A. Very prepared B. I knew a little C. Completely unprepared D. I am named, but haven't had to serve yet

When you agree to serve as a successor trustee, nobody warns you that 80% of the role is managing relationships, old sibling dynamics, and unrealistic distribution timelines. During today’s Trustee School Office Hours session, I broke down the 3 biggest communication mistakes successor trustees make when dealing with demanding beneficiaries—and the exact scripts to fix them: 1. Conducting trust business over informal text messages (and how to professionally transition to email without causing friction). 2. Apologizing for legal and administrative delays that are actually required by law to protect everyone. 3. Taking demands personally instead of using the trust agreement and fiduciary duties as your shield. Catch the 20-minute replay below. 💡 A quick note on how Trustee School Office Hours work: These live sessions happen every third Thursday at 1:30PM. You do not need a formal presentation or a crisis to drop in. They are a part of our ACTIVE tier, which is cheaper for a year's subscription than a single consult with an attorney. Bring: - The awkward email from a sibling you don’t know how to answer - Questions on where to start with tax IDs, inventory, or asset titling - Or just come lurk, listen, and learn from other trustees' real-world scenarios If you are currently serving as a trustee—or have been named as one in someone's estate plan—you don't have to navigate personal liability and family dynamics alone. Drop your biggest trustee question in the comments, or bring it to our next live session November 19th at 1:30PM.

Being named Executor sounds important. Actually becoming the Executor can feel completely different. Suddenly you are looking at a Will, bills, bank statements, family questions and a house full of belongings wondering: What am I supposed to do first? You do not need to solve the entire estate today. Start with three questions: 1. What documents control? 2. What assets and debts exist? 3. What actually requires attention right now? Your first job is not distribution. It is information gathering. Once you know what you are dealing with, the rest of the process becomes much easier to organize. 💬 If you are currently serving, what was the very first task you tackled?

If a beneficiary is not responding, document document document. Try multiple methods of communications on varying dates and times. Keep a record of those attempts and eventually you will either have a record that they are neglecting and abandoning or they will show up because you're too annoying.

Let’s end the week with questions. What is one GENERAL question you have about: → Being an executor → Serving as trustee → Power of Attorney → Health care decision-making → Helping aging parents → Estate planning → Probate or trust administration Drop it below. Please leave out names, account information, medical details, or anything else private. I’ll answer a few here in the community — and some may become topics for future Trustee School Office Hours or new resources. And yes: “There is a document with my name on it and I have absolutely no idea what it means” is a perfectly acceptable starting point. 😄