Finally got a will and trust drawn up. (spouse, federal, state)

[volosong]

I know...shame on me! Should have done this decades ago. A local law firm offered free wills to veterans on Veteran's Day the other week. Hard to pass up, and was way, way overdue. Ended up applying the cost of the free will to a family trust, (which also includes the will). Had my meeting with the lawyer yesterday and had to answer some pretty important and difficult questions. Such as, "pulling the plug" if and when appropriate.

I couldn't answer that one. I'm still young enough and active enough that I can't foresee ever being in a state where someone would have to make that decision. As long as I can be a contribution to society, I want to stick around. At this juncture in life, I don't want to die...not yet, anyway. I really need to have a serious talk with my brother, (who will be my executor).

Going through this process has caused me to do some really serious thinking. All of my "stuff"? Good, important, valuable "stuff", to me! But I don't really care what happens to it anymore. There are a few things that should stay in the family, and I'd hate to see tens of thousands of dollars worth of photography equipment going to a thrift store.

It has really placed me in the mode of reflecting on my life and the "junk" I have acquired over a lifetime of adventures. I think it is time to start tossing stuff in the trash or making some runs to the thrift store. There are still a few issues to settle. One that has been plaguing me is how to get my carcass across state for burial in the veteran's cemetery. Only real reason for being buried there is that I would be one more cross on the grass to serve as a reminder to visitors that "freedom is not free". That's all. I'm having to re-think the whole thing.


If you haven't had a will/trust created yet, (we being in the Retirement forum here), please do your children and family a favor and take steps to make it happen. They will thank you - if not now, then certainly when they settle your estate.

[ChessieMom]

I had my will/Advanced Directive/Power of Atty done a few weeks ago. No trust needed so mine was simple.

[mathjak107]

we needed a trust i never heard of when we did our paperwork , a disclaimer trust …..

we were over the threshold for how much could be passed to heirs in new york state .

at the time the limits were much lower.

if you went over by just 5% you didn’t pay on the overage , you paid from dollar one .

so this unique trust stays in the back ground and is transparent until needed l

the surviving spouse has 9 months to throw a switch and activate the trust .

it breaks the estate in half and places half in an irrevocable trust allowing 2x the state limit .

we are now at the federal level here in new york

[MI-Roger]

Good for you!
Having Wills and Trusts drafted can be an unpleasant task, for the reasons you stated, but are tasks that everyone should complete. And the sooner the better!

[heavymind]

Originally Posted by ChessieMom

I had my will/Advanced Directive/Power of Atty done a few weeks ago. No trust needed so mine was simple.

I'm on the verge of doing the same, based on a discussion here on City Data. I didn't even know Advanced Directive was a thing.

The last thing I want is to end up as an invalid vegetable in a hospital because they don't know what to do with me. DNR all the way. And I want to do everything I can to make sure whatever I leave behind doesn't end up in the hands of the government or lawyers.

[Threestep2]

As soon as SO can handle drive/walk we are doing this. I am done talking about it.

[MI-Roger]

Unfortunately, a DNR often means nothing.

Unless it is filed with your Doctor, every local Hospital, and every local EMT/ Ambulance Service, you will be resuscitated. That is standard protocol.

[PAhippo]

and wills aren't usually read for people still alive.
They're 2 separate issues that both need to be dealt with.

[moguldreamer]

We met with our estate planning attorney about a week ago, to discuss forming a second SLAT trust (we did the first one just at the start of the pandemic)... man, he certainly raised his rates during the pandemic. He said he now charges $12,000 to do a SLAT.

[heavymind]

Originally Posted by MI-Roger

Unfortunately, a DNR often means nothing.

Unless it is filed with your Doctor, every local Hospital, and every local EMT/ Ambulance Service, you will be resuscitated. That is standard protocol.

What are ways around it? Dog tag or bracelet that says DNR? Guess I need to do more research. Maybe DNR tattoos could become a thing.

How does it work with organ donors then? Is a printed card in their wallet enough validation or does it have to go through an online database or legal channels?