Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate? Workbook

This workbook is helpful for anyone considering personal property transfer, including property owners and family members.  The workbook has also proven to help compliment the services of:

• Estate planning and probate attorneys

• Financial planners

• Senior move managers

• Funeral home directors

• Senior housing and nursing home administrators

• Estate sale and auction administrators

If you are a professional working with others on this issue, you may use the workbook in a variety of ways.

• Guide clients one-on-one through the whole workbook.

• Use the workbook to begin a discussion of the subject.

• Encourage clients to complete important worksheets and read selected chapters.

• Provide sample copies for review, and include ordering information.

• Buy many copies and sell them as part of your services. Some professionals provide copies to all clients, and build in or subsidize the cost.

The following topics are addressed within the workbook. Click on the following links to see a sample.

Introduction: From generation to generation (PDF)

• Helping families through education

Chapter 1: Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?™ Families and personal property inheritance

• The issue that affects everyone

• Decisions about both titled and non-titled property are important factors to consider in this process

• Worksheet 1: My reasons for completing this workbook

Chapter 2: Understand the sensitivity of transferring personal property

• It’s only a pie plate, right? (PDF)

• Facing loss and transitions

• Different perceptions of what’s fair

• Reality of family experiences

• Beginning the process

• Avoiding the issue

• Tips on talking about sensitive issues

Chapter 3: Determine what you want to accomplish

• Sorting out goals

• Worksheet 2: Potential transfer goals

Chapter 4: Determine what fair means

• Being fair is important to many

• Does fair always mean equal?

• Consider a fair process

• Understand what “fair” means in your family (PDF)

• Worksheet 3: Owners of non-titled property determine what fair means

• Worksheet 4: Potential receivers of non-titled property determine what fair means

Chapter 5: Identify special objects to transfer

• Meanings will differ

• Identify special items

• Gather input from others

• Worksheet 5: Owners of non-titled property identify special objects to transfer

• Worksheet 6: Potential receivers identify special objects to transfer

• Telling family stories

• Worksheet 7: Use your belongings as props for telling family stories (PDF)

Chapter 6: Distribution options and consequences

• Different methods and things to consider

• If you do nothing: One example of intestate succession

• Worksheet 8: List identifying transfer wishes

Chapter 7: Determine distribution options and establish ground rules

• Agree on a process

• Considering ground rules

Chapter 8: Managing conflicts if they arise

• Just listen

• Tips for better listening

• Listen for feelings

• How do I say what I need to say?

• Working on conflicts

• Can You Agree to Disagree

• Watch for blaming (PDF)

• Remember your reasons for completing this process

Chapter 9: Planning is a process

• Where are you in the planning process?

• Completion steps: Property owners

• Completion steps: Children and others working with a property owner

• Completion steps: Children and others dealing with the belongings

• Completion steps: Personal representatives working with a property owner

• Completion steps: Personal representatives dealing with the belongings

Appendix A: Glossary

Appendix B: References

Appendix C: Credits