Stephanie Pogue - Confusion to Clarity

Stephanie Pogue - Confusion to Clarity https://linktr.ee/stephaniepogue

Helping individuals and families navigate the complexities of Retirement Planning including Medicare insurance, Social Security claiming strategies and Long Term Care plans.

🎉 Last but not least, welcome to our final Estate Planning: Fact or Fiction #10!Over the past several weeks, we've tack...
08/31/2026

🎉 Last but not least, welcome to our final Estate Planning: Fact or Fiction #10!

Over the past several weeks, we've tackled some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding estate planning. My goal has been simple: to take a topic that often feels overwhelming and make it easier to understand.

🧐Let's finish the series with one final Fact or Fiction...
"The best estate plan is the one with the most documents."
What's your guess?
👍 FACT
❤️ FICTION
⬇️
⬇️
⬇️
❤️ FICTION

One lesson really stuck with me after talking with Cort Smith of Smith Trust and Estate Planning...More paperwork doesn't automatically mean a better estate plan. Sometimes a family needs a trust. Sometimes they don't. The goal isn't to leave an attorney's office with the thickest binder. It's to leave with a plan that's right for your family, your goals, and your future.

💬 Would you rather have the biggest plan...or the right plan?

As we wrap up our Estate Planning: Fact or Fiction series, thank you for following along! I hope these posts helped clear up some common misconceptions and made estate planning a little easier to understand.

If you learned something new, let me know in the comments. And if you know someone who could benefit from this series, please share it with them.

Thank you for being part of our Confusion to Clarity community. Stay tuned...more educational topics are on the way! 🙂

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #9?"Adding my child to my bank account is the same as having a Financial Power of At...
08/28/2026

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #9?
"Adding my child to my bank account is the same as having a Financial Power of Attorney."
What's your guess?
👍 FACT
❤️ FICTION
⬇️
⬇️
⬇️
❤️ FICTION

This is a shortcut many families take with good intentions.
But as Cort Smith of Smith Trust and Estate Planning explained, those two things are very different. Adding someone to your account can create ownership issues after you pass away. A Financial Power of Attorney gives someone authority to help you while protecting your overall estate plan. One decision can have long term consequences. 💬 Have you ever heard someone recommend adding a child to a bank account?

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #8?"Estate planning is only for wealthy families."What's your guess?👍 FACT❤️ FICTION...
08/26/2026

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #8?
"Estate planning is only for wealthy families."
What's your guess?
👍 FACT
❤️ FICTION
⬇️
⬇️
⬇️
❤️ FICTION

One thing I really appreciated during my conversation with Cort Smith of Smith Trust and Estate Planning was this reminder:
Estate planning isn't about how much money you have. It's about making life easier for the people you love. Every adult should have a plan, regardless of the size of their estate. 💬 What's one estate planning question you've always wanted to ask?

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #7?"If I'm married, my spouse automatically has the legal right to make medical deci...
08/24/2026

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #7?
"If I'm married, my spouse automatically has the legal right to make medical decisions for me."
What's your guess?
👍 FACT
❤️ FICTION
⬇️
⬇️
⬇️
❤️ FICTION

This answer surprised me too. As Cort Smith of Smith Trust and Estate Planning explained, in Missouri, your spouse does not automatically have that legal authority. That's one reason a Healthcare Power of Attorney is so important. It's one of those documents you hope you never need...But you'll be thankful it's there if you do. 💬 Did you know this before today?

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #6?"A Financial Power of Attorney can be just as important as a will."What's your gu...
08/21/2026

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #6?
"A Financial Power of Attorney can be just as important as a will."
What's your guess?
👍 FACT
❤️ FICTION
⬇️
⬇️
⬇️
👍 FACT

This may have been my biggest takeaway from talking with Cort Smith of Smith Trust and Estate Planning. If you're unable to manage your finances...Who pays your bills? Who talks to the bank?
Who can sell your home if needed? A Financial Power of Attorney allows someone you trust to step in and help. Sometimes planning for life is just as important as planning for what happens after we're gone. 💬 Have you ever helped a parent with finances?

Could something that looks like “normal aging” actually be related to medication? Fatigue. Memory changes. Balance issue...
08/21/2026

Could something that looks like “normal aging” actually be related to medication? Fatigue. Memory changes. Balance issues. These are often blamed on getting older, but sometimes there may be more to the story.

On this month’s episode of Aging, Healthcare & Everything In Between, I talk with Dr. Hedva Barenholz Levy, board-certified geriatric pharmacist and author of Maybe It’s Your Medications.
We discuss why it’s so important to understand the medications we take, recognize potential side effects, and ask questions like:

💊 Why am I taking this?
💊 Is it still helping me?
💊 Could this medication be causing a new symptom?

Whether you’re managing your own medications or helping care for someone you love, this is a conversation worth hearing.

🎙️ Listen to this month’s episode and learn how asking a few simple questions can help you become a better advocate for your health.

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #5?"Once I sign a trust, everything I own automatically becomes part of it."What's y...
08/19/2026

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #5?
"Once I sign a trust, everything I own automatically becomes part of it."
What's your guess?
👍 FACT
❤️ FICTION
⬇️
⬇️
⬇️
❤️ FICTION

I loved the way Cort Smith explained this. "A trust isn't a magnet."
Simply signing the documents doesn't move your assets into the trust. Your accounts and property still have to be titled correctly or directed into the trust. Otherwise, your trust may not work the way you expected. 💬 Did you already know a trust has to be properly funded?

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #4?"Updating your beneficiaries may be one of the easiest ways to help your family a...
08/17/2026

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #4?
"Updating your beneficiaries may be one of the easiest ways to help your family avoid probate."
What's your guess?
👍 FACT
❤️ FICTION
⬇️
⬇️
⬇️
👍 FACT

This was one of the practical tips Cort Smith of Smith Trust and Estate Planning shared during our conversation. Retirement accounts. Life insurance. Bank accounts. These often allow you to name beneficiaries, making it much easier for those assets to transfer. It's amazing how many people haven't looked at those designations in years. 💬 When was the last time you reviewed your beneficiaries?

Our recent Brilliant Signature Talk Experience™ on July 30–31 was nothing short of incredible! There is undeniable power...
08/17/2026

Our recent Brilliant Signature Talk Experience™ on July 30–31 was nothing short of incredible!

There is undeniable power in gaining total clarity and confidence in your message. A signature talk isn’t just about standing on a stage, it’s about building authority, forging deep connections, and opening doors to high-impact opportunities.

Over two transformative days, members of our Brilliant Women Network refined their core messages, shared their stories, practiced their delivery, and stepped into a whole new level of leadership.

Watching these women own their expertise with purpose was a powerful reminder: when you communicate clearly and stand firmly in your truth, you don’t just gain visibility, you become unforgettable.

If you've been sitting on a message the world needs to hear, tell me below. Comment STAGE and I'll personally reach out with details on our next Signature Talk Experience.

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #3?"Everyone needs a trust."What's your guess?👍 FACT❤️ FICTION⬇️⬇️⬇️❤️ FICTIONOne of...
08/14/2026

🧐 Estate Planning: FACT or FICTION #3?
"Everyone needs a trust."
What's your guess?
👍 FACT
❤️ FICTION
⬇️
⬇️
⬇️
❤️ FICTION

One of my favorite things Cort Smith said was that the first question shouldn't be..."Do I need a trust?" It should be...
"Why do I need a trust?" If you have young children, multiple beneficiaries, a family farm, or a loved one with special needs, a trust may make perfect sense. But not every family needs one. The best estate plan isn't the most expensive one. It's the one that's right for your family. 💬 Did this answer surprise you?

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