Will My Trust Avoid Probate?
You have stuff. Worked a lifetime to earn it. Did not fritter it away. Saved for the rainy day. Your stuff. You own it. You control it. Spend it. Save it. It is yours. No fuss, no muss. Easy.
And then. Stroke. Dementia. Disability. Death. Who is in control now? Not you! Then who? It used to be so easy. Now it is a big mess. When you make a mess, the answer is probate. Guardianship. Conservatorship. Estate Administration.What if you did not make a mess at all?
You Go To The Supermarket
You are toddling through Kroger (or Meijer or Super Walmart or Aldi or Spartan) with a double armload of groceries. You are in control. Put items down. Pick items up. No problem.
Then. Whoops! Slip and fall. Asparagus in the Air! Soaring Cereal! Bouncing Bread! Fettucine in Flight! You went from complete control to no control at all. Big mess. Cleanup on Aisle 3… Bring a mop…
Probate Court To The Rescue?
Probate Court is the janitor. Johnny-on-the-Spot to dispose of the debris. Your will? A mere scrap of paper fluttering among the groceries. Golly, I sure do hope the janitor finds that paper! And reads it. And follows it. Let us hope… and pray. That is probate.
How To Avoid Probate… Do Not Make A Mess!
Pretty simple. Do not make a mess. No mess? No job for the Probate Cleanup Crew. No probate.
Shopping Cart To The Rescue!
What if you had put all those groceries in a shopping cart? Then you slipped and fell? Wouldn’t the groceries stay in the cart? Voila! No mess. Nothing for janitor Probate Court to do!
Your Trust is a Shopping Cart
Your trust is a shopping cart. Put your house, money, insurance, business, cottage, and furniture (but not your IRA!) into your shopping cart/trust. Now comes death or disability. Slip and fall! But your stuff is safe in the trust! No mess. No probate. Whew!
Why Most Trusts, Including Yours, Will Fail
You have a beautiful, brand new shopping cart. But you did not put your stuff in it. It is empty! You are still carrying around all/most/some of your stuff. If (when) you slip and fall, that stuff is going to make a mess. And that means probate. And your lawyer put a memo in your trust binder that makes it clear: it is all YOUR fault.
I guess you should have read all 567 pages of legalese in that binder… Oh well. Now your kids will have to probate your estate. I wonder if there will be any attorney fees for that…
Everybody Else Knows. Your Trust Will Fail
Failure is a given. Your lawyer knows it. Your banker knows it. Your insurance rep knows it. Everybody knows that you will not put your stuff into the trust. And then the “pour-over will” must be probated. Did you know that? No? Hmmm, I guess not “everybody” knows your trust will fail. Probate is your destiny! Probate costs are your legacy!
Wake Up. Smell The Coffee. Face The Facts
You are not alone. According to one survey, only 4% of trusts are fully funded. That means 96% of trusts will fail when needed.
And even when you try to get your assets into your trust, you will often be misled. How many times have we seen financial advisors claim that accounts have been retitled when only the beneficiary designations were changed? All too common. Does your lawyer know what is going on? Why not ask? Why doesn’t your lawyer know?
The Answer: Talk Straight, Do The Work
You need a “funding coach” to help you through the hard work. Perseverance pays! We will help you stick with it. You spent good money to preserve your life choices and protect your legacy. Do not surrender with the finish line in sight. Why waste the effort you have already spent? Together we will make sure that you did not just throw lawyer fee money out the window. No sugar-coating. No excuses. Results for you and your family.
American Renaissance. Time To Move Ahead In 2021
Last year, the number of regular folks planning their futures dropped. Significantly. Could it be that you had other things on your mind? Riots, nightly violence, capricious decrees, flagrant hypocrisy, obvious media bias and obfuscation. It all takes a toll.
You, Middle-class Michigan, are the foundation for the future. Step by step. Inch by inch. You will pave the way back to normal. Let the chattering classes chatter. There is hard work to be done. And we are just the folks to do it. With integrity. Keeping our promises. Playing by the rules. No cheating. Focused. Undistracted.
Over the last year our Crisis Caseload skyrocketed. Special PACE rules mean more families than ever qualify for immediate help. We are proud to help Middle-class Michigan enjoy what they have earned.
Time Marches On: Do Not Waste Another Year
Last year fewer people focused on planning ahead, yet LifePlannine™ remains essential. Because you matter. Because your family counts. Because one lost year is too much.
The Carrier Team has been busier than ever, but I fear 2020 was a year of lost opportunity for thousands of regular Michigan families. I am extremely concerned.
Get the information you want. In-person workshops and one-on-one meetings. Recorded and live-streaming webinars. Like you, we have never stopped serving. As you seek out new ways to accomplish your life’s work, we are on the same journey. By your side. Making the rules work for the people who play by the rules.
Sixty Minutes to Security
Sixty minutes that to accelerate your success. An hour to put 2020 in the rear-view mirror. Avoid Nursing Home Poverty. Reject silly Spend Downs. Learn how to preserve your loved one’s lifesavings, business, cottage, life insurance. Thousands of middle-class families have learned and use these techniques. Why not yours?
Got Questions? Get Answers!
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