The Patti Brennan Show

Ep. 209 "Documents Aren't a Plan" What Estate Attorney Martin Shenkman Wants You to Know

Do you have a "simple" estate plan? That might be the most expensive mistake you make. Patti sits down with legendary estate attorney Martin Shenkman, 44 books and over 1,000 articles deep, for a no-fluff conversation on why documents are not the same thing as a plan. Here is what it may look like as a part of an estate plan: 📌 A Spousal Lifetime Access Trust, or SLAT, is one of the most powerful estate planning tools available for high-net-worth couples who want to act before the exemption window closes. 🛡️ Patti and Martin walk through how young professionals, like physicians facing malpractice risk, can build asset protection into a trust years before any lawsuit ever surfaces. 💰 A basis planning strategy can wipe out decades of capital gains by adding a simple power of appointment for an aging parent. 🤝 AI tools and online document services cannot replace a coordinated team of legal, tax, and financial advisors working from the same playbook. Because at the end of the day, a document is not a plan, and a plan is only as strong as the team behind it.

Ep. 208 My Children Didn't Want to Hear It Either: A Practical Checklist for Decisions After Death

Make no mistake... no one wants to have this conversation. But when someone dies, the decisions start immediately, and they do not slow down. In this episode, Patti Brennan [https://keyfinancialinc.com/staff/patti-brennan-cfp-cfs-cts-cepa/]walks through the complete "When Someone Dies" checklist, [https://49660965.hs-sites.com/key-financial-when-someone-dies-checklist-1] organized by urgency, so no one has to figure it out alone in the middle of grief. Here is what needs to happen: 🚨 Within 24 to 72 hours: notify institutions, secure the home, and order 12 to 15 certified death certificates with a raised seal. 🔐 Within one to four weeks: notify all three credit bureaus, close digital accounts, and contact your financial advisor. 🧾 Within one to six months: begin probate, obtain an estate EIN, file the final tax return, and keep essential payments going. 🤍 Throughout all of it: communicate clearly as a family and avoid major financial decisions until the dust settles. Because the greatest gift you can leave the people you love is a little less chaos and a lot more clarity.

Ep. 207 Dear Patti: 76% of Americans Have an Estate Plan They've Never Seen

If you have been putting off getting an estate plan and think it's something you still have to do, here's the thing: it's already been done. The state wrote it for you. And it has no idea who you are, what you built, or who you love. It does not know about the estranged sibling, the child with special needs, or the spouse who would be left with far less than you think. It just follows the formula. In this episode, Patti Brennan [https://keyfinancialinc.com/staff/patti-brennan-cfp-cfs-cts-cepa/] walks through the consequences of not taking action around building an estate plan, and what to do instead.

Ep. 206 Dear Patti: The Four Seasons of Retirement

In this episode, Patti walks through the complete retirement checklist available on the Key Financial website, using the seasons framework to help you think ahead, not react later. She covers: Why the "winter before freshman year" is the most critical planning window before you retire The pools of money strategy and how it protects you from having to sell investments at the wrong time The Goldilocks tax zone in the middle years and why Roth conversions and capital gains harvesting can be game changers The unpredictable "fall" season, from cognitive health to housing decisions to cybersecurity threats What living solo looks like financially, and why pension elections and updated estate documents can change everything.

Ep. 205 Straight Talk on Coverage: Mr. & Mrs. Medicare Tell All

Medicare isn't just complicated - it's full of traps that can cost you thousands if you're not careful. In this episode, Patti Brennan sits down with Rich and Jill Oler, known as Mr. & Mrs. Medicare, for straight talk on everything you need to know before you enroll. From the 20% gap nobody warns you about, to the drug plan penalties hiding in plain sight, they cover the myths, the mistakes, and the three steps that can save you from making them. Whether you're turning 65, already enrolled, or helping a loved one navigate it all, this one's for you.