Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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This is part of monthly series of articles focusing on estate and legacy planning. Authors are Kaleena Miller, Madison-Jefferson County Extension Agent, kaleena.miller1@montana.edu, and Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension Family Economics Specialist, goetting@montana.edu. A person can create a testamentary trust with a written will says MarshaGoetting, MSU Extension family economics specialist. A testamentary trust is one that is set up according to the instructions contained in a person’s last will and testament. The owner’s property, such as sto...
Talk with almost any Montana family farm and ranch enterprise and you will find one of goal is to transfer land and businesses to the next generation. “The process can be challenging to all members of the family,” says Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension family economics specialist. “Some families may avoid the process completely because of the economic, legal, and family decision complexities. Others may start the process but abandon it to avoid conflicts that can arise from differences in goals, values, and feelings of fairness among family membe...
In the merry, merry month of May, the Whitehall Garden Club started their meeting with a delectable breakfast table including a deeply delicious deep dish sausage egg bake (say that 3 times) and fresh-baked date-raisin and pineapple bread. The table sprinkled with Butterfingers and black licorice was too irresistible to skip. Thanks to Janet Chapman and John Carlson for setting the mood for the upcoming meeting with well-fed WGC members and guests! The meeting was called to order by President...
When a Montana resident dies, state law provides a process for deciding who is legally entitled to inherit financial accounts the deceased had with banks, credit unions or other entities such as brokerage firms. Montana property and contract laws, and provisions under the Montana Uniform Probate Code, dictate who becomes the legal successor(s) of certain accounts. “For example, when two people have a savings account in joint tenancy with right of survivorship, the surviving joint tenant becomes the legal successor. If an owner placed a p...
The Montana State University Madison-Jefferson Extension Rancher Roundtable Event will be held Wednesday, December 8 from 5:30 PM to 7 PM at the Volunteer Hall at the Boulder Fairgrounds (25 Little Boulder Road, Boulder, MT). Supplementation and Alternative Feeds will be detailed by speaker Megan Van Emon, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist. Drought, hay shortage: this program will discuss ways to make your hay and available forage go the extra mile. It will provide the opportunity for you to...
What if you were in an accident and were in intensive care for several weeks? What if you got COVID-19 and spent time in the hospital? Who would manage your finances while you were getting well? Who would protect the assets you have worked so hard to accumulate? A financial Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal tool that could help, said Kaleena Miller, MSU Madison-Jefferson Extension Agent. Montanans Marge and Jack have each executed a POA and have shared their reasons for doing so. Marge, age 79, is aware she becomes stressed when faced with...
Trusts gained more attention during the COVID-19 pandemic as a tool to manage financial affairs, according to Montana State University Extension educators. But a trust may not be the right choice for everyone. Individuals should learn the pros and cons of the distinct types of trusts available, said Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension family economics specialist. In Montana, the person who provides property and creates a trust is a “settlor,” also referred to as a grantor, donor, or trustor. The trustee is the individual, institution or org...
Montana State University educators say it is important for people to understand how they title property impacts who receives it upon their death. Whose name is on the deed for your home? Is it held in Joint with right of survivorship or as a tenancy in common? Whose name is on your savings account? MSU Extension family economics specialist Marsha Goetting and Madison-Jefferson County Extension agent Kaleena Miller said factors like property title laws combined with Montana intestacy statues impacts who inherits property after a person dies....
This is the fourth in a series of articles focusing on estate and legacy planning. After a person’s death, the matter of dividing up their personal belongings can become a complicated matter. Just imagine going into the home of someone who has died. As a personal representative (PR) what do you do with all the person’s “stuff?” If the PR is lucky the deceased took advantage of a Montana Uniform Probate Code provision allowing a person to create a separate list specifying the distribution of personal belongings that may have emotional value s...
