It probably seems like your worst nightmare: Your parent has just died, and as you begin the painful and exhausting process of grieving, you learn you have basically been made secretary of his or her death.
Recently a woman who attended an author’s talk that I gave at the Westport, Conn. Public Library, told me about the item that had been a lightning rod for conflict when her mother died.
It never fails to amaze me that so many otherwise savvy individuals, many of whom have their financial lives otherwise buttoned-up, use poor judgment (or no judgment) when it comes to their estate planning.