EP. 7 : Natalie Black at Worden Thane P.C. | Lets Talk Wealth Podcast hosted by Robert Montes & Josie Allred

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 Podcast00:40 Work Hard Play Hard03:24 Becoming a Law Partner05:17 Why Law School09:39 Standing Out in Interviews16:34 Big Law vs Montana Practice21:59 Choosing Estate Planning27:30 Estate Planning Basics32:31 Recruiting Drive to MEPS33:01 Wrong Way Crash Scene34:04 First Responder Aftermath34:53 Estate Planning Cost Reality36:07 Holographic Wills Explained37:44 Power of Attorney Pitfalls39:56 Beneficiary Designation Nightmares43:34 Why Beneficiaries Override Wills46:15 Probate Process Breakdown51:38 Guardianship for Minor Kids55:57 UTMA and 529 Tradeoffs59:36 Changing UTMA Needs Court01:02:53 Parenting Tangent and Control01:05:09 Control in Marriage01:05:57 Trust Basics Explained01:07:13 Revocable vs Irrevocable01:09:53 Estate Tax Gifting Trusts01:12:52 State Laws and Community Property01:15:39 Prenups and Protecting Wealth01:25:56 Medicaid Trusts and Lookback01:28:24 Corporate Trustees and Compliance01:31:55 Special Needs Trusts01:33:23 Medicaid Workarounds Reality01:33:54 Estate Planning Priorities01:35:13 Power of Attorney Basics01:35:57 Living Wills and Trusts01:37:09 Durable vs Springing POA01:39:13 Limiting Authority and Fiduciary Duty01:42:43 Undue Influence Red Flags01:45:46 Challenging Capacity in Court01:47:55 Scams and Advisor Intervention01:52:27 Stewardship and Value Mindset01:56:16 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)