Minnesota’s stay at home order has prompted numerous individuals and families to conduct those long put-off purges of clothing and possessions that no longer serve them. But what about those possessions that still hold emotional or financial value for family members?

Marlene Stum has advice. A professor in Family Social Science and extension specialist, she is a leader in addressing the decisions families tend to avoid – but few escape – including inheritance (transfer of property), end-of-life health care, financing long term care, and the potential for elder financial exploitation by a family member.

Her program, Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate™, is based on her an award-winning research project and has helped thousands navigate inheritance issues around the transfer of non-title property. The long-selling workbook ­– still available in UMN Bookstores – now has a video component to jumpstart your family conversations.

Stum collaborated with a producer and UMN Extension Communications created the video workshop to extend the reach of the work that continues to be requested and purchased nationwide.

“Demand for this workshop has consistently outstripped the availability of facilitators,” said Stum, who narrates the 40-minute video. “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate is designed to help families understand the family dynamics at work around what’s fair and avoid conflict.”

The video is structured into chapters that align with the workbook, available for online order at the University of Minnesota Bookstores for $12.50 (the same price as when it was published in 1998) and in packages of 25 or more for $7.50.  

More resources

The Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate™ website at Extension has articles, quizzes, podcasts and more to assist families in transferring non-titled property.