Research suggests that more than 50% of Americans think estate planning is important, but only 33% have a will. For the nearly 70% of Americans without a written will, many indicate they do not believe they have enough assets to leave behind anything of worth. Even when formal estate plans are in place for titled property such as houses, land, or insurance policies, often overlooked is the non-titled property that makes up the bulk of a person’s estate. From clutter to cherished possessions — and everything in between — understanding the importance of estate planning and how to get started is vital for Kentucky families. 

Estate planning allows people to control what happens to their possessions after death. When an executor does not know how to distribute or dispose of a person’s estate, it may create confusion and conflict among families during an already challenging time. To increase consumer knowledge on estate planning, the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service developed the four-lesson curriculum and Extension publication series, Transferring Cherished Possessions: Estate Planning for Non-Titled Property. The material was originally peer-reviewed and piloted in 2022, with statewide train-the-trainer rollout following in 2023.

In preparation for county use across the Commonwealth, three FCS agent trainings were held in Laurel, Daviess, and Scott Counties from February 20–23, 2023. A total of 93 county FCS agents each received 3 hours of face-to-face training led by the FCS Family Finance and Resource Management Specialist. The trainings delivered objective-based learning through interactive activities from the curriculum’s four lessons: (1) Where Do I Start?, (2) What Is Fair?, (3) Who Gets What?, and (4) How Can We Communicate Without Conflict?

Through post-training evaluation surveys, 93% of agents indicated they planned to use Transferring Cherished Possessions: Estate Planning for Non-Titled Property in upcoming county programming. Further, 96% reported gaining knowledge and/or skills about estate planning for non-titled possessions and 96% reported they will apply the materials and knowledge gained to their own life. When asked how they might apply what they learned specifically, agents emphasized beginning to itemize their possessions, creating or updating personal estate plans, and talking with loved ones about estate planning. 

Agents were also asked how they plan to use the Transferring Cherished Possessions curriculum in their counties. In addition to offering the curriculum as a series of county or multi-county workshops, agents expressed interest in using the materials for lunch and learns; marketing at farmers’ markets; working with Kentucky Extension Homemakers and other senior community groups; and hosting estate planning workshops targeted towards farmers. As one agent noted on the training evaluation, "Thank you for giving us a curriculum that we can adapt in how/when we deliver it."