Estate Planning Basics with Attorney Natalie Black (Worden Thane) | Wills, Trusts, Probate & Powers of Attorney (Note : Not official legal advise)

On this episode of Lets Talk Wealth Podcast, host Robert and co-host Josie talk with Natalie Black, a partner at Missoula law firm Worden & Thane, about her path from law school intern to partner and her “work hard, play hard” philosophy. Natalie explains core estate-planning documents—wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and living wills—why powers of attorney matter even for young adults, and how failing to plan can trigger costly guardianship/conservatorship proceedings. The conversation covers probate in Montana, strategies to avoid it (beneficiary designations, joint ownership, transfer-on-death deeds, and trusts), and why beneficiary designations can override a will. They compare Montana practice to “big law,” discuss revocable vs irrevocable trusts (including estate-tax and specialized needs planning concepts), touch on UTMA and 529 considerations, and highlight real-world scenarios involving incapacity, family conflict, and fraud risks.

( Note : Not to take this as official legal advice )

00:00 Welcome to the Lets Talk Wealth Podcast

00:40 Work Hard Play Hard

03:24 Becoming a Law Partner

05:17 Why Law School

09:39 Standing Out in Interviews

16:34 Big Law vs Montana Practice

21:59 Choosing Estate Planning

27:30 Estate Planning Basics

32:31 Recruiting Drive to MEPS

33:01 Wrong Way Crash Scene

34:04 First Responder Aftermath

34:53 Estate Planning Cost Reality

36:07 Holographic Wills Explained

37:44 Power of Attorney Pitfalls

39:56 Beneficiary Designation Nightmares

43:34 Why Beneficiaries Override Wills

46:15 Probate Process Breakdown

51:38 Guardianship for Minor Kids

55:57 UTMA and 529 Tradeoffs

59:36 Changing UTMA Needs Court

01:02:53 Parenting Tangent and Control

01:05:09 Control in Marriage

01:05:57 Trust Basics Explained

01:07:13 Revocable vs Irrevocable

01:09:53 Estate Tax Gifting Trusts

01:12:52 State Laws and Community Property

01:15:39 Prenups and Protecting Wealth

01:25:56 Medicaid Trusts and Lookback

01:28:24 Corporate Trustees and Compliance

01:31:55 Special Needs Trusts

01:33:23 Medicaid Workarounds Reality

01:33:54 Estate Planning Priorities

01:35:13 Power of Attorney Basics

01:35:57 Living Wills and Trusts

01:37:09 Durable vs Springing POA

01:39:13 Limiting Authority and Fiduciary Duty

01:42:43 Undue Influence Red Flags

01:45:46 Challenging Capacity in Court

01:47:55 Scams and Advisor Intervention

01:52:27 Stewardship and Value Mindset

01:56:16 How to Connect and Wrap Up

( Disclaimer : This podcast is for general information and educational purposes only. This is not official legal or wealth advice)

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Lets Talk Wealth Podcast - Hosted by Robert Montes, CPFA® and Josie Allred