We filed a small estate affidavit for my Grandmothers estate. It was no big deal, but the bank didn’t want to even glance at her will. This won’t work for my mom, as she has a very substantial estate. Her car is worth nothing, and I know everything about her finances and tax returns.
I guess I can have her do a simple will, just in case it helps. She said she wants to make everything uncomplicated for us, which is very kind of her.
Here’s a discussion of this change.
But note, most simple estates don’t necessarily need a lawyer. I read on another blog that the court clerks in NJ will even assist newbies to complete the state forms.
I guess it’s the amount then. Or like bus driver notes about Washington State.
perhaps, but to even give it away or donate it, will require an executor. (The other alternative is if her state allows ToD/Pod on autos.)
If it drives ok, perhaps they can sell to a hs student needing inexpensive wheels for the first car. I know lots hope for that.
I watch prices today and in the last week they’re up $300 or so, now over $50k for a new car. I think it’s in part due the $7500 EV credit expiring. Prices had been stable just under $50k since April.
So a reliable, cheap car for a newbie driver will be gold to some family.
of course, but my point is that only an Executor/Personal Rep has legal authority to sign over the title.
Thanks for posting this! What a ball of $&@*%
Note to self: direct my catch up $$ to a Roth starting January 1st. Headaches (mostly) avoided.
You know the old saying…if it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen.
In my opinion, she at least needs a written health care directive and POA in the event she cannot make decisions herself.
Remember, if you aren’t joint owners on things like her bank accounts, you won’t have access to them if she is alive, but incapacitated.
We found we could make the change right now in DH’s employer retirement program for next year. One less thing to worry about in 2026. Still more than enough other stuff to occupy us.
FIL did not have a will, trust or an executor. He was frugal his whole life and decided none of it was necessary. He researched everything and decided he didn’t think paying professional fees was necessary. Like your M, FIL listed beneficiaries and TOD. H and I were worried about the bumps we may have to face. To our surprise, the process was easier than expected. I think it helped that FIL had his brokerage and IRA with Vanguard. A couple of properties were sold through word of mouth because these have not been on the market for decades. There was no probate at all. The hardest part was going through his personal things in the main house. There was just so much to go through…the amount of things that were accumulated over decades and decades of previous generations items too.
Going through personal things would be so difficult. Fortunately my mom has been tossing items for years, but when you have a lifetime of accumulation, ugh! My dad has so many tools, it’s insane.
The most excruciating part was paper files, notes, newspaper clippings, etc! Over 50 plus years of files - paper copies for all kinds of things. (After MIL’s passing, it was also 50 years of magazine accumulations with file items in between magazine pages!) The time spent going through that was very painful for H. We decided that we will not do that to our children.
Another lesson we learned is the importance of leaving a sizable IRA should be carefully considered. FIL went back and forth for years about converting it to Roth but decided against it because he did not want to pay taxes. He would be aghast to learn that we are paying taxes on the RMD at a much higher rate than he ever anticipated.
Our process after my parents died also was easier than I thought it would be. In fact, a lawyer friend of mine was surprised that we were able to sell the house without a will or a new deed or anything other than an affadavit of heirship. And I have driven out to the county where our land is to re-file an ag exemption and have been assured that all is well, even though the name at the county is still YDS Dad’s Estate, and not my and my siblings’ names. 
All I will say is that I know exactly how your H feels. It is awful.
My in-laws have a lot of stuff!
We met with a new estate attorney recently (original trust done in 2000), we both liked him and will rework parts of our trust with him. He is at the same firm where we had the trust first done. We naively thought it would be as simple as changing a few names but it’s much more complicated.
I am very sorry!
Quick tip: When adding drugs to determine Part D costs for 2026, pay attention to “capsule” vs “tablet.” I about had a heart attack when pricing plans today, because none covered my generic drug at my dosage. I looked again, and I had checked capsule, because that appears first in the list … prompting no coverage & thousands of dollars in estimated costs for the year. I realized my mistake, checked tablet instead, and the cost was $0. Whew!
Reading a Schwab article (after reading the above referenced article), on estate planning, it said to revisit every 3 - 5 years due to any modifications desired and also in light of any laws changing/tax situations changing.
Good for you for having original trust work done in 2000, and giving you a star for having done that and another star for updating it now.
”How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”