Kristin Stolte, End Of Life Doula

02/02/2024

https://apple.news/AEOKcsQ8pTyqEwddKcQ4FHw

The first nine months of Stage 4 kidney cancer were easy. All I had to do was show up every 28 days, and some very nice nurses at UCSF dosed me with immunotherapy. In fact, matters proceeded so well that the oncologist told me to plan a vacation. I followed doctor’s orders and booked a trip to the...

11/02/2023

I stood at the altar acknowledging each of the photos resting on the golden hued marigolds. My grandma told me I could have at least gotten her something to eat. I chuckled and brought her a ginger biscuit. “A nice piece of meat” she’d say. Leaving me to ponder if this biscuit will suffice.
All this to say that I spoke to the people before me. And I heard their voices. I understood their vulnerabilities with compassion. I loved them as they were. Warts and all.
I noticed our similarities. We are all one. And how our flaws melted into the messiness of being human. I saw me in them. Them in me. And I knew the veil had been lifted.

11/01/2023

Remembering those we love on this Dia de Los Mu***os.
Those who have passed are alive in our memories. Death is an integral part of life, and the living and the dead meet on this day to emphasize the importance of death in the cycle of life.
Who would you like to remember and put on your altar today?

10/26/2023

When someone we love dies, whether it’s a close friend, spouse, partner, parent or child, it’s painful. It may seem like life may never be the same again. In time, the pain will ease and eventually you’ll even come to terms with your loss. But grief is different for everyone. There is no specific timeline or right or wrong way to a grieve. How you grieve will depend on your specific life experience, your faith, and how significant the loss was for you.
And the grieving process takes time. Healing is a gradual process that cannot be forced or rushed along. Some people start to feel better in weeks or months for others it may take years. What’s important is to be patient with yourself and allow the process to unfold.
How have you dealt with your grief?
Please follow for more information on the topics of death, dying and grief.

07/18/2023

If you state in your Will that your children will inherit your home when you pass, eventually those wishes will be granted –but not until after the home goes through probate (the legal process for reviewing the assets of a deceased person and determining inheritors).

That can put your heirs at a real disadvantage if they're in desperate need of their inheritance. Probate can take nine to eighteen months. Another disadvantage of probate is its expense: there are court fees, filing fees, publishing fees for creditor notices, and other expenses that can eat into your estate's value, leaving less for your beneficiaries.

I have a network of professionals that can help with Trusts or other legal questions. DM me for more information.

07/10/2023

Banks don't push for you to name a beneficiary on a bank account because they aren't required to do so. However, this is a smart move and can be a helpful part of your estate plan. The biggest benefit: funds in the account will be distributed directly to the beneficiary upon your death.
Many banks offer payable-on-death (POD) accounts as part of their standard offerings. A POD account instructs the bank to pass on a client’s assets to the beneficiary, which means money in a POD account is kept out of probate court in the event the account holder dies. After a beneficiary is chosen, the bank provides the appropriate form, called a "Totten trust", to be filled out, which will allow funds to pass directly to the beneficiary after your death.