A Crash Course

Taking care of business since my mom's passing last Friday morning has been basically a crash course for me.

My mom owned farm property in Nebraska and I have to deal with a tenant farmer, county assessor, county treasurer, grain/corn processors, etc. Unfortunately, my mom and I never discussed the farm or the business end of it. I was uncomfortable enough to not want to raise the subject.

Fortunately, I've a cousin in Oregon who has adjoining property and she's been giving me pointers on what to do.

So far, my dealings with the county's treasurer office and office of deeds have been productive ones and they have been nice and helpful. It must be those mid-western manners!

I've been to the farm once. It was back in 1977 and in the middle of winter. I got to see the property and meet many of the locals. Nice people!

Thus far, the only problems I've been having has been with my mom's bank and trying to obtain a good (and reasonable) probate attorney. A lot of problems may be resolved once I have copies of the death certificate. If you should have elderly parents (or parents of any age), you should make sure they have beneficiaries listed on the bank accounts and, a will. Those will save you a lot of headaches down the road. Fortunately, my folks had the foresight to leave me with copies of their wills.

In little over an hour from now, I have to go to the mortuary to make my mom's funeral arrangements. This will be easy as I was with her when she made my dad's funeral arrangements ten years ago. I am having Amber sit in so she knows what to expect and do, should the need arise (sooner or later, it will).

I'll announce the final funeral arrangements on this blog.