A Promise to Keep: A Guide to Administering Your Loved One's Estate

Many baby boomers are currently having to deal with the illness and unfortunately, the deaths, of their aging parents. In many cases this involves making arrangements and most notably executing your loved one's estate. Essentially carrying out the instructions laid forth by your parent(s) via their wills and making sure the assets (or liabilities) are distributed per their wishes and/ or the trusts are all administered properly. Most children come into this situation "blind", they have no idea what they're doing. All the legalities and financial matters make this a daunting task. We have created this slim how-to book to aid folks in this process. It outlines the many tasks we had to perform to carry out the wishes of my late mother, Anita. We're hopeful this information can help you navigate this lengthy and complicated process. Anita and my father, George, raised me and my two younger siblings in Redondo Beach in a stunning home only steps to Torrance Beach. We had quite an amazing life! My mother and father had their hands full with me as an energetic child. For about seven years, my parents sent me to two private schools for children with learning and behavioral difficulties. Many years later, I attained multiple degrees in college and university. Mother worked for many years and had an enormous circle of friends. After her retirement, she volunteered at the nearby Torrance Memorial Hospital. She remained quite active until a terrible fall broke her right hip in January 2020. From that time forward until February of this year, I attended to her as she aged, especially in her last year of life. Thankfully, Anita and I ensured her assorted vital documents were up to date and arranged for a visiting hospice care service to look after her. After a fall and subsequent stay at the hospital and a hospice board and care facility, she made her transition in October 2023. Four busy months later, I ably handled her entire estate, which is detailed below. Much of what you will see is in a question/answer format to make it easier to read. The following steps reflect my role as successor trustee (mirroring my role nearly twenty years ago when I carried out my late father's trust and will). It is my hope my story of dealing with my late mother's estate will help readers gain insight into the many processes involved in their own journey as an executor or successor trustee. I will offer some brief narratives throughout this book.