Neat Site: Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?
Posted on | June 21, 2007 |
It’s hard to talk about the unexpected…but sometimes it’s better to be prepared than sorry.
Today’s neat site, Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?, is especially designed to help you and your loved ones talk about a tough issue: who will get your (or a loved one’s) possessions after you’re gone?
“It’s harder to divide possessions equally among family members. You just can’t,” says Marlene Stum, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota and lead researcher/author of the Pie Plate site. “Items are tied to family rituals and traditions. For instance, the oak dining table might be worth $500 but when you look at the table you don’t see [money], instead you see ‘family dinners with Grandma’.”
It might be hard to talk about these decisions with loved ones so the Pie Plate site has developed free articles and tips on how to start this conversation. Stum also offered four key steps of action you should consider when starting this process:
1. Figure out what you hope to accomplish: Do you wish to give certain items to certain family members? Or prefer to donate other items to museums or to sell the items to raise money for other family members? Think about what your wishes might be.
2. Think about what’s fair: Who should get what? What is the fair process to make these decisions - both now and later?
3. Think about what items are meaningful to certain family members: Maybe a grandchild treasured a music box you once had; or a sister loved your old baseball memorabilia collection. Have conversations with family members about their connections and feelings towards certain items in your home.
4. Write a will. Then create a written list, detailing which family member receives which item. It’s probably best to stick to major items at first then add on smaller items. Mention in your will that you have created this additional list and include this list with your will.
If you’re not creating your own list at the moment, the Pie Plate site also has helpful tips on helping loved ones start this process.
Thanks to Marlene Stum and the others behind the “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?” project.
Have a neat site to recommend? Post it in the Comments section below!
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