These turkeys show up every day beneath my bird feeders. It's a much smaller group than last year's visitors... which means it's cheaper for me to feed them. The little ones are very cute.
Jan... don't sweat it on the sports talk. It's only because of all the activity before the start of the NFL season. In case you haven't noticed... Coreen and I haven't talked much about baseball.
I'm not really interested in all the medical talk here sometimes.... but I still read it and think it's great that you and Carol get to discuss what interests the both of you.
We're at the camp. Haven't been here in a while. Not since my strOke. I have an ultrasound scheduled for Next eek. My Rt carotid Was blocked on last ultrasound.
SOS wa going to leave on the 5th but Now she is going to stay. Mary has some eye surgery scheduled soon. We have some Stuff with the estate getting some action. Sis needs to be here. Don't want her to leave. The pool wants her to stay.
Renee, love the pictures. I thought they were turkeys when I first saw them. So cool. Love the nature pics.
Well, I have been watching some football with John today. I watched a little of the AR game and now watching UNM play UTSA. I know you guys probably don't care about these teams but I need to start somewhere.
Carol, so glad your sis is staying longer. Hope you and sis and twin are hving fun. Be sure and let us know if and when you are having your carotid cleaned out.
Ryley and I are watching the game with John. John yells when something happens. Ryley stays close to me during the games. She does not like the yelling. He was watching a game this afternoon and she stayed back with me in the sewing room. I wondered why she stayed with me as she usually sits in the living room with John. She is very sensitive.
Yeah... my cats sometimes get spooked if we yell too loud over some game. Our male cat, Mr. Cookie, likes to sit in Rick's lap. He jumps off when we yell over a home run.
Carol... I like the term "reamed out".... I picture it as closer to what they actually do.
I don't think it's Tebow himself that irritates.... it's the circus that seems to surround him. As a third stringer he doesn't warrant all the hubbub.
I like him personally and wish him the best. But he is not NFL quality.... at least not at quarterback. Some have suggested he should change his position to a running back. But it takes a couple years to ramp up and learn a new position. He's already 26.... too late, considering the average running back retires around 31 or 32.
He keeps insisting he's going to be an NFL quarterback.... it makes me think of Emerson's quote of "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds".
Good to hear that you are slowly on the mend Carol...glad Gloria is still there...
It's the unofficial end of summer, thankfully, & it has been warm & very humid all week...so far no fresh air on the horizon...am so looking forward to some fresh Canadian air to sweep down, but none so far...
Renee, Your turkeys are bigger than the family that has been here...6 little ones, mom & another I guess female, who the mom turkey initially chased all over the yard when she tried to eat near them...now the other one eats at the opposite end of the yard when the little ones are out there...
Only a passing interest in football, naturally I will pay attention to the NY teams but not crazed about FB, not like Broadway Joe played...as for Tebow, from all that we heard when the Jets brought him in, was he just isn't that good...& yes, maybe he would have had some success at another position not QB, but not to be...even with the 'magic' that many think belechick practices...
Renee, baseball, my guys are on a Mission Impossible, in the words of Tug McGraw 'ya gotta believe'...still can't stand that your team is in 1st place, hate everything about it & they didn't change my view of them or their fans on the last visit to fenway...
Back to the weather...both interesting & a pleasant surprise...the absence of any hurricanes in the Atlantic through August...hasn't happened since 2002 2 years ago it was Irene causing damage in the northeast...
Some news of the week that was interesting, & no not Syria or Miley Cyrus antics (though have to say I do like Robin Thicke's 'blurred lines')...
earlier in the week 2 kittens were seen running along the NY subway tracks...and maybe only in NY thankfully, they shut down the line for a couple of hours & in the end they caught the 2 little ones unharmed...there was a mixed reception by riders & for one dumb mayoral candidate who's spokesperson said he wouldn't have shut the line down for the cats...(not sure if that spokesperson still has a job)... Commuters fur-ious as kitties scratch subway service for 2 hours
Guess I have no appreciation for 'art' but when I saw this sculpture that was placed outside the Barclay Center this week, the only thing I could think of was an episode of 'Everybody loves Raymond' where Marie brings to Ray's a statue that she made in art class & everyone thinks it looks like a female body part, a pretty funny episode...so now we have 'Ona'!...if anyone remembers that Raymond episode, tell me honestly that Ona isn't pretty darn close to Marie's statue... Ona by Ursula von Rydingsvard arrives in Brooklyn
And a different story that makes me a little sad, since I always liked Linda Ronstadt...She has been diagnosed with Parkinson's & says she just no longer can sing at all... Lind Ronstadt discusses her memoir & parkinsons
Oh & almost forgot...earlier all of you guys mentioned that you were pursuing info about creation of a 'trust'...curious about why each/any of you would be considering that course & what the proponents say to sell the product...generally it is an expensive legal tool that doesn't really assist most people's goals...& the vast majority of estates do not pay any federal estate taxes & depending on the individual state where a person dies, there may or may not be taxes on a death, but usually there are probate/chancery fees associated with processing an estate...
Carol, those seminars are all over...it has been big especially in Florida (marketed to the large population of retirees)...initially & maybe still those advertising the living trust blurred the lines with the idea that a trust will save on taxes...but when you look closer at their claims, they backtrack on that perception that they use to gin up interest...
Coreen.... well... there you are. We've had the same weather. Suppose to be getting a cold front in the middle of next week and then we'll have fallish type weather. Can't wait!
As for baseball... particularly the Red Sox vs Yankees... well I'm happy as hell with the standings. As for Dempster vs Alex.... when it comes to baseball players, they can act very immature at times. Dempster definitely threw at him... then Alex got his revenge. It's just baseball stuff, IMO.
Speaking of trusts, we discovered their lack of relevance to Carol when we read the literature published by the guy who sponsored the seminar. We think she needs designated POAs and a simple will, perhaps even handwritten as specified by LA law.
Coreen.... It's my husband, Rick, that is thinking about putting his father's estate into a trust. His mother did all of the finances. He's now taking it over. The reason for the trust as I understand it... is so that the estate doesn't have to go through probate when his father passes. He also said it would assure an even dividing of the assets (which one brother is concerned about).
My mother died with just a simple will and I, being the eldest, was the executor. The entire estate (small) had to go through probate. It was a pain in the butt and it felt like it took forever. It took almost 2 yrs to end the entire process. Rick, being in my same position, would like to avoid what I went through. I guess the time to do something is while one parent is still alive.
Our financial broker recommends a trust. John and I each have 3 children and we each have property from our parents' estates. I want my property to go to my children and John wants his property to got to his children.
I have also heard that if one has a trust, that upon that person's death, the estate does not have to go through probate.
Renee, I had the same experience. I was the executor of my dad's estate who had a will and it took me 2 years to complete everything and pay the taxes. It was a huge job. I was fortunate to have a really good attorney who specialized in this area and he was very reasonable in price and in our work together. My dad money to his grandchildren but it was not an equal distribution and there were hard feelings that are still there.
My dad left one piece of property to my sister and I together. She signed a sales contract with someone without my knowledge and I just settled this with that person and with my sister. I bought them both out. My dad died 8 years ago.
Thanks for your comments on why one would consider a living trust...
Carol, yes, it would seem from what I am aware of about you a basic/simple will naming your beneficiaries & how your assets would be divided, naming an executor, may be adequate to do what you would want upon death...
A POA (one that survives in the event of incapacity) is also a good idea, so that there is a provision for someone to act for you while incapacitated...
Another item to consider (if your state provides for one) is a document naming a person as your health care representative, to speak on your behalf if you are not able, and what is usually referred to as a 'living will' the document that specifies what if any measures you want to take if your condition is deemed irreversible... most states have some form of such a 'living will' document...
These documents are worthwhile for most people, regardless of whether you are married, have children...
Jan, seems you have experienced some less than amicable relations as a result of probate in the past...& appears that you would like to avoid having to deal with the probate process...
not sure about the specifics of your personal story, but yes hard feelings can occur whenever it comes to distribution of assets & the revelation of how a deceased decided to leave what to who(repeating myself, again, it is always about the money)...I
In Ct the only person that can not be cut out of inheriting is a spouse, & if a testator does exclude a spouse, that spouse can elect to take a 1/3 share of the decedent's assets...so other than a spouse there is no law that a testator must leave anything to children, relatives, whatever...
As far as the difficulty with your sister trying to sell the home, am not familiar with the state laws where it happened, here all owners of property would have to sign an agreement to sell property & the deed transferring ownership, so it would be difficult to sell w/o all owner's agreement, unless there was fraud involved...
Here an executor can sell property of an estate while probate is pending w/o beneficiary approval(of course they can go to probate & object, but usually the executor's authority prevails as long as the anticipated sale is for fair market value)...
Renee, not sure what NH probate involves, but yes it can take usually a year or more, depending on the complexity of the estate...& the timing of when documents are to be filed...there is a waiting period to allow creditors to make claims, (180 days in CT) so yes it is not an instant procedure...
& there are a set of documents to file along the way (& yes they may seem bizarre to those unfamiliar with the probate court, hey they were created by lawyers, you know!!)...
As far as the advisability of a living trust...I am not a proponent of them particularly... around here lawyer's charge several thousand dollars to set up trusts...
most people's assets are usually a home, car & some bank/financial accounts jointly held w/right of survivorship in the case of spouses, & indeed others as well & in CT, there would be a simplified probate proceeding to ensure a proper transfer...
Spouses often include what is known as an AB trust in their wills to minimize any estate tax consequences...
The most important thing about doing a living trust is that all assets MUST be transferred to the trust, usually the trust maker is the trustee, but it is essential that every property, real, personal, be retitled to the trustee (usually yourself)...that includes bank accounts, life insurance policies would need the beneficiary changed to the trustee...
& one still needs a will, in the event that some property does not get re-titled to the trust ownership, the will provisions would direct distribution upon death...
And most importantly to remember a revocable living trust does not avoid or reduce paying estate taxes if they are due...
Some reasons for a living trust...
privacy, avoiding probate so that the public doesn't know your business..
owning real property in more than one state, the trust/trustee would own the property to avoid opening an estate in more than one state..
if you have minor children beneficiaries & have life insurance, retirement accounts, the successor trustee would own them & use them for the minor's benefit (this type of trust can & often is included in wills when the testator has young children)...
An individual choice at best...most people do not choose to incur the expenses of setting up these trusts & opt for a will that transfers assets upon death...
What I always have objected to is the perception that virtually every person who asks about living trusts have is that avoiding probate in some way avoids paying death taxes...that is just not the case...probate court fees for the most part yes, but not taxes if there are any taxes due based on the size of the estate...
Coreen.... thanks so much for the detailed reply. Rick and his brothers are not concerned with taxes... they are concerned about not going through probate.
My parents estate was very small.... his is much more complicated and larger. Yet I felt like I had a part-time job being executor. And the lawyer fees amounted to the same as he was quoted to set up the trust.
One way or another.... you're going to pay a lawyer (not that I begrudge them as I most certainly needed one). May as well pay for what one thinks is easier and faster.
The lady the did the ultrasound said my carotid Was still blocked but I did have some collateral circ. that developed. Not sure whaf will be done. I'll have to see a Cv doc.
Carol, just heard that Castro is dead. I hope the 3 young women will have some closure from this. In a way this might be the best for him. As long as he was alive and the press was talking about him, they had to relive their experiences while under his control. All I can say is "The witch is dead, Ding Dong, the Witch is dead." Although he is a male, this saying seemed to fit.
On the other hand, if there is hell on earth, he must have been experiencing it. What could be worse than all of your family and the world turning against you.
pssst.... Coreen.... don't tell anyone... but when I first saw Carol's post about Castro, I too thought she was talking about Fidel. It wasn't until I read the headlines on Huffpo that I had that "aha" moment.
Someone sent me the link to a great video with the Bee Gees music to "stayin alive" with Rita Hayworth dancing to it in several movies. It is fascinating since Rita was years before the bee gees. I do not know how to paste in and send the link but if you go to google and type in The Bee Gees and Rita Hayworth, it will come up. It is well worth it.
Not sure if you are checking TM Carol, but seconding Renee's earlier post that Solar has been asking for you & wishing you well...not sure why he can't post here, but hope he makes it through at some point, since we all know how much we enjoy hearing from him...
BIg sis is going home tomorrow but will be doming back in a few weeks. Havinvf her here has been a bkessing. She hAS ORGANIZED EVERYTHING. iLL BE GETTING MY hOME inSTEAD BACK AGAIN. i CALL THRM, RENT A FRIEND. i THINK i HAD THE STROKE TO GET SOME LOVE AND ATTENTION. kINDA SAD. i WAS PRETTY LONELY AND BORED.
Carol.... everything I've ever read or heard about retirement says that one must plan what one wants to do in life after they stop working. So many people who are either forced out of work, or just decide they don't want to work any longer wind up in your situation.
I truly hope that you can figure it out.
Rick had a plan in place. He knew what he wanted to do about 10 yrs before he retired last year. It's working out for him.
Mary (Carol's twin). You are a beautiful sister too.
Sisters are very special. I know. My sister and I have had our ups and downs, but I treasure her. I visited her a month or so ago and we had 2 wonderful days together. She and I share a history that no one else can. We often talk about our growing up years. We have different memories of many of our experiences but it is fun to share those with each other.
Carol, Mary and Gloria, I hope this past 2 weeks has been a time to treasure your sisters. Love to all 3 of you from me.
jan, it has been good sister time together. Maey, Goria and I also have very different memories of our childhood.. i seem to better rememer bad things and they remember some of those times vbetter.
Renee, Kudos to Rick for knowing what he wanted out of retirement and following through.
I did not have a plan when I retired from full time work. I had about 2 1/2 months that I did not work at all. I took some classes on how to use my sewing machine John had bought me 7 years earlier and took some classes at the quilt shop. I made my first tshirt quilt for a granddaughter. After that 2 1/2 months I returned to a part time job (10 hrs/week). I have gradually worked up to 20 hrs/wk. which is more than I want. I will do this for 10 more months and then will drop back to 10 hr/wk. I do enjoy the work very much. It does not feel like work but I want more time to do other things.
Jan.... I'm glad you've figured out retirement. Nothing wrong with still doing what you love in a limited way. I know as long as I can, I will weave. I think I mentioned here that the first thing I learnt was how to weave Navajo style rugs. It's basically tapestry weaving. I've been saying for a long time that when I retire from full time production weaving, I will go back to tapestry.
I saw a program on PBS yrs ago about a retired man who took up tapestry weaving. He also loved angels and wove beautiful tapestries of angels. It inspired me. I'm planning on combining my love of tapestry with my love of birds.
I think the most important thing about retirement is to do something you love and find fulfillment with... regardless if it makes you money. Good for you on finding some answers.
Renee, Tapestry weaving sounds lovely. I love working with fabrics. There are so many quilts I would like to make. I have some that I would like to complete too.
Sis returned home she has been away dor a long time She has just returned from Ireland/wales. She was there for a Month. She plans to return here in a couple of Weeks. I have my Home Instead service backdrop 7 a to 7 p. They provide supervision, bring me wherever I need to go. Light housework. Just what I need.
Your sis was away from home for a long time. I would love to hear about her trip to Ireland and Wales. I would love to visit there someday. John is not into international travel.
Movie was longmy sitters are Very weet To Maggie. She's waiting at the window on the morning for them and is sad when they leave. She thinks they are here for her.
Rick and I are leaving for the beach again tomorrow morning. We are staying until Sunday. There's a professional summer stock theatre where we go (Ogunquit.... just up the road from Kennebunkport and the Bushes). We will be going to see West Side Story on Friday night. And of course, we will be eating lots of clams... YUM!
We stay at a place that borders The Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge. We see lots and lots of birds from our balcony... I always bring my binoculars.
Renee, good for you & Rick spending time doing what you enjoy...
West Side Story, an American classic...Tony & Maria, the Jets & the Sharks...funny how easy it is to remember certain things...& I think it is coming to the Shubert in New Haven this season...
Jan & Carol, you both saw the butler...& mentioned it was long & I guess brought back memories of a different time, maybe not such good memories, not sure, but does Oprah get an Oscar for her performance, which is what many of the reviewers have said...
Renee, sounds like a great weekend. When I lived in Austin went to many community plays with girl friends. John and I have been to a few plays but they put him to sleep.
The bird part sounds great too. Maybe we can look forward to some pictures. Hint-hint!
Renee, is it your birthday tomorrow?...that thought just popped into my head, for some reason I am remembering that it is...my aunt celebrates her birthday on Sept. 11, which obviously is a day that is not forgotten...
If you are looking for a funny movie, see the one something about "The millers." My son and his wife saw it and recommended it ...for just pure fun and laughter. We saw it 2 weekends ago and it was very funny.
Coreen.... yes... my bday is tomorrow. I'm getting to see the play as my bday present.
Jan... thanks for the wishes. There's an old art deco movie theatre in downtown Ogunquit. Looked up what was playing. It's showing Blue Jasmine.... which I think is a Woody Allen movie. We might take it in while we're there.
Carol, wish you could send the cleaning folks here. I had planned on cleaning out a bunch of old file boxes in the garage this summer and then had the knee problem. It is 95% better (knee) so plan to get on those boxes as soon as I finish the quilt.
Thanks for the birthday wishes. We will probably get up and leave for the beach early tomorrow. We are suppose to get a taste of summer again with temps in the 90s. But luckily it will only last for a couple days.
Carol... sometimes I too would like to clean my house with a backhoe. I'm a lousy house keeper.... I can always think of a thousand other things to do.
110 comments:
These turkeys show up every day beneath my bird feeders. It's a much smaller group than last year's visitors... which means it's cheaper for me to feed them. The little ones are very cute.
Jan...
don't sweat it on the sports talk. It's only because of all the activity before the start of the NFL season. In case you haven't noticed... Coreen and I haven't talked much about baseball.
I'm not really interested in all the medical talk here sometimes.... but I still read it and think it's great that you and Carol get to discuss what interests the both of you.
Kan, football is not
That
Important
To me except
My Saints
Neat visitors
renee
We're at the camp. Haven't been here in a while. Not since my strOke. I have an ultrasound scheduled for
Next eek. My Rt carotid
Was blocked on last ultrasound.
May have to get it
Resmed
I mean reamed
Cleaned out.
SOS wa going to leave on the 5th but
Now she is going to stay. Mary has some eye surgery scheduled soon. We have some
Stuff with the estate getting some action. Sis needs to be here. Don't want her to leave. The pool wants her to stay.
Bye bye Tenow.
Tebow out of work.
Renee, love the pictures. I thought they were turkeys when I first saw them. So cool. Love the nature pics.
Well, I have been watching some football with John today. I watched a little of the AR game and now watching UNM play UTSA. I know you guys probably don't care about these teams but I need to start somewhere.
Carol, so glad your sis is staying longer. Hope you and sis and twin are hving fun. Be sure and let us know if and when you are having your carotid cleaned out.
reamed out.
Ryley and I are watching the game with John. John yells when something happens. Ryley stays close to me during the games. She does not like the yelling. He was watching a game this afternoon and she stayed back with me in the sewing room. I wondered why she stayed with me as she usually sits in the living room with John. She is very sensitive.
Sorry about Tebow. I had to ask John if he is the player who prays. He is. Hmmm. Maybe God does not like football.
I would think the god does like football but maybe not Tebow. He irritates many. Not ire why.
Maggie doesn't like yelling
Either. T
Yeah... my cats sometimes get spooked if we yell too loud over some game. Our male cat, Mr. Cookie, likes to sit in Rick's lap. He jumps off when we yell over a home run.
Carol... I like the term "reamed out".... I picture it as closer to what they actually do.
I don't think it's Tebow himself that irritates.... it's the circus that seems to surround him. As a third stringer he doesn't warrant all the hubbub.
I like him personally and wish him the best. But he is not NFL quality.... at least not at quarterback. Some have suggested he should change his position to a running back. But it takes a couple years to ramp up and learn a new position. He's already 26.... too late, considering the average running back retires around 31 or 32.
He keeps insisting he's going to be an NFL quarterback.... it makes me think of Emerson's quote of "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds".
Good luck Tim!
Good to hear that you are slowly on the mend Carol...glad Gloria is
still there...
It's the unofficial end of summer, thankfully, & it has been warm & very humid all week...so far no
fresh air on the horizon...am so looking forward to some fresh Canadian air to sweep down, but none so far...
Renee, Your turkeys are bigger than the family that has been here...6 little ones, mom & another I guess female, who the mom turkey initially chased all over the yard when she tried to eat near them...now the other one eats at the opposite end of the yard when the little ones are out there...
Only a passing interest in football, naturally I will pay attention to the NY teams but not crazed about FB, not like Broadway Joe played...as for Tebow, from all that we heard when the Jets brought him in, was he just isn't that good...& yes, maybe he would have had some success at another position not QB, but not to be...even with the 'magic' that many think belechick practices...
Renee, baseball, my guys are on a Mission Impossible, in the words of Tug McGraw 'ya gotta believe'...still can't stand that your team is in 1st place, hate everything about it & they didn't change my view of them or their fans on the last visit to fenway...
Back to the weather...both interesting & a pleasant surprise...the absence of any hurricanes in the Atlantic through August...hasn't happened since 2002
2 years ago it was Irene causing damage in the northeast...
Hoping that September follows August lead...
No Atlantic Hurricane by the end of August since 2002
Some news of the week that was interesting, & no not Syria or Miley Cyrus antics (though have to say I do like Robin Thicke's 'blurred lines')...
earlier in the week 2 kittens were
seen running along the NY subway
tracks...and maybe only in NY thankfully, they shut down the line for a couple of hours & in the end they caught the 2 little ones unharmed...there was a mixed
reception by riders & for one dumb
mayoral candidate who's spokesperson said he wouldn't have shut the line down for the cats...(not sure if that spokesperson still has a job)...
Commuters fur-ious as kitties scratch subway service for 2 hours
And 2 stories from NYT this week...
Guess I have no appreciation for
'art' but when I saw this sculpture that was placed outside the Barclay Center this week, the only thing I could think of was
an episode of 'Everybody loves Raymond' where Marie brings to Ray's a statue that she made in art class & everyone thinks it looks like a
female body part, a pretty funny episode...so now we have
'Ona'!...if anyone remembers that Raymond episode, tell me honestly that Ona isn't pretty darn close to Marie's statue...
Ona by Ursula von Rydingsvard arrives in Brooklyn
And a different story that makes me a little sad, since I always liked Linda Ronstadt...She has been diagnosed with Parkinson's & says she just no longer can sing at all...
Lind Ronstadt discusses her memoir & parkinsons
Oh & almost forgot...earlier all of you guys mentioned that you were pursuing info about creation of a 'trust'...curious about why
each/any of you would be considering that course & what the proponents say to sell the product...generally it is an expensive legal tool that doesn't really assist most people's goals...& the vast majority of estates do not pay any federal estate taxes & depending on the individual state where a person dies, there may or may not be taxes on a death, but usually there are probate/chancery fees associated with processing an estate...
Carol, those seminars are all over...it has been big especially in Florida (marketed to the large population of retirees)...initially & maybe still those advertising the living trust blurred the lines with the idea that a trust will save on taxes...but when you look closer at their claims, they backtrack on that perception that they use to gin up interest...
So sad about Linda Ronstadt. She was one of my favorites in that time. I did not know that people with Parkinson's cannot sing. Wow!
Coreen, thanks for posting the link about LR. I had heard about her Parkinson's.
Love the turkeys Renee. Hi Carol. Hope the carotid cooperates.
Coreen.... well... there you are.
We've had the same weather. Suppose to be getting a cold front in the middle of next week and then we'll have fallish type weather. Can't wait!
As for baseball... particularly the Red Sox vs Yankees... well I'm happy as hell with the standings. As for Dempster vs Alex.... when it comes to baseball players, they can act very immature at times. Dempster definitely threw at him... then Alex got his revenge. It's just baseball stuff, IMO.
Football is my favorite sports.... Go Patriots!
Hey Jamie.... good to see you here.
Carol... Janet White is Jamie.
Jan.... I heard about Linda Ronstadt. That sucks... she's been one of my favorite singers since the 70s.
Corrern ,
Speaking of trusts, we discovered their lack of relevance to Carol when we read the literature published by the guy who sponsored the seminar. We think she needs designated POAs and a simple will, perhaps even handwritten as specified by LA law.
Coreen....
It's my husband, Rick, that is thinking about putting his father's estate into a trust. His mother did all of the finances. He's now taking it over. The reason for the trust as I understand it... is so that the estate doesn't have to go through probate when his father passes. He also said it would assure an even dividing of the assets (which one brother is concerned about).
My mother died with just a simple will and I, being the eldest, was the executor. The entire estate (small) had to go through probate. It was a pain in the butt and it felt like it took forever. It took almost 2 yrs to end the entire process. Rick, being in my same position, would like to avoid what I went through. I guess the time to do something is while one parent is still alive.
Our financial broker recommends a trust. John and I each have 3 children and we each have property from our parents' estates. I want my property to go to my children and John wants his property to got to his children.
I have also heard that if one has a trust, that upon that person's death, the estate does not have to go through probate.
Renee, I had the same experience. I was the executor of my dad's estate who had a will and it took me 2 years to complete everything and pay the taxes. It was a huge job. I was fortunate to have a really good attorney who specialized in this area and he was very reasonable in price and in our work together. My dad money to his grandchildren but it was not an equal distribution and there were hard feelings that are still there.
My dad left one piece of property to my sister and I together. She signed a sales contract with someone without my knowledge and I just settled this with that person and with my sister. I bought them both out. My dad died 8 years ago.
Thanks for your comments on why one would consider a living trust...
Carol, yes, it would seem from what I am aware of about you a basic/simple will naming your beneficiaries & how your assets would be divided, naming an executor, may be adequate to do what you would want upon death...
A POA (one that survives in the event of incapacity) is also a good idea, so that there is a provision for someone to act for you while incapacitated...
Another item to consider (if your state provides for one) is a document naming a person as your health care representative, to speak on your behalf if you are not able, and what is usually referred to as a 'living will' the document that specifies what if any
measures you want to take if your condition is deemed irreversible...
most states have some form of such a 'living will' document...
These documents are worthwhile for most people, regardless of whether you are married, have children...
Jan, seems you have experienced some less than amicable relations as a result of probate in the past...& appears that you would like to avoid having to deal with the probate process...
not sure about the specifics of your personal story, but yes hard feelings can occur whenever it comes to distribution of assets & the revelation of how a deceased decided to leave what to who(repeating myself, again, it is always about the money)...I
In Ct the only person that can not be cut out of inheriting is a spouse, & if a testator does exclude a spouse, that spouse can elect to take a 1/3 share of the decedent's assets...so other than a spouse there is no law that a testator must leave anything to children, relatives, whatever...
As far as the difficulty with your sister trying to sell the home, am not familiar with the state laws where it happened, here all owners of property would have to sign an agreement to sell property & the deed transferring ownership, so it would be difficult to sell w/o all owner's agreement, unless there was fraud involved...
Here an executor can sell property of an estate while probate is pending w/o beneficiary approval(of course they can go to probate & object, but usually the executor's authority prevails as long as the anticipated sale is for fair market value)...
Renee, not sure what NH probate involves, but yes it can take usually a year or more, depending on the complexity of the estate...& the timing of when documents are to be filed...there is a waiting period to allow creditors to make claims, (180 days in CT) so yes it is not an instant procedure...
& there are a set of documents to file along the way (& yes they may seem bizarre to those
unfamiliar with the probate court, hey they were created by lawyers, you know!!)...
As far as the advisability of a living trust...I am not a proponent of them particularly...
around here lawyer's charge several thousand dollars to set up
trusts...
most people's assets are usually a home, car & some bank/financial accounts jointly held w/right of survivorship in the case of spouses, & indeed others as well & in CT, there would be a simplified probate proceeding to
ensure a proper transfer...
Spouses often include what is known as an AB trust in their wills
to minimize any estate tax consequences...
The most important thing about doing a living trust is that all assets MUST be transferred to the trust, usually the trust maker is the trustee, but it is essential that every property, real, personal, be retitled to the trustee (usually yourself)...that includes bank accounts, life insurance policies would need the beneficiary changed to the trustee...
& one still needs a will, in the event that some property does not get re-titled to the trust ownership, the will provisions would direct distribution upon death...
And most importantly to remember a revocable living trust does not avoid or reduce paying estate taxes if they are due...
Some reasons for a living trust...
privacy, avoiding probate so that the public doesn't know your business..
owning real property
in more than one state, the trust/trustee would own the property to avoid opening an estate in more than one state..
if you have minor children beneficiaries & have life insurance, retirement accounts, the successor trustee would own them & use them for the minor's benefit (this type of trust can & often is included in wills when
the testator has young children)...
An individual choice at best...most people do not choose to incur the expenses of setting up
these trusts & opt for a will that transfers assets upon death...
What I always have objected to is the perception that virtually every person who asks about living trusts have is that avoiding probate in some way avoids paying death taxes...that is just not the case...probate court fees for the most part yes, but not taxes if there are any taxes due based on the size of the estate...
Coreen, Thank you for all of this information. It is a lot to think about.
Coreen....
thanks so much for the detailed reply. Rick and his brothers are not concerned with taxes... they are concerned about not going through probate.
My parents estate was very small.... his is much more complicated and larger. Yet I felt like I had a part-time job being executor. And the lawyer fees amounted to the same as he was quoted to set up the trust.
One way or another.... you're going to pay a lawyer (not that I begrudge them as I most certainly needed one). May as well pay for what one thinks is easier and faster.
4 months to go & here comes a
Downton Abbey 1 minute tease...
Downton Abbey debuts season 4
trailer
Saw that Downton Abbey tease today. Can hardly wait.
The lady the did the ultrasound said my carotid
Was still blocked but I did have some collateral circ. that developed. Not sure whaf will be done. I'll have to see a
Cv doc.
Carol, It is good you have developed some collateral circ in your carotid. Let us know what will be done about the blockage and when.
Canr get that DA you tube to play. My computer must have also had a stroke.
Jan, internet ubfo said I'd need an angioplasty and a stent
I see my regular doc Thursday afternoon.
Carol, I looked on the internet for the procedures. I suppose your doc will refer you to a CV doc ????
Thinking about you Carol, and sending love and prayers to you. John is too.
Carol....
I too am thinking of you and praying for you. Hope all goes well.
Coreen... I can breathe now! Hope you can too.
Now if only the humidity can stay gone until next July.
Thanks fguys, thoughts aND PRAYERS APPRECIATED.
cASTRO SAVED THE TQSXPAYORS SOME MONEY
Carol, just heard that Castro is dead. I hope the 3 young women will have some closure from this. In a way this might be the best for him. As long as he was alive and the press was talking about him, they had to relive their experiences while under his control. All I can say is "The witch is dead, Ding Dong, the Witch is dead." Although he is a male, this saying seemed to fit.
.."this may be the best for them" - not him." If there is a hell, I hope he is there.
On the other hand, if there is hell on earth, he must have been experiencing it. What could be worse than all of your family and the world turning against you.
Yes, and he did save us all some money.
Carol & Jan...
I couldn't agree more will all your comments.
Castro= one piece of flotsam down the drain.
Carol, here's hoping you get some good medical news...meantime we are all around here whenever...
Renee, yes that Canadian wind started last evening & it was a pleasure to open the garage doors this morning & feel fresh air...
At first when I read the comments, thought you guys were saying Fidel Castro died, took me a few to realize you meant that slug...
pssst.... Coreen....
don't tell anyone... but when I first saw Carol's post about Castro, I too thought she was talking about Fidel.
It wasn't until I read the headlines on Huffpo that I had that "aha" moment.
Carol....
I've been wondering... what happened to all the cats? And is Fiddler ok?
All ny cats took off. Tw stopped feeding thrm when U was in thehoapitL, BVIG SIS STARTED FEEDIN THEM AGAIN BVUG THEY HAVENT RETURNED
u MISS MY KITTIES, tHERE WAS A PRECIOUX LITTLE GRAY ONE.
Carol, sorry about your little grey kittie.
So sorry about the kitties, Carol.
I hope at least Fiddler returns.
Someone sent me the link to a great video with the Bee Gees music to "stayin alive" with Rita Hayworth dancing to it in several movies. It is fascinating since Rita was years before the bee gees. I do not know how to paste in and send the link but if you go to google and type in The Bee Gees and Rita Hayworth, it will come up. It is well worth it.
Carol....
Solar says over at TM that he is trying to post here and hasn't had any luck.
He wants to wish you well and can't wait until you have healed enough to get back over at TM and can give your unique perspective on things.
Not sure if you are checking TM Carol, but seconding Renee's earlier post that Solar has been asking for you & wishing you well...not sure why he can't post here, but hope
he makes it through at some point, since we all know how much we enjoy hearing from him...
my doc referred me to a CV surgeon to get my carotid cleaned out, A nurse friend i mine used towork for huim
doc told me that mt stroke was so esxtensive that it was amazing i can talk or move my left side. it was a miracle
probably all your prayers
There are more prayers where those came from. We are grateful that your stroke was not more extensive.
Let us know when you have your appt with the cv surgeon.
BIg sis is going home tomorrow but will be doming back in a few weeks. Havinvf her here has been a bkessing. She hAS ORGANIZED EVERYTHING. iLL BE GETTING MY hOME inSTEAD BACK AGAIN. i CALL THRM, RENT A FRIEND. i THINK i HAD THE STROKE TO GET SOME LOVE AND ATTENTION. kINDA SAD. i WAS PRETTY LONELY AND BORED.
Bye Gloria. You are a beautiful sister.
Carol....
everything I've ever read or heard about retirement says that one must plan what one wants to do in life after they stop working. So many people who are either forced out of work, or just decide they don't want to work any longer wind up in your situation.
I truly hope that you can figure it out.
Rick had a plan in place. He knew what he wanted to do about 10 yrs before he retired last year. It's working out for him.
Nice temps in the northeast girls.. lucky girls
Mary (Carol's twin). You are a beautiful sister too.
Sisters are very special. I know. My sister and I have had our ups and downs, but I treasure her. I visited her a month or so ago and we had 2 wonderful days together. She and I share a history that no one else can. We often talk about our growing up years. We have different memories of many of our experiences but it is fun to share those with each other.
Carol, Mary and Gloria, I hope this past 2 weeks has been a time to treasure your sisters.
Love to all 3 of you from me.
jan, it has been good sister time together. Maey, Goria and I also have very different memories of our childhood.. i seem to better rememer bad things and they remember some of those times vbetter.
Renee, Kudos to Rick for knowing what he wanted out of retirement and following through.
I did not have a plan when I retired from full time work. I had about 2 1/2 months that I did not work at all. I took some classes on how to use my sewing machine John had bought me 7 years earlier and took some classes at the quilt shop. I made my first tshirt quilt for a granddaughter. After that 2 1/2 months I returned to a part time job (10 hrs/week). I have gradually worked up to 20 hrs/wk. which is more than I want. I will do this for 10 more months and then will drop back to 10 hr/wk. I do enjoy the work very much. It does not feel like work but I want more time to do other things.
Jan....
I'm glad you've figured out retirement. Nothing wrong with still doing what you love in a limited way. I know as long as I can, I will weave. I think I mentioned here that the first thing I learnt was how to weave Navajo style rugs. It's basically tapestry weaving. I've been saying for a long time that when I retire from full time production weaving, I will go back to tapestry.
I saw a program on PBS yrs ago about a retired man who took up tapestry weaving. He also loved angels and wove beautiful tapestries of angels. It inspired me. I'm planning on combining my love of tapestry with my love of birds.
I think the most important thing about retirement is to do something you love and find fulfillment with... regardless if it makes you money. Good for you on finding some answers.
Renee, Tapestry weaving sounds lovely. I love working with fabrics. There are so many quilts I would like to make. I have some that I would like to complete too.
Carol, how are you doing? Check in with us when Gloria leaves.
Sis returned home she has been away dor a long time She has just returned from Ireland/wales. She was there for a
Month. She plans to return here in a couple of
Weeks. I have my Home Instead service backdrop 7 a to 7 p. They provide supervision, bring me wherever I need to go. Light housework. Just what I need.
Carol, good to see you on here and also good to know you have your home services again.
We are going to see the movie, The Butler tonight. I have been reading about it. We usually don't go to a movie except on weekends.
Your sis was away from home for a long time. I would love to hear about her trip to Ireland and Wales. I would love to visit there someday. John is not into international travel.
Jan. dis and I saw rhe a butler. Lots of civil rights. Stuff to relive.
We have seen clips of the movie. Looking forward to it. This is the latest we have been to a movie in a long time.
Movie was longmy sitters are
Very weet
To Maggie. She's waiting at the window on the morning for them and is sad when they leave. She thinks they are here for her.
Carol, Sounds like you have good sitters.
We just got home from the movie. Yes, it was long. It is a powerful movie.
Fiddler returned today looking healthy. She must have another home nearby.
Good for Fiddler.
Hear about zimm's problems? We knew it wouldn't be over with that guy.
Carol....
awesome news about Fiddler!
Rick and I are leaving for the beach again tomorrow morning. We are staying until Sunday. There's a professional summer stock theatre where we go (Ogunquit.... just up the road from Kennebunkport and the Bushes). We will be going to see West Side Story on Friday night. And of course, we will be eating lots of clams... YUM!
We stay at a place that borders The Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge. We see lots and lots of birds from our balcony... I always bring my binoculars.
Carol, good news about Fiddler returning and hopeful that signals
things are slowly returning to a more normal life...
Renee, good for you & Rick spending
time doing what you enjoy...
West Side Story, an American classic...Tony & Maria, the Jets & the Sharks...funny how easy it is to remember certain things...& I think it is coming to the Shubert in New Haven this season...
Jan & Carol, you both saw the butler...& mentioned it was long & I guess brought back memories of a different time, maybe not such good memories, not sure, but does Oprah get an Oscar for her performance, which is what many of the reviewers
have said...
Renee, sounds like a great weekend. When I lived in Austin went to many community plays with girl friends. John and I have been to a few plays but they put him to sleep.
The bird part sounds great too. Maybe we can look forward to some pictures. Hint-hint!
Renee, is it your birthday tomorrow?...that thought just popped into my head, for some reason I am remembering that it is...my aunt celebrates her birthday on Sept. 11, which obviously is a day that is not forgotten...
Coreen, I am not sure I think Oprah's part in the movie was worthy of an Oscar.
I have a good friend in Seattle whose birthday is tomorrow also. I always think of her at this time.
Renee, if your birthday is tomorrow, Happy Happy Birthday.
Carol, I remember your talk about Karma - and I think of Zimmerman.
If you are looking for a funny movie, see the one something about "The millers." My son and his wife saw it and recommended it ...for just pure fun and laughter. We saw it 2 weekends ago and it was very funny.
Coreen....
yes... my bday is tomorrow. I'm getting to see the play as my bday present.
Jan... thanks for the wishes. There's an old art deco movie theatre in downtown Ogunquit. Looked up what was playing. It's showing Blue Jasmine.... which I think is a Woody Allen movie. We might take it in while we're there.
I have a cleaning crew out at the camp. They almost needed a
Bachhoe to clean it. I will never let it get that way again.
Coreen, I want to see Blue Jasmine too. I like Woody Allen movies. I loved Midnight in Paris.
Carol, wish you could send the cleaning folks here. I had planned on cleaning out a bunch of old file boxes in the garage this summer and then had the knee problem. It is 95% better (knee) so plan to get on those boxes as soon as I finish the quilt.
Renee, Have a happy birthday & enjoy your weekend getaway...
Renee, hope you have a wonderful weekend get away and birthday.
I wouldn't dall Oprah's part in rhe bUTLER AWARD WINNING.
Thanks for the birthday wishes. We will probably get up and leave for the beach early tomorrow. We are suppose to get a taste of summer again with temps in the 90s. But luckily it will only last for a couple days.
Carol... sometimes I too would like to clean my house with a backhoe. I'm a lousy house keeper.... I can always think of a thousand other things to do.
My stroke shows the lngth I'll go to to avoid housework.
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