.

·   Remove the damaged items out of the basement to dry in a well-ventilated area. If possible, a sunny location may be the best option. It's best not to dry out items inside the basement, which is already damp. You should give your items at least 48 hours to dry fully. If they are still wet after that time, it is best to discard them as they may begin to develop mold and mildew. Try to save wet cardboard boxes since they can be especially susceptible to bacterial growth. Salvage the contents of the boxes if you can, and discard the cardboard containers to be safe.

 ·   Don't touch electrical items. Any electrical equipment like televisions, stereos or lamps should not be touched, even with the electricity disconnected. It's best to let electrical items dry in place and refer to an electrician or qualified repairman to determine the amount of damage.

·   Carpeting should be removed as soon as possible. Carpeting can prevent the floor underneath from drying if it's not removed quickly. Although it can be difficult to adequately dry out these materials, sometimes wet carpeting can be saved. Consult a restoration specialist or a carpet cleaning contractor for recommendations. If your carpet isn't easily drying, it can easily begin to grow mold and mildew. When you have your basement, waterproofing specialists evaluate the area. They can recommend the best floor covering for your basement situation.

·   Give it time. Your basement may take several days to dry. Get as much ventilation and air flow into the area by opening windows and doors. Place mulitple fans around the basement area for air circulation. This should speed up drying time. If you don't have one, you can rent a dehumidifier to get the mosture out of the air.

·   Wash your basement floors and walls to remove any dirt left behind by the flood water. Remove all wet or damaged drywall and insulation to prevent the spread of mold. After the floor and walls are dry, use an anti-mildew spray to discourage mold and mildew from developing.

·   If you have flood insurance, call your home insurance company and report the flood. Confirm your coverage limits, deductible amount, and claim procedures.

 Many times, it is safer, faster, and easier to call in professionals. You may want to ask for help if the water was more than several feet deep or if you see mold or mildew developing. If you've taken steps to dry your basement and it damp, or if it has flooded in the past and you don't know what caused your basement flood, it's a good idea to get a professional opinion. Depending on your specific situation, you might want to consult a plumbing contractor, a basement waterproofing company, a disaster restoration specialist, or a combination of specialists. If your home insurance company is involved, may check to see if they have a specific vendor that they recommend for flood mitigation.

 After your basement is dry, it is highly recommended you waterproof it. This is because, if it happens once, it can happen again. There are ways to do this yourself, but when in doubt, call in the professionals. Multiple things can go wrong if you try to waterproof your basement on yourself, this is especially true if you don't have the proper background and experience. You can damage your basement if you are not familiar the proper tools and how to use them.

As mentioned, you may think you fixed the problem, yet may not have, and water could continue to slowly leak into your basement. This mistake can cause structural damage and mold growth. It can even attract new pests into your home.

It's important for the safety and health of your family, as well as home value. Waterproofing your basement is an excellent investment.

[brandon-kreiner]

White Collar Crimes- Definition

White Collar crime is a hot topic in our current environment. So, what really is a white collar crime?

A nonviolent crime committed for financial gain is known as white-collar crime. These crimes are distinguished by deception, concealment, or breach of confidence, according to the FBI, a core agency which investigates these offenses. To gain or prevent losing money, property, or services, or to secure a personal or business advantage, is the reason for most of these crimes.

Embezzlement, securities fraud, corporate fraud, and laundering money are examples of white-collar crimes. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), and state authorities all prosecute white-collar crime in addition to the FBI.

Understanding White Collar Crime

The term was coined in 1949 by sociologist Edwin Sutherland, who described it as crime committed by a person of respectability and high social standing in the course of his occupation, white-collar crime has been associated with more educated and wealthier people.

Historically, white-collar employees have been characterized by office employment and management, rather than having their hands dirty. Workers in this class are different from blue-collar workers, who used to wear blue shirts and worked in mills, plants, and factories.

The spectrum of types of white-collar crime has vastly increased in the decades since 1949. Especially with emergence of  technologies and new financial products and arrangements have spawned a slew of new types offenses. Ivan Boesky, Bernard Ebbers, Michael Milken, and Bernie Madoff are among the the high-profile white-collar criminals arrested in recent  times. So-called Nigerian scams, in which fraudulent emails request assistance from a banker or Nigerian prince to send a large sum of money, are among the more common new white-collar crimes enabled by the internet.

Below are different white collar crimes which will need a strong defense and trial lawyer.

Corporate Fraud

Only crimes committed by an individual for personal gain are included in some definitions of white-collar crime. Yet the FBI, for example, describes these crimes as large-scale fraud committed by several people in a corporation or government agency.

In reality, corporate crime is one of the agency's top compliance priorities. Since it not only causes large financial losses to investors, yet it also has the potential to cause great harm to the US economy and consumer trust, according to the report.

Falsification of Financial Information

Many of the corporate fraud cases involve accounting strategies designed to deceive investors, auditors, and analysts about a corporation's or business entity's true financial condition. Financial data, share prices, and other valuation metrics are manipulated to make a company's financial output or outlook look better than reality.

Credit Suisse, for example, admitted in 2014 to assisting U.S. residents in evading taxes by concealing profits from the Internal Revenue Service. The bank decided to pay $2.6 billion in fines.

In 2014, Bank of America admitted to selling billions of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) related to inflated property prices. These loans, which lacked sufficient collateral, were one of the forms of financial misdeeds that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis. Bank of America admitted to misconduct and decided to pay $16.65 billion in penalties.

Self-Dealing

Cases in which one or more employees of a corporation operate to benefit themselves at the detriment of customers or other parties are often classified as corporate fraud. Self-dealing occurs when a fiduciary acts in their own best interests rather than the best interests of their clients in a transaction. It is a conflict of interest and an unethical act that can result in legal action, fines, and job termination for those who commit it. Self-dealing may take several forms, but it usually includes a person profiting — or attempting to profit — from a transaction that is being carried out on behalf of another party. For example, front-running occurs when a broker or other market participant enters into a trade before the market opens. a trade because they have foreknowledge of a large, unpublicized deal that will affect the asset's price, resulting in a probable financial benefit for the broker That may also happen when a broker or analyst buys or sells stock for their own account before their company makes a buy or sell recommendation to clients.

Insider trading cases are the most well-documented, in which individuals act on or reveal to others non-public knowledge that is likely to impact share prices and other business valuations until it is known. When buying or selling shares based on material nonpublic knowledge, insider trading is illegal, and provides the individual with an unfair advantage in terms of benefit. It makes no difference how the material nonpublic information was obtained or whether the individual is a company employee. Let's say someone hears about nonpublic material details from a family member and tells a friend about it. If the friend uses the insider knowledge to make a profit in the stock market, all three parties involved could face legal action.

Other trading-related offenses include fraud in connection with mutual hedge funds, including late-day trading and other market-timing schemes.

Detection and Deterrence

Corporate fraud attracts the largest variety of partners for investigations due to the broad range of crimes and corporate agencies involved. The FBI says it works with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, as well as other regulatory and law enforcement agencies.

 Money Laundering

Money laundering is the practice of concealing cash obtained from illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, as proceeds from legitimate business ventures. The money obtained by illegal activity is deemed "dirty," and the procedure "launders" it to make it appear "clean."

Of course, in such situations, the investigation also includes not just the money laundering but also the illegal activity from which the money was obtained. Money laundering proceeds come from a variety of sources, including healthcare fraud, human and drug trafficking, public corruption, and terrorism.

Criminals use a dizzying array of strategies to launder money. Among the most common, though, are real estate, precious metals, international trade, and virtual currency such as bitcoin.

Detection and Deterrence

Money laundering investigations are unusually complicated due to the number of measures involved, as well as the often global nature of the many financial transactions. According to the FBI, it regularly coordinates money laundering efforts with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as a number of foreign partners. Anti-money laundering (AML) laws are in place in many businesses, especially those in the finance and banking industries, to detect and prevent money laundering.

 Securities and Commodities Fraud

Apart from the aforementioned corporate fraud, which primarily entails falsifying corporate information and using inside information to self-deal, a slew of other crimes include deceiving would-be investors and customers by misrepresenting the data they use to make decisions.

A person, such as a stockbroker, or an entity, such as a brokerage firm, company, or investment bank, may commit securities fraud. Individuals can commit this form of fraud on their own through schemes such as insider trading. The Enron, Tyco, Adelphia, and WorldCom scandals are all well-known examples of securities fraud.

Investment Fraud

Promises of large rates of return are common in high-yield investment fraud with claims of little or no risk. Commodities, stocks, real estate, and other types of investments are which can plan into a fraud scheme.

Ponzi and pyramid schemes usually use funds provided by new investors to pay the guaranteed returns to earlier investors who have become entangled in the scam. Such schemes necessitate the fraudsters continually recruit new victims in order to keep the scam going for as long as possible. When the demands from current investors outnumber the new funds the schemes generally crash. Advance fee schemes may take a more subtle approach, in which the fraudster persuades their victims to advance them small sums of money in exchange for higher returns down the road.

Detection and Deterrence

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigate allegations of securities fraud, mostly in collaboration with the FBI.

Scams involving investments can also be investigated by state authorities. Utah, for example, developed the United States first online registry for white-collar offenders back in 2016 as part of a unique effort to protect Utah residents. The list includes photos of people who have been convicted of a second-degree or higher fraud-related felony. The state created the registry do to Ponzi schemers often target close-knit cultural or religious communities, such as the Salt Lake City-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

[brandon-kreiner]

What Do Home Health Care Agencies Charge?

Suppose you or one of your family members is aging in place and needs assistance with basic tasks around the elderly persons house, like cleaning, personal care, bathing, and other necessities, including primary medical needs. In that case, you might require a service like a home health aide.

In-home nursing care and home health aides are helpful. These full-time caregivers will take care of your necessities and allow you or a loved one to live a more comfortable, content life. So whether you are a family caregiver looking to take a break, or an aging senior who is considering hiring help soon, it's essential to know what to expect from in-home nursing care.

 If you're interested in in-home care costs, basics about home care cost per hour, or other in-home nursing care costs, you've come to the right place. Let's look at the expenses associated with home health aides and how much you can expect to spend when hiring caregivers.

What's a home health aide?

In most cases, if you or a loved one wants to age in place, a home health aid is what you're going to consider. Home health aid agencies will be able to provide you with a trained and experienced home health aide.

It is essential to point out that home health aides are, with some exceptions, not trained medical professionals. They are not nurses and typically can not perform any medical tasks beyond basics like reminding your loved one to take their medication and other such things. Due to this, you may need to hire a specialist, part-time nurse to expand your home health aide's services. Why not simply employ a nurse full time? Because it is so much more expensive.

The home health aides mainly offer the same services that a family member caregiver would and are not highly skilled, and their fees are typically lower. In most states, home health aides will charge rates of $20-$30 per hour.

By comparison, a highly skilled nurse can cost $40-$80 per hour – and the nursing services are often not required all the time. Selecting a home health aide lets you or a loved one get proper care, less the high cost of a full-time nurse. The price of home health aids is lower.

It should be noted that it is not always suitable to hire the most inexpensive care provider available to you. For example, they might not have the proper home care license or home health care provider insurance – and you or your loved one can get sub-par treatment. Therefore, it would be best to do your research before hiring any agency to make sure that you're working with a reputable home care company.

Now that we have already started discussing money, let's take a look at the numbers behind at-home care – and how much you may spend on a home health care agency.

    How Much Does Home Health Care Cost?

The cost of home health care will vary, depending on the services that are required. For example, hiring a home health aide will be much more inexpensive when compared to hiring a registered nurse or other types of medical professionals.

Due to this, home healthcare costs are quite inconsistent. they are based on your needs, the services that you will need, and several other factors. Some of these factors can include:

·   The type of services you need – To put things plainly, one of the most significant factors that will impact the cost of home health care is the number of different services you require or need, as this also affects how much work needs to be done by a nurse or a home health aide.

·   The hours your home health aide works – The more hours worked, the more you will need to pay. While some folks have full-time home health aides, it's often more affordable to only hire a part-time aid and complement their services with family caregiving.

·   The extent of disabilities – Individuals who are severely handicapped or disabled are going to need special care services. They might even need to hire a qualified nurse, rather than a home health aide to guarantee their physical safety and proper administration of medication.

·   State of residence – Depending on the cost of living in your State and the rates charged by local home health services, you could pay more or less. This all depends on market factors and demand for home health aides.

These are just a few of the factors that might influence how much you pay for at-home care for a loved one or yourself. Next, let's take a look at the basics of home health aides and home health aides.

How much do home health care agencies charge?

Home care cost per hour

Interested in the hourly fee for elderly care? Let's look at the basics of what you can expect from the cost of in-home care per hour now and the different factors which affect home health care cost per hour.

As we noted, the average wages of a home health aide worker are about $19 per hour. If you are working with a larger or more repetitable home health aide company, you may expect to pay a bit more with additional fees.

Yet, sometimes the cost to hire a home health aide is closer to $30 per hour, especially if you need full-time service or you or your loved one has more complex needs due to a handicap or disability.

Health care cost per month

The average cost of in-home caregivers for monthly services can vary depending on the agency, how much time the health aide spends with your loved one, giving care, and several additional factors.

For example, you might pay about $1680 per month for 20 hours of care per week, at $20 per hour.

This may seem steep, but compared to the average monthly cost of an assisted living facility, which can easily be up to $4,000-$6,000 per month, using the services of a home health care aide can be the better choice for your budget.

Average healthcare cost per year

The total annual healthcare cost of an at home health aide, applying the above cost estimates, may be about $21,480 for 20 hours of care per week.

This may seem expensive, however, in comparison ot living in an assisted living facility which generally costs around $70,000 - That's a big difference. If you or your loved one is in good health and only needs little assistance with tasks around the home, selecting an at-home caregiver is often the most financially beneficial choice that offers substantial cost savings. And, in some cases, aging at home can mean a higher quality of living for your loved one, as they do not have to endure the jarring transition of moving to a facility.

Long-term health care costs

"Long term health care" usually refers to caring for basic personal necessities, for example, bathing and the needs of daily living. It is also generally not covered by Medicare.

If you just require long-term health care services, you will likely pay out of pocket. Long-term care costs are generally around the same as the cost of a home health aide, so you'll pay about $20 or more per hour, depending on your location.

24-hour home health care cost

How much is in-home care cost if you or a loved one needs 24-hour assistance? Quite a lot. If we consider the average wage of a home health aide to be $21 per hour, the cost of 24-hour care – 3 aides working 8-hour shifts – can exceed $180,000 per year.

If you or a loved one needs 24-hour care, it is usually much more cost-effective to live at a skilled nursing facility, which generally costs around $80,000 per year. While aging and living at home are great, it is not suitable for those who need 24/7, around-the-clock care.

[brandon-kreiner]

Is it worth it to buy long-term care insurance?

More and more baby boomers reach retirement age each year, and naturally, a lot of attention is being given to their health care and long-term care needs, particularly the cost of that care. Like any large, expensive need in our personal lives, insurance policies have been created to lessen these services' cost, with something known as long-term care insurance (LTC insurance or LTCI for short). So, is long-term care insurance worth it?

A relatively new service (at least in the history of insurance) LTC insurance has left some seniors and even younger people asking, "What is a long-term care insurance policy, and why I need one?" The quick answer is it depends on your income level. Long-term care policies have high premium costs, making them unappealing to Medicaid qualifying individuals (that can have subsidized cost of care), and financially inefficient for those wealthy enough to self-insure.

To best understand why you might or may not need long-term health care insurance, it makes sense to break it down into its two components: long-term care as a service and long-term care insurance as a means of paying for it.

What Is Long-term Care, and Is It Necessary?

The official definition of long-term care is a range of support services you may need to meet your personal care needs. Most long-term care is not medical care but rather assistance with everyday life's basic personal tasks.

Examples of long-term care include nursing home care, assisted living facilities and home care. Long-term care is usually defined by help with the "activities of daily living" andle anything from dressing, eating , moving around and going to the restroom.

While not medical in nature, long-term care is often needed most by those with debilitating medical conditions like strokes, Parkinsons, or Alzheimer's. Yet, old age will catch up to all of us, and the American Association for Long-term Care Insurance predicts about 68% of people who are 65 or older will require long-term care. This means over two-thirds of all seniors. It is not surprising then that 10 million Americans already have long-term care insurance.

Unfortunately for those who need it, not is long-term care quite expensive, but the cost of care is also rising over time. Estimates currently range from an average annual cost of $43k for care in an assisted living facility to $92k for a private room in a nursing home. In two decades, that price is projected to increase to an annual cost of roughly $131k – a 42% increase.

Most people don't "choose" long-term care because they want to; it is usually a necessity based on one's inability to care for themselves. Rising long-term care costs that significantly outpace inflation have made it financially challenging for many to afford long-term care, even if they wish to afford it.

When Is it A Good Idea To Get Long-term Care Insurance?

Now that you have a better understanding of what long-term care is, and the annual costs associated with it, let's get into some guidance on when it might be a good idea to get long-term insurance.

First, the best time to get long-term care insurance when you are young. As with life or health insurance, the older you are, the riskier your policy is considered, and the higher your premiums will be.

Getting a policy at age 45 compared to age 60 could save you $440 a year on premiums for a standard 3-year long-term care policy. However, if you wait to apply for long-term care insurance when you know you need it, you are likely to get denied.

You do not want to be too young and many life insurance companies will not even let you apply if you are under 30. A good way to evaluate your long-term care insurance value is to compare it to self-insuring through savings over the same period.

The main compromise between LTC insurance and self-insuring is how much you appreciate the flexibility of being able to spend your own savings, compared to the peace of mind of knowing you'll get a higher coverage amount should you need long-term care.

Income level is the other main factor. If you have, or project to have a net savings of over $1 million, you can likely pay for own care. Similarly, if you make below $22,000 a year, long-term care insurance is probably out of your reach, and you may qualify for Medicare and Medicaid Services. However, most Americans will fall between these two income thresholds.

What Should I Look For In A Long-term Care Policy?

 When evaluating your long-term care policy, there are a few things to consider.

First is the benefit period and the elimination period. You would need to know how long your policy will cover you for, and how long you need to wait after needing care, before your coverage kicks in. These are functionally equivalent to a deductible and a policy value.

Lowering your elimination or waiting period will raise your policy's monthly cost, as will raising your benefit period. Many long-term care insurance calculators start you with a base of 36 months of coverage, with a 90-day elimination period.

The other thing to examine is whether your policy has inflation protection. Because you are buying a policy for something you need in 25 or more years, the value could be significantly reduced. Most policies will include an inflation rider, and it will be up to you to determine what percent you want, and if you want compound or simple inflation protection.

It's quite simple, the more inflation protection you get, the more your policy's value goes up and the more your monthly premiums cost. Most individuals opt for 3 percent, though 5 percent is offered.

The Bottom Line of Long-term Care Insurance

If you're looking to buy long-term care insurance, you should always consider a few things. First, do you perceive needing long-term care, and are aware of what it entails and how it differs from health insurance? Second, do you think you can pay to self-insure, and are you aware of how much your policy costs compared to savings towards a specified amount yourself?

When you have evaluated those decisions and made sure long-term care insurance is right for you, the next step is to determine what level of premium cost and coverage you're comfortable with.

[brandon-kreiner]

How Long Does Basement Waterproofing Last?

 What is Basement Waterproofing?

Basement waterproofing is a real process of managing water entry into the basement of your home and trying to redirect its path. To have a fully dry basement, you need to be sure your basement is waterproof. Waterproofing your basement also means waterproofing your foundation because this is where water usually gets to your basement.

 Causes of a Wet Basement

A wet basement is a devastating thing that can happen to your home. Wet basements can be caused by:

1.    Poor drainage – the nature of the soil around your home can be a factor in a wet foundation or wet basement. If your house is on land with a high water table capacity, it may retain a lot of water in rainy seasons. Increased water retention causes soil to expand, possibly affecting the integrity of your foundation and

causing structural damage, allowing water to get into the foundation and the basement.

2.    Cracks – Foundation cracks give way for water that may have accumulated around the home to seep in as water follows the path of least resistance. Water that continues to seep into the foundation could reach the basement eventually, leaving you with a wet basement.

 3.    Improper slope – if the ground slopes into your home instead of away from it, water will accumulate around your foundation, This weakens it over time which in turn will allow water into your basement.

4.    Poorly installed and maintained gutters – gutters which are poorly constructed and not well maintained could easily break under pressure or overflow, giving water access to your foundation and eventually your basement.

Why You Should Avoid Having A Wet Basement

A wet basement causes several problems such as mold formation, bad smells, and poor air circulation. Structural concerns can also occur and may cause your house to collapse if the necessary precautions are not taken.

Basement Waterproofing Types

 1.    Exterior basement waterproofing – this type of basement waterproofing is done outside the home. It aims at preventing water from getting inside the building. Some methods under exterior basement waterproofing include drainage systems and waterproof coating of the exterior walls. Ideally, exterior basement waterproofing should be done during the construction of your home.

2.    Interior basement waterproofing – this type of basement waterproofing is done inside your basement to keep water out. This method of waterproofing is usually implemented after a problem has occurred. Interior basement waterproofing aims to prevent consolidation and keep humidity levels down. Interior basement waterproofing also prevents water from reaching other parts of your house. Some methods under interior basement waterproofing include using waterproof sealants and coatings. This method, however, may not tackle the source of the problem.

So, How long does basement waterproofing last?

 The amount of time basement waterproofing can last depend mainly on the methods of basement waterproofing used. Experts estimate that interior basement waterproofing should last an average of 10 years, whereas exterior basement waterproofing can last the whole lifespan of the building if done well.

 References:

https://acculevel.com/how-long-does-basement-waterproofing-last/

https://www.triadbasementwaterproofing.com/blog/2017/01/understanding-the-top-3-basement-waterproofing-methods/

https://www.constrofacilitator.com/an-overview-of-basement-waterproofing-methods-systems/

https://www.brothersplumbing.ca/blog/waterproofing-basement/long-basement-waterproofing-last/

https://www.pittsburghdrainguys.com/how-long-does-basement-waterproofing-last/

https://www.watertightconcrete.master-builders-solutions.com/latest-news/how-long-does-basement-waterproofing-last

https://www.drybasementmi.com/about-us/blogs/basement-waterproofing-importance.html.html