This is not high finance stuff. Some years ago we determined that we would like to set up all our holdings in a trust. The advantage for a trust is privacy in passing all the things we worked for to our heirs and not going through “probate” for all of it and letting the whole world know what we had. They (the world) know anyway but by putting it in a trust it is one step better than a will and provides for the things we want not what the state determines. It also had/has some tax advantages if it is set up and worked properly. it had some tax advantage and with the way taxes are going it may have more or less in the future, who knows? Ours included a will and the power of attorney and medical powers etc. Although it probably was not necessary for our small estate we determined it was good for us to set down and work out the details now before we couldn’t do all this.
To that end we had not updated it in any real manner since we first set it up and we had several things that needed to be updated as well as the laws had changed several times on various portions (medical power, power of attorney, wills, tax advantage limits, etc.) it was good to set down and go over all this so we did that today. Had a meeting with the lawyer and will get everything brought up to date. It will cost more than simple wills or having written it ourselves but we hope it has a better chance of being correct when done.
That was our morning adventure to be in OKC by 9am for the meeting, set and discuss our current situation and any need for changes in the documents and get advice and set up for the things we needed to be done. It is amazing how much can go wrong if you just let it happen to you rather than take care of it before hand.
After the meeting we made a small stop at Academy for some new shoes. We probably didn’t need new ones but I hated the Rockport’s I bought last year and Sherrie felt she needed new sandals for the summer… I stated that we both needed to throw out at least and equal number for what we bought and she smiled and said she already had? I doubt that but I for sure am giving away those Rockport’s… in favor of the Reeboks… I know they are the same damn company but the fit and style is different.
After that stop we made it up May avenue to find some cheap gas but my “where” app on the phone was wrong… the price for the gas it said was 3.41 was now 3.59. On our way up May avenue we decided to stop at the Taco Cabana… The lunch there was good but not great. had the Tortilla soup and a small personal shrimp Quesadilla.
After leaving there we headed on up to the Sam’s on Memorial and Penn to get gas… There we got gas for 3.46… not cheap but better than 3.59. Then it was home as we really didn’t have any thing we needed in OKC beyond our appointment. Got home about 2pm and rushed on off to Staples to get some more padded envelopes to send off some more books. I have listed a bunch of my old books I have read to pass on to others and have sold 5 this week. I really don’t make anything off of them and the only benefit is getting rid of them with out just giving them away… pretty much break even by doing this. I guess I could make some money if I could get some books real cheap and sell for regular price but my luck would be to get the books no one would buy and not be able to sell them at any price… Anyway we got the last two shipped out this afternoon.
I then went to the Jeep parts store and picked up a new fan switch for the air unit. Last one worked for 2 and 1/2 years and just quit the other morning? They are not cheap and you have to replace the whole damn unit with three switches. Nothing is easy anymore. even parts replacement now required that you get rid of 2 perfectly good switched to replace the one that is bad, and it ain’t cheap. Maybe tomorrow I will get that put in and see if that fixed one of my two problems with the Jeep?
I had hoped to get some yard work done today but when we got home I spent most of the rest of the day catching up on some emails, reading some financial blogs, putting some tings away and updating some pages for the trust papers as well as talking to Dad… so the rest of my day was shot.
I did go set on the back deck for awhile as it was real nice out this evening. The wind had died down and it was just the right temps out so I watched the sun set… At least the end of the day was nice… – WD0AJG