ALOUD THE ISSUES AFFECTING YOU. REVEAL EXPLAINED. DISCUSSED. NOW ON WGAL EIGHT. IN FOCUS. HELLO, I'M SUSAN SHAPIRO DEATH IS NOT ALWAYS AN EASY THING TO TALK ABOUT, BUT MAKING DECISIONS NOW COULD SAVE A LOT OF HASSLE, CONFUSION, AND FRUSTRATION FOR YOU OR YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS DOWN THE ROAD. TONIGHT WE'LL LEARN ABOUT PLANNING A FUNERAL. HOW TO GET YOUR FINANCES IN ORDER, AND QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK AN ESTATE ATTORNEY, AND WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THAT STUFF IN YOUR HOME. TONIGHT WE'RE PUTTING PREPARING FOR DEATH IN FOCUS. JOINING US NOW IS ESTATE ATTORNEY SCOTT MITCHELL WITH SAXTON AND STUMP IN LANCASTER. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO DO ESTATE PLANNING AHEAD OF TIME? ESTATE. ESTATE PLANNING IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I'LL START BY COVERING TWO PRETTY SIMPLE DOCUMENTS. AND THAT IS A GENERAL OR A FINANCIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY AND A HEALTH CARE POWER OF ATTORNEY. LIVING WILL ADVANCE DIRECTIVE. THOSE ARE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE THAT SAYS, WELL, I'M ALIVE. IF I'M UNABLE TO ACT FOR MYSELF, I HAVE A STROKE, DEMENTIA, CAR ACCIDENT, COMA, WHATEVER. THOSE ARE DOCUMENTS WHERE YOU NAME SOMEBODY TO ACT FOR YOU. AND THOSE ARE THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS TO HAVE IN PLACE. EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE THEM IN PLACE. THEY'RE VERY SIMPLE TO DO. ARE THESE THINGS PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OR DON'T LIKE TO NECESSARILY HAVE IN PLACE? ARE THEY ARE THEY ARE THINGS THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT. I OFTEN USE THE ANALOGY. PEOPLE SOMETIMES SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO WASH MY CAR, BECAUSE IF I WASH MY CAR, IT'S GOING TO RAIN. SO I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE THAT WITH THEIR ESTATE PLANNING DOCUMENTS. IF THEY DO IT SOMEHOW, THAT'S GOING TO HASTEN THEIR THEIR DEATH. WELL, BUT NOT SO REALLY JUST IMPORTANT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER ON PEOPLE WHO ARE AROUND YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR OTHER HEIRS. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. WHAT ABOUT A WILL? HOW DO YOU DO THAT AND WHAT SHOULD THAT INCLUDE? UM, SO SO PEOPLE WILL SOMETIMES TALK TO ME ABOUT SHOULD I DO A WILL OR SHOULD I DO A LIVING TRUST? UM, A A WILL AND A LIVING TRUST. BOTH OF THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE GOING TO SAY WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR ASSETS AT DEATH. EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A WILL. SOME PEOPLE THINK, WELL, IF I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, I DON'T NEED A WILL. BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE. IF YOU HAVE A HOUSE, UH, IF YOU HAVE $100,000, WHATEVER, YOU HAVE $100 MILLION. EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A WILL, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO SAY WHERE YOUR ASSETS GO AT DEATH, AND IT'S GOING TO SAY WHO YOU WANT TO NAME, TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, TO BE AN EXECUTOR OR TO BE A TRUSTEE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. SO EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A WILL, UH, THE LIVING TRUST ISSUE IS A TOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA TO AVOID PROBATE IN PENNSYLVANIA, A PROBATE IS VERY SIMPLE. I DO TRUST FOR CLIENTS. AND WHAT IS PROBATE BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, PROBATE SIMPLY MEANS WHEN SOMEBODY DIES, WE TAKE THEIR ORIGINAL WILL. WE TAKE A DEATH CERTIFICATE? WE TAKE A PROBATE PETITION. WE GO TO THE COURTHOUSE, WE PAY A FILING FEE AND THE COURT ISSUES A DOCUMENT SAYING THIS PERSON IS APPOINTED AS EXECUTOR. IT'S A FIVE MINUTE MEETING AND THEN WHETHER IT'S A WILL OR A TRUST, THAT THE PROCESS IS GENERALLY THE SAME, BUT SOME PEOPLE THINK ASSETS GET TIED UP IN PROBATE. THAT'S NOT REALLY THE WAY IT IS IN PENNSYLVANIA. SO IN PENNSYLVANIA, SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY NEED A LIVING TRUST WHERE THEY WHERE THEY REALLY DON'T LIKE IN SOME OTHER STATES, YOU HEAR HORROR STORIES OF PROBATE, PENNSYLVANIA. PROBATE IS PRETTY EASY. WHAT IN TERMS OF TAXES? HOW DOES THAT PLAY INTO THIS? UM, IN, IN IN PENNSYLVANIA YOU HAVE INHERITANCE TAX AND IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW LARGE OR HOW SMALL THE ESTATE IS, THERE'S NO MINIMUM AMOUNT. SO HOUSES AND CHARITIES ARE 0%. CHILDREN PAY A 4.5% TAX, SIBLINGS PAY A 12% TAX, AND EVERYBODY ELSE PAYS 15%. SO AGAIN, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW LARGE OR HOW SMALL THE ESTATE IS, THE FEDERAL ESTATE TAX ONLY APPLIES IF YOUR ESTATE IS OVER. TODAY, APPROXIMATELY $13 MILLION. AND THAT'S THAT'S IN EFFECT UNTIL THE END OF 2025. THEN WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LAW IS GOING TO BE. BUT TODAY, MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FEDERAL ESTATE TAX UNLESS THEY'RE ESTATES OVER 13 MILLION OR MARRIED COUPLE OVER 26 MILLION. WHO SHOULD YOU MAKE AWARE OF THESE DOCUMENTS AND WHAT YOUR WISHES ARE? I, I NORMALLY TELL PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY SPOUSES SHOULD BE AWARE OF IT AND THEY SHOULD MAKE THEIR CHILDREN AWARE. THIS IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TODAY BECAUSE THE OLDER GENERATION TENDS TO BE PRIVATE AND CHILDREN DON'T KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE, THEY CAN'T FIND IT. IF A PARENT DIES OR HAS A HEALTH CRISIS, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE NOW ARE HAVING ONLINE ACCOUNTS WITH PASSWORDS AND USERNAMES THAT THAT ARE HIDDEN. SO I NORMALLY TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SPOUSES SHOULD KNOW, LET YOUR CHILDREN KNOW. TELL THEM IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME. HERE'S WHERE THESE DOCUMENTS ARE BEING KEPT. I NORMALLY DON'T TELL THEM TO GIVE DOCUMENTS TO THE CHILDREN AHEAD OF TIME BECAUSE THINGS CAN CHANGE. YOU MIGHT CHANGE DOCUMENTS, BUT I TYPICALLY TELL PEOPLE, LET YOUR FAMILY KNOW IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME. HERE'S WHERE EVERYTHING IS BEING KEPT. AND AGAIN, LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE. BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT CAN BE A FAMILY, DYNAMIC, KIND OF THING, CAN'T CAN IT? RIGHT? FIGHTS CAN START WHEN WHEN PEOPLE DIE OR BECOME DISABLED. SO IT'S COMMON TO HAVE FIGHTS START DURING THOSE TIMES. BUT OBVIOUSLY ALL OF THIS CAN MAKE IT A LOT EASIER. AND YOU KNOW, AND SMOOTHER FOR FOLKS. RIGHT? RIGHT. UM, TWO OTHER ISSUES I WANT TO MENTION BRIEFLY, UH, JOINT ACCOUNTS AND BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION. THESE ARE AREAS WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. UM, MARRIED COUPLES NORMALLY NAME EACH OTHER AS JOINT OWNERS ON AN ASSET OR A BANK ACCOUNT. THAT'S FINE. WHEN ONE DIES, IT AUTOMATICALLY GOES TO THE OTHER. AS A JOINT OWNER, THE PROBLEM COMES WHEN PEOPLE NAME CHILDREN AS A JOINT OWNER ON THE ACCOUNT. THEY REALLY THINK THEY'RE NAMING THE CHILD AS A POWER OF ATTORNEY. THAT CHILD THEN HAS 100% ACCESS TO THE ACCOUNT WHEN THE PARENT DIES, THAT CHILD INHERITS THAT ACCOUNT AS THE JOINT OWNER. AND THEN THEN THE OTHER CHILDREN OFTEN SAY, WELL, MOM OR DAD DIDN'T WANT THAT CHILD TO HAVE THE ACCOUNT. THEY WANTED THEM TO BE A POWER OF ATTORNEY. SO WATCH OUT. NAMING CHILDREN AS JOINT OWNERS IF YOU WANT TO NAME THEM AS A POWER OF ATTORNEY. NAMING NAMING THEM AS A POWER OF ATTORNEY, NOT A JOINT OWNER. UH, AND I IMAGINE MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHO YOUR BENEFICIARIES ARE THAT YOU MAY HAVE NAMED YEARS AGO. YES, A LOT OF PEOPLE I STILL RUN INTO THIS. PEOPLE THINK THAT WHEN I DO A WILL, THE WILL UPDATES ALL MY BENEFICIARIES AND THEY MIGHT HAVE A BENEFICIARY ON A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY OR RETIREMENT ACCOUNT FROM YEARS AGO. THEY FORGOT ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THEY WERE MARRIED, THEY HAD ADDITIONAL CHILDREN BORN, WHATEVER. WHEN I, WHEN I DO WILLS FOR CLIENTS, I ALWAYS SAY WE NEED TO LOOK AT YOUR BENEFICIARIES AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE UP TO DATE BECAUSE YOUR BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION SAYS WHERE THAT ASSET GOES DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR WILL SAYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERTISE. COMING UP ON WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS, WE'LL TALK WITH A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION IN THIS IS WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS COVERAGE. YOU CAN COUNT ON. JOINING US NOW IS WILLIAM SPENCE, A BOARD MEMBER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION. HE ALSO HAS A FUNERAL HOME IN LANCASTER COUNTY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. YOU'RE WELCOME. A TOPIC A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO TALK ABOUT. BUT WHY IS PREPLAN SIGNING IMPORTANT AND WHAT IS PRE-PLANNING? MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT WHEN YOU'RE PRE-PLANNING, YOU HAVE TO PRE-FUND YOUR FUNERAL. THAT IS ONLY PART OF IT. PRE-PLANNING IS ACTUALLY MEETING WITH A FUNERAL DIRECTOR, LEARNING YOUR OPTIONS, PERHAPS GIVING THEM INFORMATION THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT PRESENT WHEN THE TIME ARISES, SELECTING MERCHANDISE IF THAT IS PART OF YOUR PLANNING AND ACTUALLY PLANNING THINGS LIKE DO YOU WANT A SERVICE? DO YOU WANT A PUBLIC VIEWING? DO YOU WANT A CLOSED CASKET? THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. WHEN YOU SAY MERCHANDISE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COFFIN AND CASKETS AND OUTER BOROUGH CONTAINER URNS, STATIONARY JEWELRY, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. I WAS READING THAT THE AVERAGE COST OF A FUNERAL IN PENNSYLVANIA IS SOMEWHERE AROUND $12,000. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. WHY ARE FUNERALS SO EXPENSIVE? THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY. I THINK FUNERALS ARE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE FOR THE FUNERAL HOME TO BE IN BUSINESS. WE HAVE PROPERTY FAMILIES EXPECTED TO LOOK A CERTAIN WAY AND TO BE UPKEEP A CERTAIN WAY. WE HAVE CARS THAT ARE EXPENSIVE, A. NEW HEARSE IS OVER $100,000, AND THEN YOU HAVE OTHER CARS THAT ARE PART OF A FUNERAL SERVICE, AND THEY'RE EXPENSIVE AS WELL. WE HAVE PROFESSIONALS WHO WE HAVE EMPLOYED AT, AND IT'S REASONABLE TO GIVE THEM A FAIR WAGE. SO FUNERALS ARE JUST EXPENSIVE TO TO PROVIDE AND PART OF THE EXPENSE IS ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN CHARGING FOR. THERE ARE THE NEWSPAPERS, THE CEMETERY DEATH CERTIFICATES, THOSE THINGS. UM, I HAVE A CREMATION COMING UP SOON AND IT IS $2,100 JUST TO OPEN THE GRAVE FOR THIS CREMATION. BUT YET A CREMATION CAN BE LESS COSTLY, CAN IT? CREMATION IS TYPICALLY ALWAYS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN A TRADITIONAL FUNERAL. EVEN IF YOU HAVE A PUBLIC VIEWING PRIOR TO CREMATION, IT'S GOING TO BE LESS EXPENSIVE BECAUSE YOU CAN USE A CEREMONIAL CASKET. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PURCHASE ONE. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE COST OF A LARGE BURIAL CONTAINER, AND THE CEMETERY CHARGE WOULD BE LESS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT OPENING A GRAVE. THAT IS LARGE. A CEREMONIAL CASKET THAT'S ALMOST LIKE RENTING A CASKET. IT IS, IT IS. WHAT ARE SOME OTHER WAYS YOU CAN CUT COSTS? I WAS READING, SO YOU DO AWAY WITH THE BURIAL. IF YOU HAVE A CREMATION, YOU DON'T NEED A VERY EXPENSIVE CASKET AND YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE EMBALMED, DO YOU? YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE EMBALMED IN PENNSYLVANIA. UM, IF YOU'RE HAVING A PUBLIC VIEWING, IN MOST CASES, EMBALMING WILL BE REQUIRED. BUT IF YOU'RE NOT HAVING A PUBLIC VIEWING, EMBALMING IS NOT REQUIRED. IF THE BODY CAN BE REFRIGERATED AND THEN BURIED WITHIN FIVE HOURS AFTER REFRIGERATION. AND I ALSO READ YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE PRICEY FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS OR PRICEY BURIAL CLOTHING THAT PEOPLE MIGHT CONSIDER. THAT'S TRUE. THOSE ARE ALL OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN DECLINE. SO PEOPLE CAN DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT, WHERE SHOULD YOU PUT THIS INFORMATION? WHO SHOULD YOU TELL ABOUT? YOU KNOW YOUR ARRANGED DATES AND WHAT YOU WANT? YES. WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO TELL YOUR FUNERAL DIRECTOR. WE CAN KEEP THOSE RECORDS ON FILE UNTIL THEY'RE NEEDED. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO TELL YOUR FAMILY IT DOESN'T DO A WHOLE LOT OF GOOD IF YOU DO THIS IN A VACUUM AND YOU TELL YOUR FUNERAL DIRECTOR AND YOU DO NOT TELL YOUR FAMILY IF THEY DON'T KNOW YOUR PLANS, THEY MAY AS WELL NOT BE DONE. MM. AGAIN, BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED. IT'S NOT SOMETHING PEOPLE GENERALLY LOVE TO TALK ABOUT. IS IT. HOW DO YOU, YOU KNOW, GET PEOPLE TO GET THE CONVERSATION GOING. IT IS A DIFFICULT THING FOR PEOPLE TO FACE THEIR OWN MORTALITY. BUT I THINK THAT FUNERAL PRE-PLANNING IS AS IMPORTANT FOR THE SAME REASON THAT PEOPLE MAKE A WILL. THEY KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT THEY WILL NO LONGER BE LIVING AND THE WILL PROVIDES FOR THAT DAY. AND WHAT HAPPENS MOVING FORWARD. AND IT'S THE SAME REASON THAT PEOPLE NEED TO PREPLAN. MM. WE'RE HEARING ABOUT A LOT OF NEW THINGS, EVEN COMPOST GETTING IN TERMS OF BURIAL, WHICH I KNOW HAS GONE ON IN OTHER STATES. YES. WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THAT? UH, IT'S NOT A PERSONAL THING THAT I WOULD SUPPORT. AT LAST COUNT, THERE WERE FOUR STATES, MOSTLY ON THE WEST COAST, THAT HAVE LEGALIZED COMPOSTING OR NATURAL ORGANIC REDUCTION. THEY'RE CALLING IT. UM, I THINK THAT THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO HAVE A SIMPLE FUNERAL THAN COMPOSTING AND TO SAVE LAND SPACE. ALSO, WHICH SOME PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. YES. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR INSIGHTS. WE APPRECIATE IT. SURE. COMING UP ON WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS, WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE FINANCIAL DECISIONS YOU NEED THIS IS WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS COVERAGE. YOU CAN COUNT ON. JOINING US NOW IS SARAH WHITE, WHO'S A FINANCIAL ADVISOR WITH THE STONEBRIDGE FINANCIAL GROUP. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. SUSAN. THIS IS DEFINITELY AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. THAT'S FOR SURE. ABSOLUTELY. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FINANCIAL ADVISOR OR A FINANCIAL PLANNER? IS IT FOR EVERYBODY? I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK IT'S FOR JUST THE WEALTHY. IT REALLY IS. WE ARE NOT JUST FOR THE WEALTHY. WE HELP. WE ARE REALLY THE QUARTERBACK OF YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE. WE HELP COORDINATE WITH. THE CPA, WITH AN ESTATE ATTORNEY, AND WE REALLY HELP MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ON TRACK TO MEET YOUR GOALS, WHICH COULD BE RETIREMENT, COLLEGE, EDUCATION, ALL OF THE ABOVE. ANYTHING YOU MIGHT BE SAVING FOR? YES. WHAT ABOUT HELPING WITH THE INEVITABLE THAT NONE OF US LIKES TO TALK ABOUT? BUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU PASS ON? SURE. YEAH. I MEAN, THERE ARE THREE KEY THINGS I REALLY WOULD FOCUS ON. NUMBER ONE, START THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR FAMILY EARLY AND OFTEN SO THAT YOU DEMYSTIFY THE FINANCIAL TOPIC. REALLY. YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT IT TO BE THIS BIG LOOMING THING THAT YOU NEVER GET AROUND TO, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD FINANCIAL PLAN. ANNE. AND THAT INVOLVES DIFFERENT ACCOUNT TYPES. THERE ARE DIFFERENT ADVANTAGES USES FOR, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE. OFTEN WE DEFER TAXES, FOR EXAMPLE, THROUGH OUR 401 K OR THROUGH A TRADITIONAL IRA. THAT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO DO WHEN WE'RE IN OUR PEAK EARNING YEARS. BUT THAT TYPE OF ACCOUNT IS REALLY NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO LEAVE TO YOUR CHILDREN, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE IN THEIR PEAK EARNING YEARS AND THEREFORE THEIR TOP TAX BRACKET WHEN YOU PASS. AND THERE IS A LAW NOW THAT STATES THAT ANY INHERITED TRADITIONAL IRA ACCOUNT WILL HAVE TO BE SPENT DOWN IN A TEN YEAR TIME LIMIT. SO THAT MEANS THAT THEY WILL PAY A MUCH LARGER AMOUNT OF INCOME TAX. THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN AVOID THROUGH PLANNING. SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHANGE THAT ACCOUNT BEFORE YOU. YEAH. OR JUST PRIORITIZE SPENDING FROM THAT TYPE OF ACCOUNT. AND YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD MONEY INTO THE OTHER BUCKETS, SUCH AS A ROTH OR A BROKERAGE ACCOUNT. AND LEAVE THOSE TO YOUR CHILDREN THAT WOULD BE BETTER. A BROKERAGE ACCOUNT, ANY SORT OF, UH, TAX RAMIFICATIONS WILL GET ERASED ON YOUR DEATH BECAUSE OF THE STEPPED UP BASIS, MEANING YOUR CHILDREN WILL START FRESH THE DATE OF YOUR DEATH ON THE. AS FAR AS TAXES GO, UM, AND REALLY, THE THIRD THING IS MAKE SURE TO SIMPLIFY THINGS. A LOT OF US, WE HAVE ACCOUNTS ALL OVER THE PLACE OR A LOT OF I MEAN, THAT'S JUST PART OF LIFE, RIGHT? WE GO FROM PEOPLE CHANGE JOBS, WE LEAVE OUR 401 K BEHIND AND WE DON'T GIVE IT ANOTHER THOUGHT. AND ALL OF THESE ORPHANED 401 K'S ARE SITTING OUT THERE. YOU REALLY WANT TO CONSOLIDATE THEM AS YOU CHANGE JOBS, EVEN ROLL THAT OLD 401 K INTO YOUR NEW 401 K IF YOU WANT, OR IF YOU'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH AN ADVISOR, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, HOUSE IT THERE. BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, KEEP IT SIMPLE SO THAT YOUR FAMILY DON'T HAVE TO REALLY LOOK FOR ALL OF YOUR ASSETS. DON'T HAVE TO GO ON A TREASURE HUNT AS YOU EXACTLY LIKE TO CALL IT. YES. ALSO, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING VALUABLE, I IMAGINE YOU WANT TO LET YOUR CHILDREN OR SOMEBODY NOT JUST ACCOUNTS, BUT ANY YOU KNOW, ARTWORK OR WHATEVER YOU MIGHT HAVE ABSOLUTELY. I WAS JUST I WAS TALKING TO A WOMAN RECENTLY WHOSE HUSBAND PASSED AWAY PREMATURELY, AND HE LEFT HER A STAMP COLLECTION. SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH THIS. YOU KNOW. RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS VALUE. BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW IT'S ILLIQUID. SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN HELP OUR LOVED ONES WITH IN ADVANCE. AND IT JUST MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE HONESTLY, THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH WHEN YOU'RE MOURNING OVER THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE IS TO TRACK DOWN ASSETS OR TO FIGURE OUT, HOW DO I EVEN GET INTO DAD'S LAPTOP? RIGHT. UM, SO IT'S REALLY GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION, GIVE THEM THE DON'T BE SO SECRETIVE. AS YOU SAID AT THE ONSET, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT OR SHARE THAT IT'S WE'VE MADE AT THIS TABOO TOPIC, AND IT'S REALLY IT'S JUST PART OF LIFE. AND SHOULD CHILDREN ASK, YOU KNOW, IS THAT A GOOD QUESTION? YES. I YES, I MEAN, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOUR PARENTS, I MEAN, IT IS A TOUGH TOPIC TO BROACH BECAUSE PARENTS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO BEING THE CAREGIVER ROLE IN THE RELATIONSHIP. BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE TRY ASKING FOR ADVICE OR, OR, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTING TO YOUR PARENTS, HEY, I HEARD A FRIEND HAD A REALLY TOUGH TIME WITH WHEN THEIR PARENT DIED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LEAVE THEM WITH ALL OF THIS INFORMATION. COULD YOU MAYBE SHARE SOME OF THIS WITH ME? YOU KNOW, IT'S AND IT'S OKAY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT ALL INTO ONE BIG. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE WORTH. JUST, YOU KNOW, GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION. EXACTLY. LEAVE ME A LIST SOMEWHERE IN A SAFE. MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE YOUR DOCUMENTS, YOUR POWER OF ATTORNEY AND YOUR WILL. AND THESE THINGS YOU KNOW. AND LET YOUR HEIRS KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY CAN LOOK FOR THEM. SARAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. SOME REALLY GREAT INFORMATION. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. AND COMING UP ON WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS, WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH ALL OF THAT STUFF THAT MAY BE IN YOUR HOME AND HOW TO ORGANIZE IT. THIS IS WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNT ON. JOINING US NOW IS DAVID MARTIN WITH MARTIN'S CFS, A MOVING COMPANY THAT CAN HELP HELP YOU TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF YOUR BELONGINGS. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I KNOW THIS IS A REALLY TOUGH AREA FOR PEOPLE. YOU GET EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED TO THINGS YOU MAY HAVE TO A HOME. HOW DO YOU START? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT? YEAH, I THINK STARTING EARLY IS DEFINITELY THE KEY. START THINKING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. WHAT IS THERE? IS THERE THINGS THAT I DON'T NEED IN MY HOME? IS THERE THINGS THAT I CAN DONATE? IS THERE THINGS THAT I CAN GIVE TO MY CHILDREN OR FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CLOSE TO YOU AS WELL? YEAH. AND IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO MAYBE DOWNSIZE WHERE DO YOU START? LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING. CAN IT MOST DEFINITELY CAN BE. SO OBVIOUSLY FIRST CHOOSING WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED. THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP AS WE MOVE TO OUR, OUR NEW LOCATION. AND THEN FROM THERE, IF WE HAVE A LARGER ESTATE, DO WE WANT TO HAVE A PUBLIC AUCTION AND SELL EVERYTHING? SO WE'RE DONE. UM, IT'S INCLUDING THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN OPTION. THERE'S ALSO SO PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WILL JUST BUY THE ENTIRE ESTATE AS IS AFTER YOU MOVE OUT. WHAT YOU WANT. UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN ALWAYS LOOK FOR HELP FROM PROFESSIONALS TO, TO GET TO THAT POINT OF DOWNSIZING. YEAH. AND HOW CAN THEY HELP YOU? SO EVERYTHING FROM BEGINNING MAKING SURE YOU HAVE YOUR WILL IN PLACE, MAKING SURE YOU'RE YOUR MEDICAL PAPERS, YOUR PASSPORTS, ANY, ANY RECORDS LIKE THAT THAT YOU NEED TO KEEP TRACK OF ARE TAKEN CARE OF IN A SAFE PLACE. UM, FROM THE LAYOUT OUT TO YOUR NEW LOCATION, THE PACKING, THE ACTUAL MOVING, THE SALE OF THE HOUSE. UM, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT GO INTO THIS, AND THERE'S DEFINITELY HELP OUT THERE. PROFESSIONAL HELP. YEAH. AND THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THAT SAME EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO YOUR THINGS THAT YOU DO. I WOULD IMAGINE FOR SURE. AND THEY'LL HELP YOU WORK THROUGH THAT AS WELL. YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE PIECES THAT FAMILY MEMBERS ARE GOING TO WANT. THERE'S ALWAYS SPECIAL MAYBE TO JUST ONE CHILD THAT WASN'T TO THE OTHER. AND, YOU KNOW, SO WORKING THROUGH THOSE THINGS EARLY ON IS DEFINITELY KEY. AND AND YOU MENTIONED CHILDREN. HOW SHOULD YOU DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR CHILDREN? I KNOW YOU TOLD ME EARLIER YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR CHILDREN AND YOU'RE YOU'RE PRETTY YOUNG. YEAH, YEAH, I'M 47 AND I AND YEAH, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MY CHILDREN JUST AS WHAT LIFE LOOKED LIKE. IF IF I PASS AWAY, IF I GET HIT BY A BUS TOMORROW. WHAT DOES LIFE LOOK LIKE FOR EACH ONE OF YOU? UM, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS EARLIER AS DIFFICULT AS THEY CAN BE, AND SILLY AS THEY MAY SEEM TO SOME OF YOUR YOUNGER CHILDREN, UM, THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT EARLY, HOW DID THAT GO AND WHAT WAS THEIR REACTION? UM, INTERESTING. THE OLDER CHILDREN, I THINK, TOOK A LITTLE MORE SERIOUSLY. AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT IT MORE AFTERWARDS AND. I KIND OF QUESTIONED SOME OF THE YOUNG, YOUNGER CHILDREN AND THEY REALLY DIDN'T. I DON'T THINK THEY REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT THAT DEEP. LIKE, YEAH, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SO IT'S YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T IT WASN'T AS CLOSE TO THEM IN THAT CONVERSATION. I GUESS YOU FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS, AS YOU MENTIONED, THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT NEED OR THAT YOU'VE HUNG ON TO. YEAH, YEAH. AND THAT'S AND THAT'S HARD TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. IT REALLY IS. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GET THERE AND, AND THE SOONER YOU START, THE SOONER YOU CAN START WEEDING OUT THE THINGS YOU DON'T. YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T NEED. THEN IT'LL BE EASIER, LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WE JUST HAVE THESE COUPLE THINGS THAT WE STILL NEED TO WORK THROUGH. DO YOU THINK THERE'S ONE AREA YOU CAN WHERE YOU CAN START? I GUESS I KNOW IF I THINK ABOUT MY HOUSE AND MAYBE MOVING, IT SEEMS SO OVERWHELMING. IT REALLY IS. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S PRETTY EASY, THOUGH, TO TO LIKE. ALL RIGHT, LET ME TAKE A DEEP BREATH ON A SATURDAY AND WALK THROUGH MY HOUSE AND REALLY LOOK AT IS THERE FURNITURE HERE THAT WE JUST NEVER USE? IS THERE THINGS IN MY CLOSET THAT I NEVER USE? IS THERE CHINA THAT WE NEVER USE. AND WE'RE JUST HAVE IT FOR SHOW OR DON'T REALLY NEED IT? UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'LL BE SURPRISED AS YOU WALK THROUGH YOUR HOME AND REALLY JUST OPEN UP EVERY CLOSET, LOOK UNDER YOUR BED. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THINGS THAT I REALLY DON'T NEED THIS ANYMORE. AND I GUESS THE LESS YOU HAVE WHEN YOU DO HAVE TO MOVE YOURSELF, OR IF SOMEBODY ELSE HAS TO MOVE EVERYTHING OUT, IT'S A LOT EASIER. MOST DEFINITELY. YEAH. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS AND FOR ALL OF US AT WGAL. I'M SUSAN SHAPIRO. AND JOIN US AGAIN NEXT SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7:00 FOR WGAL EIGHT IN FOCUS, RIGHT AFTER NBC. NIGHTLY NEWS. AND YOU CAN WATCH EACH. EPISODE OF IN FOCUS. PLUS, WE PAUL'S LATEST NEWSCAST, ORIGINAL PROGRAMING.