You Can’t Take It With You

First of all, what is "EP"? Bonus points if you know what we're talking about. Second of all, we actually made a conversation about storing documents kinda funny, thanks to mom. Listen to this episode if you're wondering how/where to store important legal documents, like EP. Also listen if you want to know how little mom has retained from past podcasts. ;)

The three of us might not agree on what it should be called, but we know ya need one!

A love letter is a non-legally enforceable document that you leave to say "things that need to be said", like how to take care of your pets, your kids' favorite book to read at night, where the safe combination is, etc.

These are not legal things we want to say, but things that are important to us to pass along. A small gift to your loved ones, when you're doing some estate planning. :)

Also you learn that our family really loves Melatonin.

Everyone seems to know that Washington is a "community property state", but do you really know what that means? And why a community property agreement is nice to have (or really bad to have)? Often referred to as the "golden document", the community property agreement can also backfire if used in the wrong circumstances. Listen to learn more about these awesome/awful documents!

Y'all. Timeshares are so annoying in the estate planning context. We know they can be awesome in real life (assuming you use them!), but make sure you know what happens to your timeshare after you die. Will it require probate in another state? Will it transfer automatically to your kids? Do they even want it? Let's talk about it!

Stuff. We all have it. Some of us have a lot of it. If you've ever had to go through someone else's stuff after they die, you know how helpful it can be if there was some planning (and maybe some divesting?) before death. We're here to talk about the legal side of stuff. You won't believe what people fight about!

Y'all. Pets are our kids. And we need to plan for them just like we do for kids. Who is going to take your pet if you're gone? Will people fight over the pet? Does the ultimate owner need some money to care for the pets? Do you want to create a trust for the pet? Does the pet have specific medical issues that need to be addressed?

These are all important issues that can and should be addressed in your estate plan!

The three of us took some time out of our recent Italian adventure to talk about how to plan to give money to your minor kids. You'll hear that mom wants to talk about other stuff, but we keep her on track to confirm the best way to get money to your kids if you die before they turn 18.

Trusts? Custodial accounts? Outright? Oh my! Please listen if you have kids under 18 - you need to hear this!

Mom is back and she is NOT excited about beneficiary designations BUT we really blew her mind when we dove into the exciting world of beneficiary designations and  why they are so important.

For example, did you know that a beneficiary designation on a life insurance policy or retirement account SUPERSEDES anything you put in a Will? 

Or, did you know that there is a tax benefit to putting beneficiaries on retirement accounts? 

Or, did you know that life insurance that goes to a specific beneficiary and is, therefore, protected from creditors?

These things are some of the reasons why you need to understand what beneficiary designations are and how they can really mess up your estate plan. Or, make your estate plan awesome. Choose your own adventure!

A Disposition Authorization is a weird name for a document where you can direct how your body is handled after you die. This is FUN STUFF, y'all! 

It actually is pretty fun. We learn a lot of unique things about our clients when they tell us about what they want to happen to their bodies. You have three options in Washington: burial, cremation, composting. 

In this episode, we cover lots of ancillary topics, like how religion plays into the disposition of your remains, Day of the Dead (thanks, Coco!), and how Disneyland handles the excessive bodily remains that are scattered there!

A lot of people think they don't need Wills. In fact, 65% of Americans do not have a Will even though we believe everyone needs one. Though not required under any state laws, a Will makes things so much easier for your family and is the only way to outline how you want things to be done and who should be involved in your estate. A Will is also the only way to nominate a guardian for your minor kiddos! In this episode, Annie, Hannah and Lonna discuss why a Will is so important for everyone.