Life insurance might not get a lot of airtime in estate planning education … but when used well, it can completely transform the outcome for your clients and their families.

In this episode, I’m sharing why I love life insurance as part of an estate planning strategy.

We cover:

It’s not the most common estate planning strategy … but it’s also not as rare as you might think.

What do you do when a client says they want to skip over their adult children and leave everything directly to the grandkids?

In this episode, we unpack:

Whether you’ve seen it before or suspect it’s coming your way, this episode will help you prepare.

Estate planning isn’t just about dividing assets - it’s our final opportunity to create a lasting impact.

Whether it’s supporting a favourite charity, funding medical research, or leaving a legacy for future generations, estate planning gives clients the power to give back in a meaningful way.

In this episode, we have a special guest, Denise Cheng of Equity Trustees who will guide us through the world of charitable giving structures and how estate planning lawyers can support their clients toward strategic philanthropy.

Are you socials ready for the next Testamentary Trust trend?

Your law firm's social media isn’t just about dancing reels or legal fun facts — it’s often your prospective client's first impression of you.

And if a potential client lands on your profile and can’t tell how you can help them and how to work with you in 5 seconds flat? You’re losing them.

A few weeks ago, testamentary trusts had their moment in the sun on instagram and tik tok and it was fascinating to watch which members of the TT Precedents Club were able to capitalise on this opportunity and which firms were left behind.

In this episode, I'm sharing some of my thoughts on the non-negotiables every estate planning lawyer should have on their social media profile.

This isn’t about your content going viral.

It’s about turning profile visits into paying clients.

Tune in to learn how to make your online presence feel like your most confident, client-converting self.

Download our free conversation template here to help make it even easier to create your social media posts.

It's a super common question when preparing an estate plan for a client who already has a family trust: "Can I just use my existing family trust? Why do I need a new testamentary trust"?

It might sound like the simplest option, but is gifting an inheritance to an existing family trust really the smarted move?

In this episode, we unpack the pros and cons of gifting to an existing family trust versus setting up a testamentary trust in the will. While both options might look similar at first glance, the differences can have big tax and asset protection implications.

And we've included a free comparison of the major differences between a family trust and a testamentary trust here.

If your clients have mentioned “just putting it in the family trust,” this episode will help you walk them through the real implications and drafting considerations.

One of the most powerful (and intimidating) features of testamentary trusts? Their ability to stream tax-free income to minors thanks to the excepted trust income rules.

If you start breaking out in a sweat the minute you have to start explaining HOW and WHY testamentary trusts offer such incredible tax free treatment for minors - this episode is for you!

And here’s the good news: you don’t need to be a tax expert to understand (and learn how to explain) this incredible benefit of a testamentary trust.

This is trust talk for non-tax lawyers. I break it down in plain English with real world scenarios about why this feature of testamentary trusts is a life changing silver lining for families who have just been through the worst moment of their lives.

Codicils seem like a tidy fix. A quick amendment. A low-cost update. But are codicils actually more trouble than they’re worth?

In this episode, we dig into the real risks behind the humble codicil — and whether using them is ever a good idea in modern estate planning.

We cover:

If you’ve ever had that uneasy feeling after executing a codicil — you’re not alone. This episode will help you weigh up the risks and walk your clients through the smartest (and safest) way forward.

They're seen as a “must-have” in estate planning. But… are Binding Death Benefit Nominations (BDBNs) actually essential for every client?

In this episode, we challenge the conventional wisdom around BDBNs — and ask whether we’ve all been giving them a little too much credit.

We unpack:

Want more information about your BDBN Precedent package for self managed super funds? Find out here.

In this episode, Tara chats with Lidia Vicca, founder of Vicca Law, about her bold career shift from being a top-tier litigator to running her own boutique estate planning firm.

After welcoming her first child, Lidia knew something had to change. The demanding hours, uncomfortable suits, the constant grind — it no longer aligned with the kind of life she wanted to build. So she did what many dream of (but few follow through on): she backed herself and built a firm from scratch, on her terms.

We chat about:  

If you’ve ever felt that quiet whisper to pivot, take back control, or find more meaning in your legal career — Lidia’s story will absolutely resonate.

Binding Death Benefit Nominations (BDBNs) — nearly every Australian super fund member has one, yet they remain one of the most misunderstood pieces of the estate planning puzzle.

Its frightening how many clients have accidently DIY-ed their succession plan for one of their biggest assets without realising how complex (and powerful) these nominations really are.

In this episode, we unpack:

What a BDBN is and why it carries so much legal weight

The difference between nominating a beneficiary directly vs the legal personal representative (LPR)

Common misconceptions when it comes to superannuation death benefits

How to guide clients toward better decisions when it comes to super and estate planning

If your clients assume their super will just “follow the will” — it’s time to gently bust that myth. And if you’ve ever found BDBNs confusing yourself, you’re not alone. Let’s untangle it all, together.