When you or a loved one dies, there are many logistical and financial tasks that have to be completed.

If you've ever wondered what happens to your money, retirement accounts, property, and debt after you die, this podcast will review what you need to know.

Welcome back to episode 910 of Money Girl. I'm Laura Adams, an award-winning author, spokesperson,

money speaker, founder of the money stack. That's my substack newsletter and host of this podcast

with over 43 million downloads.

If you're enjoying the free content, we love creating here.

Take a moment to rate and review the show in your podcast app.

And if you've got a question about money, leave it on our voicemail at 302-364.0308.

You can also visit my website at laura d adams.com to email me directly and learn more about my

books, courses, and the free moneystack newsletter. So after you die, everything you leave behind

becomes its own legal entity called your estate. It's basically your net worth at death,

including things like your cash, financial accounts, real estate, other assets, and personal

belongings, regardless of whether it's worth a little or a lot. It's still called your estate.

And what happens to it depends on whether you

die with or without a last will and the state where you lived. Every estate must have a named

executor whose job is to protect your assets, distribute your property, pay your outstanding bills,

and settle your debts, like taxes outstanding bills, and settle your debts,

like taxes, loans, and credit cards. We'll review more about debt after death in just a moment.

If you don't create a last will and name someone as your executor, a court will appoint one

for you. The problem is they likely won't be someone you know and they may

not carry out your wishes as you would have liked. Therefore, if you don't have a will, please prioritize

creating one. You can hire an estate planning attorney or use online resources like trust and will

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