Extension > Family > Financial Security for Later Life > Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate?™ > Quiz for Educators and Caring Professionals
Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate?™
Quiz for Educators and Caring Professionals
Marlene Stum, Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Family Social Science
Reviewed February 2012
As a caring professional you may be helping someone to pass on personal property as part of the inheritance process. No matter if you are a for senior housing manager, funeral director, elderlaw attorney, estate planner, community educator, grief counselor, social workers member of the clergy, or other assisting a property owner or family, the question to ask is are you prepared? Here's a quiz to help you think about the challenges you may be facing.
Which of the following statements apply to you?
| I'm not sure how to help my client decide on a fair way to divide belongings. |
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| To really assist clients I need more information about different strategies for distributing personal property. |
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| My client has a will but it contains no specific instructions about personal belongings — just a general statement such as "Divide my personal possessions equally among my children." | |
| Teaching clients about personal property inheritance is a useful service I could provide. |
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| I know my client has important keepsakes or family heirlooms but no one has written down their history or significance. |
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| My client has a plan for passing on belongings, but I worry the family will not carry out his or her wishes. |
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| I often find my clients and their family members disagreeing about who should get what. |
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| I need to motivate my client to plan in advance how her or his personal property will be transferred. |
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| My client needs to get his or her affairs in order because of a serious illness or health condition. |
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| My client needs to prepare for a move to a smaller home, apartment, nursing home, or assisted living facility. |
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| I've found it hard to start conversations with my client and my client's family about inheritance and death. |
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| I am spending too much time mediating family misunderstandings and conflicts over personal possessions. |
Understanding Your Results
These concerns and challenges are very common for professionals helping families of all kinds. If you've checked one or more of the statements above, you are not alone. You can benefit from learning and teaching about passing on personal possessions. See the related resources or take another quiz.
