THE FINANCE HOUND

news, the first bite of August is an American favorite! Potatoes that have been boiled and then chilled, such as those used in potato salad, are a good source of resistant starch. For a non-starchy vegetable, try adding green beans or peas to your favorite side, stir fry, or salad. Garlic, leeks, and onions are the perfect inulin-rich ingredients to add a little flavor to your favorite dishes. They can be eaten cooked or raw and are a rich source of antioxidants. If you enjoy foraging, burdock root and dandelion greens are plants you want on your plate. Try topping your salad with these new ingredients. Nothing says “best bite” like a crisp apple or tart blackberry. These fruits are high in pectin, as are peaches, carrots, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. These fruits and vegetables are readily available throughout Pennsylvania in August and have the fiber we need to fuel our gut health.

Aiming for diversity makes sure we get a good mix of all the prebiotics without the fuss of tracking each bite. Since these things may be new to your diet, be sure to gradually introduce them to avoid digestive upset. By taking things one bite at a time, you’ll find making small changes for your health more manageable for both your palate and your body. The best vegetables and fruits are the ones that make it on your plate; it is up to us to simply take it bite by bite. 7

Andrea Reed, MPS, RDN, LDN, is a freelance dietitian with a background in agricultural sciences. Growing up in the outdoors of Pennsylvania inspired her to include agricultural education in her nutrition counseling and is the focus of her writing. To find out more about Reed Nutrition visit https://reedrdn.com.

Personal Finance/Bryson Roof

What happens to my money when I die?

There are various legal terms, such as intestate and probate, which make it challenging for my friends and family to understand what will happen to their money when they pass away. The answer to this question depends on the amount of planning you have completed prior to your passing.

It’s important to understand there are two types of assets: Probate Assets and Non-Probate Assets. Non-Probate assets are assets that have a beneficiary designation, or someone who is named to inherit the asset, such as life insurance, IRAs, 401(k)s or a bank account with a Transfer-on-Death designation. Jointly owned property is also nonprobate (think about a home with both spouses on the deed). NonProbate assets are straight forward and pass on to the beneficiary or joint owner without a Will.

Probate assets are assets individually owed, such as an individual bank account or when you buy something such as a car without a coowner. Oftentimes, business ventures are not jointly owned.

No Will or Estate Plan

People are often surprised by how money is distributed when someone passes away without a Will. In Pennsylvania, there is a common misconception that a married parent will pass on all of their money to their surviving spouse. Dying without a Will is known as dying “Intestate.” This is a legal classification stating that the person who passed away has not expressed their wishes in a Will and therefore the state must decide on how the probate money will distribute via the intestate succession laws.

It’s wrongly assumed that if a father passes away, the mother will receive 100% of the father’s money. If the father passes away without a Will, Pennsylvania intestate succession dictates that the first $30,000 of probate assets transfers to the mother and then the remaining assets split between the children and the mother.

Using a Will to Avoid Intestate Succession

If Pennsylvania Intestate Succession comes as a surprise to you or the succession doesn’t reflect how you want your money to pass, there is a simple solution to remedy this situation. You can elect to draft a Will. A Will is a legal document outlining how you would like your money and valuables distributed when you die. A Will dictates “who” gets your stuff.

Using a Trust

If a Will dictates “who” gets your stuff; a trust dictates “how” people get your stuff. When I hear the word trust, I immediately think control. For example, if you are worried that your 19 year old son would waste his inheritance on a 1968 Corvette Convertible, then a trust might be useful for you. In your trust, you can stipulate that your 18-yearold child will not receive the money until they reach the age of 32. Or you could limit your child to using the funds for Health, Education, Maintenance and Support (HEMS).

Who should use a trust or when is a trust appropriate? Trusts can be effective for controlling an heir’s spending, protecting your inheritance from your child’s divorce, and planning for children with special needs. Trusts are frequently used for advanced planning techniques such as reducing inheritance taxes, charitable gifting, and nursing home planning.

Seek Professional Advice

While there are various online discounted providers, such as Legal Zoom, I have found that an estate planning attorney provides significant value when establishing a Will or Trust. Estate planning is extremely nuanced and can be worth the spend to address your concerns, explain all the legal jargon, and tailor a solution for your unique circumstances. The last thing you want to do is create an error in your estate plan causing your husband, wife, daughter, or son to have to sort out the mess at the courthouse while they are grieving over your loss. An estate plan is a gift to your heirs so that they aren’t sorting out a mess when you pass away. 7

Bryson J. Roof, CFP®, is a financial advisor at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Harrisburg, and has been quoted nationally in various finance publications including CNBC, U.S. News & World Report, and Barron’s.