Julie Hall
Amazon Price: $10.19
List Price: $14.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
By: Thomas Nelson
Amazon Marketplace: 37
new & used starting at $8.57
|
Buy at Amazon.com
|
Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Law -> Practical Guides -> Wills
Subjects -> Law -> Practical Guides -> General
Subjects -> Law -> Practical Guides -> General AAS
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33
Average rating: 5.0 of 5
Should be required reading for anyone over 35... 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
I'm at that age where sometime in the foreseeable future, I'm going to have to deal with the passing of one or more parents in our family. In addition to the grieving process, there's something that often doesn't get discussed until it's too late... what do you do with all the "stuff" your parents have accumulated over their lifetime? Julie Hall has made a career of working through that process with people, and she's written a book called The Boomer Burden: Dealing with Your Parents' Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff. Even though it may not be a subject you want to think about, time spent reading The Boomer Burden now can lead to infinitely fewer headaches and fractured relationships when that time comes. And if you're the parent, reading and acting on the information here is one of the best gifts you can give to your children.
Contents:
Introduction: Leaving Behind More Than Memories
First Signs
Planning for the Inevitable
Where's the Will?
When Reality Sinks In
The Hearse Doesn't Have a Trailer Hitch
Relatively Speaking
Scammers, Schemers, and Other Scoundrels
The Nitty-Gritty of Dividing Your Parents' Estate
But What Is It Really Worth?
Where Do I Begin?
How to Clean Out Your Parents' Estate
Right, Wrong, and In Between
I Will Never Do This to My Kids!
Be Good to Yourself
Mission Accomplished!
Appendix A: Your Complete Parent Care Checklist
Appendix B: Helpful Resources
Appendix C: Documents and Information to Locate
Appendix D: Sample Wish List Spreadsheet
Notes
About the Author
Hall has a business called The Estate Lady, and she brings 17 years of experience to this often ignored (but inevitable) part of life. She documents in painful detail how normal families can turn into dishonest, contentious enemies over the process of clearing out and dividing up the contents of the parents' estate. It's also quite normal for "friends" to want to help out with the process, but those friends often help themselves to items when no one is looking. Add antique dealers and consignment agents on top of that, and valuable keepsakes can wander out the door for pennies on the dollar, often before you even know what happened. Hall has a process which helps you make difficult decisions beforehand (when emotions aren't running high), as well as steps to follow which makes the process of emptying the house something which doesn't have to be completely overwhelming. She also counsels parents to take the time beforehand to make a will, record where all the important papers are, and to list out any items of value and who they would want them to go to when they die. These simple acts can make all the difference in the world to the survivors who have to sort it all out.
It's tempting to think that your family will be one of the 20% (yes, it's that low) that smoothly handles this unfortunate event. Odds are, you won't be. While I'm not in the position of having Depression-era parents who saved EVERYTHING, there's still "stuff" that will have to be handled when that time comes for me. Based on the information in this book, I know I'll be in a much better position to do the right things than I would have been without it. I would recommend this book be standard reading material for anyone over the age of 35. Trust me, you'll need it at some point...
Editorial Review:
A practical guide to advise Baby Boomers how to deal with the daunting task of facing a parents' eventual passing as it relates to residential contents, heirlooms, and the often difficult family interactions and feuds that accompany them.
With fascinating stories and comprehensive checklists, professional estate liquidator Julie Hall walks Baby Boomers through the often painful challenge of dividing the wealth and property of their parents' lifetime accumulation of stuff. From preparation while the parent is still living through compassionately helping them empty the family home, The Estate Lady® gives invaluable tips on negotiating the inevitable disputes, avoiding exploitation from scam artists, and eventually closing the chapter of their lives in a way that preserves relationships and maximizes value of assets.
