147: How to Legally Access a Loved One's Bank Account After Death
Absolute Trust Talk
Have you ever faced the frustrating challenge of accessing a loved one’s bank account after their passing? You're not alone. In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, Kirsten Howe and associate attorney Jessica Colbert break down the complexities of this process into simple, actionable steps. They explain the different types of account ownership—whether joint, trust-held, or individual—and guide you through the specific steps required to gain access to each. Plus, they debunk the common misconception that a Power of Attorney can be used after death, highlighting why it’s not only...
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146: Trustee and Executor Responsibilities: Best Practices and Pitfalls Part 3
Absolute Trust Talk
Navigating estate planning as a surviving spouse can be complex, especially when dealing with the intricacies of an A-B trust. In this episode of “Trustee and Executor Responsibilities: Best Practices and Pitfalls,” Kirsten Howe and associate attorney Jessica Colbert focus on the A-B Trust—an estate planning tool that was once commonly used to minimize estate taxes but is often misunderstood today. They explain what an A-B Trust is, why it’s important to address the trust split promptly after a spouse’s passing, and the complications that can arise if it’s delayed. Whether...
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145: Trustee and Executor Responsibilities: Best Practices and Pitfalls Part 2
Absolute Trust Talk
Taking on the role of a trustee or executor can be daunting—and for good reason! With so many responsibilities and legal requirements, checking all the necessary boxes can feel overwhelming. In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, we continue our discussion on trustee and executor duties, focusing on the critical importance of notices. For instance, the trustee's or executor's responsibility is to ensure that all beneficiaries and heirs are properly notified of the decedent’s passing. And that's just the beginning. If you’ve recently been named a trustee or executor, you won't want to...
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144: Navigating Trustee and Executor Responsibilities: Best Practices and Pitfalls
Absolute Trust Talk
When asked to be a family member’s trustee or executor, it’s easy to immediately say yes out of love and a sense of duty. It’s just some paperwork, right? How hard could it be? At Absolute Trust Counsel, we’ve seen the struggles trustees and executors face, particularly when they are family members. The role involves a heavy workload, significant responsibility, and the meticulous task of bookkeeping—often the most daunting part. It’s easy to overlook these critical aspects, which is why our goal for this episode of Absolute Trust Talk is to ensure you’re fully...
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143: Can You Avoid Probate without a Trust?
Absolute Trust Talk
Can you avoid probate without a trust? The short answer is yes, but the alternatives can have risks and offer limited control over your assets. In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, Kiersten Howe and associate attorney Jessica Colbert explore various probate-avoidance strategies, including beneficiary designations, transfer-on-death accounts, and joint ownership. Tune in to gain valuable insights, understand the drawbacks of these methods, and discover more secure ways to prepare for death or incapacity while minimizing risks. Time-stamped Show Notes: 0:00 Introduction 1:00...
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142: Navigating Trust Administration with Real Property
Absolute Trust Talk
Navigating the administration of a life estate trust with real property can be a complex task. In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, Kirsten Howe is joined by Karen Fisher and Kathy Rodriguez of Bishop Fiduciary Services to delve into the intricacies of life estates involving real estate. They cover the unexpected responsibilities of a trustee, strategies for properly dividing assets, and essential tips to set up your trust for success if you own property. Whether you’re crafting your estate plan, managing one for someone else, or potentially inheriting one, this episode is packed with...
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141: Managing Real Estate Assets as a Trustee
Absolute Trust Talk
Managing a trust can be challenging, especially when it involves real estate assets. In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, host Kirsten Howe welcomes Karen Fisher, founder of Bishop Fiduciary Services, and Kathy Rodriguez, a licensed professional fiduciary and co-trustee with Bishop Fiduciary Services. Together, we will explore the complexities of life estates and trustee responsibilities and the essential steps for protecting and maintaining real estate assets, from securing insurance and handling maintenance to addressing unique challenges faced by elderly inhabitants. Karen and Kathy also...
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140: Navigating Trust Complexities: The Family Home Dilemma
Absolute Trust Talk
To all of our local Bay Area listeners, you may have heard about the recent story of a three-bedroom house listed for $488,000 in San Francisco’s Russian Hill with a tenant renting it for only $417 a month. How is that even possible?! If you’re as intrigued as we are, stick with us for this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, where we will be dissecting this situation with associate attorney Jessica Colbert. Listen in as we explore crucial lessons in trust management, the impact of California's Prop 19 on property taxes, and the importance of updating estate plans as circumstances change....
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139: Optimizing Your Portfolio with Alternative Investments
Absolute Trust Talk
We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t put all your eggs into one basket,” which rings true for building your portfolio. The ideal portfolio consists of more than stocks and bonds – it includes Alternative Investments, like real estate, drilling funds, and value adds. In this episode of Absolute Trust Counsel, certified financial planner Miguel Delgado joins us for a third installment of our financial planning discussion to take a deep dive into this invaluable topic. Together, we’ll discuss the benefits of Alternative Investments, the different types, how to qualify, and how you can...
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138: Beyond Profits: Tackling Key Issues for Business Longevity
Absolute Trust Talk
In our latest episode, we welcome back Miguel Delgado, Senior Wealth Advisor at Legacy Wealth Management. Miguel previously offered an excellent inside look at financial planning for small businesses, and his insights were so valuable that we knew we had to have him on again. This time, we're diving deeper into the challenges that businesses often face, challenges that might need to be added to your radar. For instance, how can you improve employee retention? And for all the business owners out there, do you have a buy-sell agreement in place in case a co-owner decides to exit the business?...
info_outlineIn episode 19 of Absolute Trust Talk, Kirsten welcomes Francesca Vogel, home care liaison for Home Care Assistance, to the show. Francesca works with seniors and their families to help navigate their specific care needs. Francesca is such a valuable asset in her field, not only because of her 24 years of health care experience but her vast knowledge base and her endless network of connections across the state of California and beyond.
Discussing home care and even potential end-of-life care is not an easy subject for people, but it’s something that every family should talk about so they know and understand their options. Kirsten and Francesca dive into what services a home care assistant provides, who looks for home care, the questions to ask when looking for the right caregiver, the differences between home care and hospice, and why it’s not recommended to hire just a friend or neighbor. Whether you are in the middle of working these issues out with the seniors in your life or are only in the planning stages, this is an episode not to be missed.
Top Three From Episode #019:
- Ask questions
- Use your resources – Google and Yelp reviews, professionals like bankers and attorneys
- Remember you are never alone
Time-stamped Show Notes:
3:24 – What’s happening in someone’s life when they should be thinking about home care?
6:07 – What kinds of services are a professional caregiver hired for?
9:28 – Francesca defines the difference between hospice and home care.
12:10 – Kirsten asks Francesca to discuss who works for and with Home Care Assistance.
20:14 – What do people need to be thinking about when looking for home care assistance?
22:05 – What kind of questions should potential clients ask about how a client care manager works?
23:12 – Why someone should not just hire a friend or neighbor to give home care assistance.
28:55 – When you need to hire home care, do you sign a contract?
35:50 – What do you do when an elderly client is against care?
Episode #019 Freebie:
“We all lose our keys and forget where we put our reading glasses as we get older. It’s normal.”
In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, home care expert Francesca Vogel highlights how vital it is to educate seniors and their families on their care options and to provide tools to help them age as happily, healthily and comfortably as possible. Family members will see their elder loved ones start to lose their memories and automatically think the worst, but that’s not always the case. As discussed in today’s episode, Francesca is sharing a guide with listeners called How to Spot the Early Signs of Alzheimer’s. It goes through the various things you might be seeing in your loved one and offers a step-by-step guide to help notice the first signs of Alzheimer’s or determine if there might be something else going on. Click here to download your copy now!
Resources/Tools/Links Mentioned in This Episode:
Book Series by Home Care Assistance Founders
- Mind Over Gray Matter – Mentioned
https://homecareassistance.com