Absolute Trust Talk
In the final episode of our comprehensive healthcare planning series, Kirsten and Ariana tackle one of the most misunderstood areas of healthcare planning: life-ending decisions. This episode cuts through the confusion to deliver clear, factual information about California's End of Life Option Act, the strict requirements for assisted suicide, how passive and active euthanasia differ, and why many people don't actually qualify for the options they think exist. You'll also learn how California compares to other states and what alternatives exist internationally. Whether you're planning for...
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In this all-new episode of Absolute Trust Talk, Kirsten Howe and Associate Attorney Ariana Flynn explore a refreshing change of pace: a celebrity estate plan that appears to have been well-structured and executed effectively. Following the July 22, 2025, passing of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, his $230 million estate seems to be transitioning smoothly without probate litigation or family disputes. The hosts examine what the Prince of Darkness did right, from clear beneficiary designations to keeping valuable intellectual property assets within family control. They also dive...
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In this second episode of their comprehensive healthcare planning series, Absolute Trust Talk hosts Kirsten Howe and Ariana Flynn tackle the critical medical orders that work alongside your legal documents: DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) orders and POLST (Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) forms. Unlike the legal documents discussed in Part 1, these are doctors' orders that emergency responders must follow—but only if they can see them. The attorneys reveal the shocking legal reality that paramedics are required to perform CPR on anyone they find unconscious unless they have a valid...
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In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, host Kirsten Howe and associate attorney Ariana Flynn tackle one of the most misunderstood aspects of estate planning: advanced healthcare directives. This is part one of a comprehensive three-part series covering end-of-life and healthcare planning. The attorneys break down the two critical legal documents every adult needs, regardless of age or wealth. They explain why everyone 18 and older must have an Advanced Healthcare Directive, revealing the shocking truth that parents lose all legal authority over their adult children's medical decisions the...
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In the compelling finale of this three-part insurance series, host Kirsten Howe and insurance expert Dean Myers tackle the coverage that keeps business owners up at night—cyber insurance. Dean shares fascinating real-world stories, from ransomware attackers offering customer service hotlines to disgruntled employees planting digital "time bombs" in company systems. You'll discover why this isn't just another insurance policy but essential business survival protection that covers everything from system failures to deepfake fraud. Dean reveals the surprising realities about whether companies...
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Most professionals know they need insurance, but many don't realize their general liability coverage has significant gaps when it comes to professional services. In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, host Kirsten Howe continues her conversation with Dean Myers, owner of Core Insurance Agency, to explore errors and omissions insurance—specialized coverage designed specifically for professional liability risks. Discover which professions beyond doctors and lawyers should consider E&O coverage, including architects, engineers, accountants, and contractors who incorporate design elements...
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In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, California estate planning attorney Kirsten Howe examines the explosive trust dispute erupting over Jimmy Buffett's $275 million estate. When the legendary Margaritaville songwriter passed away, he left his fortune in an irrevocable trust with his widow Jane Buffett and co-trustee Richard Mozenter managing the assets together. Now they're locked in competing estate litigation across Florida and California, each seeking to remove the other as trustee through costly court battles. This high-profile celebrity estate case illustrates why...
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Many business owners purchase insurance without truly understanding what they're buying or what critical coverage they might be missing. Host Kirsten Howe addresses this knowledge gap by welcoming Dean Myers, owner of Core Insurance Agency, to reveal the fundamental insurance coverage every business owner needs before opening their doors. Dean, who specializes in errors and omissions insurance for lawyers, accountants, doctors, and professional trustees, breaks down the three critical pillars of business insurance: workers' compensation, general liability, and property insurance. ...
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In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, host Kirsten Howe examines the estate complications following One Direction member Liam Payne's tragic death in Argentina in fall 2024. At just 30 years old, Payne left behind a $32 million estate—but no will. His complex assets include performance income, solo artist earnings, brand deals, music publishing rights, and venture investments. Without estate planning, his 8-year-old son Bear becomes the sole intestate heir, inheriting the full amount at age 18. Kirsten analyzes the cascading problems: massive probate fees (at least $376,000 in...
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In this final installment of Absolute Trust Talk's international estate planning series, host Kirsten Howe concludes her conversation with estate planning specialist Janet Brewer, addressing one of the most common cross-border scenarios: U.S. citizens who own property abroad. Janet, with over 30 years of experience serving Silicon Valley's international clientele, explains why simply leaving foreign property to your US trust won't work, since most countries don't recognize trusts at all. This episode highlights the crucial distinction between countries that recognize trusts...
info_outlineUnfortunately, many today see money as a solution to problems, but that is not always the case. In fact, wealth can be quite damaging to a family dynamic. Planning, in this instance, is vital. When family members have prepared and have learned how to work together, that’s when wealth and inheritance can be used as a tool to benefit a family for generations to come.
In this Absolute Trust Talk episode, Kirsten sits down with Richard Del Monte of the Del Monte Group to discuss the underlying reasons why wealth transitions so often fail. They also look at the tools and processes he recommends for families who want to avoid that fate. With more than 35 years of experience as a Certified Financial Planner and Certified Wealth Consultant, Richard excels in guiding clients through challenging life transitions and finding ways to make seemingly out-of-reach financial goals become a reality. This is an episode not to be missed.
Big Three from Episode #061:
- Teach your heirs ahead of time how to handle wealth successfully.
- Communication and conflict management is KEY to building a solid family foundation, especially for when the older generations are no longer around.
- Have the family find a shared purpose for using their wealth as a tool.
Time-stamped Show Notes:
5:57 – How often do these wealth transfers fail?
6:41 – What do these failures look like?
8:19 – Richard shares eye-opening statistics about what causes wealth loss from generation to generation.
9:32 – When do families get in touch with Richard? How does he get involved?
12:37 – What does Richard’s process look like when working with clients?
13:22 – What happens when we think we’re right.
16:00 – Richard shares so examples of unprepared heirs and how to change that situation.
22:02 – Kirsten and Richard share a couple of his tools for getting a family to work as one.
27:09 – What do parents need to do to help their children grow up with a work ethic?
29:43 – This is Richard’s process to encourage someone to attend a meeting if they don’t want to.
30:50 – What is the first step in implementing these types of techniques with full-grown siblings?
FREE BOOK OFFER:
Did you know that when wealth is transferred from one generation to the next, 70% of the time, that generation loses the wealth by the end of their lifetime? That’s HUGE. How does that happen? Unprepared heirs and lack of family connection and communication.
Wealth can damage relationships and cause rifts within a family that have devastating consequences for all. To help you dive deeper into this topic and build a better plan for the future, Absolute Trust Talk guest, Richard Del Monte, is offering a FREE copy of his book “Endless Inheritance.” This book will help you avoid discord, conflict and create fulfillment and harmony, ensuring your wealth will live on. To order your free book, you can call the Absolute Trust Counsel office at 949.943.2740 or email us at [email protected].
[Ad] Estate planning is vital to ensure that you and your family are protected and prepared throughout your later years of life and beyond. Please don’t wait until it’s too late. Schedule a free discovery call today, and we’ll review your case to make sure all your needs are met.