Refuel #8

🛠️ Welcome to Refuel

Hey fam,

Your parents' home is probably their biggest asset—and maybe the one they’ve worked hardest to keep. But if you haven’t had a real conversation about the deed, you may be walking into a legal and financial nightmare.

We’ve heard the horror stories:
📺 In the Netflix film I Care a Lot, court-appointed guardians manipulated seniors into giving up their assets—including their homes. It is such a simple scheme it’s scary!
💰 In real life, scammers and even family members have used quitclaim deeds to transfer ownership—often without the homeowner fully understanding what’s happening. (Also you definitely want to monitor your loved one’s credit!)
📜 Many caregivers have no idea who is on the deed or that it hasn’t been updated in decades.

Let’s talk about protecting your loved ones—and yourself—by ensuring the home is legally secure.

🔥 This Week’s Theme: The House Is Not Just a House—It’s a Legacy

📖 Verse of the Week:
“A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.” – Proverbs 13:22

Homeownership is more than equity—it’s stability, protection, and history. But it can all vanish with one bad signature.

🚗 Story from the Road: When I had to go to the County

Around 2023, it was becoming clearer to me that my mom was declining and her house was no longer an issue I could ignore. One of my friends had been managing the property and had tenants in the house. I had a moment where I had to just come to grips with the idea that she could die any day, and these tenants would be hanging in the wind. I thought the house would have been bought by then, but it wasn’t, so I had to do something so this family wouldn’t be in limbo. It was time to make a trip to the County Recorder of Deeds. And of course, they couldn’t find the original deed from 1969. After some initial confusion, we got it cleared up, but if you don’t know where that stuff is, you gotta get on it. I did a quitclaim deed because a house owned by your parents without everything squared away will definitely send you to probate court!

That’s when I realized: If you’re a caregiver, you must know who owns what.

⚠️ The Hard Truth About Deeds & Inheritance

🔴 A quitclaim deed can transfer ownership with a signature—and no legal protection.
🔴 Many elderly homeowners have outdated or unclear deeds.
🔴 If the deed is not in order before death, it often triggers probate—delaying access to the house and potentially forcing a sale.
🔴 Deed fraud is real. And it’s happening right now.

📌 Bottom Line: If you don’t handle the house while your parents are alive, it may not be there when they’re gone.

⛽ Quick Refuel: 5 Steps to Secure the Family Home

✅ 1. Locate the Deed
❌ Don’t assume → ✅ Request a copy from your local recorder of deeds or title company.

✅ 2. Review Ownership
❌ Don’t ignore unclear names → ✅ Check who’s listed, if it’s joint ownership, or if a trust is involved.

✅ 3. Avoid Quitclaim Deeds Unless Guided by an Attorney
❌ Don’t sign or suggest anything without legal help → ✅ Use warranty deeds or transfer-on-death deeds (TOD) when appropriate. A good probate attorney is worth the big $$ they charge to consult.

✅ 4. Talk About Their Wishes
❌ Don’t make assumptions → ✅ Ask: What do you want to happen with the house? Have you documented that?

✅ 5. Consider a Trust or TOD Deed
❌ Don’t wait for “later” → ✅ These options can help pass property outside of probate—cleanly and securely.

📌 Takeaway: You can’t protect the legacy if you don’t have a plan.

📚 Recommended Reading: Rethink Time, Reclaim Peace

📖 Living Trusts Simplified – James Brooks (2025)
💡 A step-by-step guide to avoiding probate, saving on taxes, and keeping the courts out of your family’s future.
If time is your most limited resource, this book shows you how to protect it long term by getting your legal affairs in order now. Straightforward, practical, and designed for busy families.

📌 Takeaway Tip: The more you plan now, the less your loved ones will scramble later.

📌 Bonus Takeaway Tip: The home may be paid off—but if it’s not protected, it’s still vulnerable.

🛤️ Faith in Motion: A Simple Prayer

"God, give me the wisdom to protect what my family has worked for. Let me be a good steward of the homes, the history, and the hard work of those who came before me. Help me lead with love, not fear. Amen."

📌 Next Steps

💬 Nominate a caregiver who you think is doing great work! They’ll get a Refuel coffee mug on me!
💛✨Share this newsletter with someone you love! Community is the new currency!!💛✨

🎥 Now playing: Estate Planning

The house is more than wood and nails—it’s legacy.
Don’t forget to Refuel.

Love you! Go be great!!

With faith & fuel,
Judith A. Culp
Founder, Faith + Gasoline