🎧 Episode 98 — What's Your Plan For After You Are Gone?

📝 Episode Summary

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” In this episode of One for the Money, we’re tackling one of those certainties: death—and more specifically, what happens to your assets and loved ones after you pass.

While we can't answer the big question of where we go when we die, we can answer the important question of what happens to your estate. This episode covers why estate planning is not just for the wealthy, but for everyone who wants to protect their family, preserve their legacy, and avoid unnecessary legal headaches.

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• What an estate plan actually is (and what it includes)
• The default estate plan you already have—whether you like it or not
• Why probate court is costly, slow, and public—and how to avoid it
• Real-life cautionary tales of celebrities who died without a plan
• Why women are disproportionately impacted by poor estate planning
• The 5 domains of financial planning and how estate planning fits in
• The four key benefits of having a comprehensive estate plan:
• ✅ Control
• ✅ Family protection
• ✅ Avoiding intestacy
• ✅ Incapacity planning
• The essential estate documents everyone should have
• Common benefits of trusts—privacy, speed, control, and tax efficiency
• A powerful mindset shift: think legacy, not death

💡 Tips, Tricks & Strategies Segment

In the second half of the episode, we share a critical tip:

🧠 The biggest risk of not having an estate plan isn’t legal—it's emotional.

Estate plans aren't just about legal documents—they're about maintaining family unity. Hear real-life stories of how families were torn apart due to poor or unclear planning, and learn how to avoid becoming a cautionary tale.

📌 Resources & References

• Kiplinger: Widows Move Forward on Their Own—But Not Alone
• Fidelity: Estate Planning Basics
• LegalZoom: 10 Famous People Who Died Without a Will

📣 Call to Action

If you don’t have an estate plan—or haven’t updated it in a while—this episode is your wake-up call. Talk to a trusted estate attorney and work with a Certified Financial Planner to ensure your family is protected and your legacy preserved.