Not Your Average Death Blog
When Grief Meets Bureaucracy: Why Families Need Advocates During Estate Administration
Losing a loved one is difficult enough, but trying to navigate the complex maze of bureaucracy involved in managing and administering an estate, while deep in grief, can make things so much harder.
Why Your Business Needs an Estate Plan, Too
What would happen to your business if you didn’t come back after a long weekend? Would your clients get what they’ve paid for? Would invoices get paid? Would anyone even know where to start?
This week’s Tuesday Triage question came from Julie in Virginia, who runs an online business and wanted to know if her business needs an estate plan. The answer is simple: yes.
Because planning isn’t just about what happens if something goes wrong; it’s about agency. It’s about building a business that can survive a sale, a sabbatical, or the unexpected.
How Taylor Swift’s Path to Stardom Began in Probate Court
Taylor Swift is all over the headlines right now with her recent engagement, but did you know her path to stardom began in probate court??
What Really Happens to DIY Wills in Probate Court
When most people say “I just want to avoid probate,” what they really mean is: I want things to be clear and simple. Today I sat down with Probate Court Judge Andra Hedrick from Davidson County, Tennessee, to demystify what probate actually is, why clarity matters, and how well‑intended “simple” Wills (handwritten notes, internet forms, AI drafts) can create complicated outcomes later on.
A Will isn’t a magic key the moment you sign it. It becomes legally effective only IF the court admits it to probate, confirming the basic requirements (like the right signatures, witnesses, and formalities) have been met.
Why Banks Reject Powers of Attorney for Trust Accounts
Have you ever been surprised when a bank accepts a power of attorney for one account but rejects it for another? That’s exactly what happened to Lindsey from Tennessee. She could use her dad’s power of attorney for his checking and savings accounts, but when she tried to use it to access his trust accounts, the bank said no — and didn’t explain why.
Why Naming the Caregiver Adult Child (instead of your Spouse with Dementia) as Beneficiary of your IRA Can Backfire
It’s a situation many families face: a healthy parent wants to make sure their spouse with dementia is cared for if the healthy parent dies first. The instinct might be to name the caregiving adult child as the beneficiary of the IRA — trusting them to use the funds for the parent who needs care. But what seems simple can actually put both the money and the spouse with dementia at risk.
Why You Need (or Don’t Need) a Trust
If you’ve ever been told, “You need a trust,” and didn’t quite know what that meant, you’re not alone.
It’s something people hear from well-meaning friends, financial advisors, or maybe even their parents. But rarely does anyone slow down and explain why you might need one or whether it makes sense for your situation.
That’s what this week’s Tuesday Triage episode is all about.
How to Prevent your Estate Plan from Becoming a Family Battlefield
In Michigan, a recent guardianship case caught my attention—not just because it happened where I live, but because it’s the kind of story I see over and over again, in different forms, across the country.
It’s Going to Be Okay
In this episode of The Death Readiness Podcast, I’m not speaking as an estate attorney or a podcast host. I’m showing up as a daughter, a sister, a mother. A woman in the thick of the sandwich generation—caring for a child, walking alongside a father, and quietly planning for the day I’ll be the one who has to tell Dan again: “It’s going to be okay.”
R-E-S-P-E-C-T Your Legacy: Lessons from Aretha Franklin’s Will
I’m new to the Metro Detroit area—and I’m loving it here.
There’s a lot of pride in Detroit. People here wear Detroit T-shirts, Detroit hats—everything Detroit. We don’t need to go anywhere else when we have Detroit.
And one of Detroit’s greatest heroes—the Queen herself—is Aretha Franklin.
She’s still nearby, too: Aretha is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery, just down the road from where I live.
Aretha Franklin passed away on August 16, 2018, at the age of 76. She was unmarried at the time and left behind four adult children, including a son with special needs.
Initially, it was believed that Aretha died without a Will.
Put Yourself in a Box: Why the Harmless Error Doctrine Is No Excuse for Poor Planning
A plan is only as good as the paper it’s written—and properly signed—on. A valid, signed, witnessed and properly executed Will still matters. Yet time and again, people delay. They plan to go back to their lawyer, plan to sign next week, plan to finalize their intentions when life slows down. But life doesn’t slow down. And the result? Confusion, conflict, and sometimes devastating cost.
Did Gene Hackman Disinherit His Children? I Have No Idea… and Neither Do You.
The headlines are swirling: "Hackman's children not named in actor's will.”
Is it true? I don’t know. I haven’t seen the Will.
The Executor’s Burden: What You Need to Know
If you’ve ever been named an executor, or if you’re thinking about whom to name in your own estate plan, you might not realize just how much work this role entails. Many people assume that serving as an executor is a straightforward responsibility—gather some paperwork, pay a few bills, distribute the assets, and you’re done.
But the reality is far more complicated.
The Probate Puzzle: Understanding Wills, Assets, and Legal Hurdles
Probate can be one of the most misunderstood parts of estate planning. Many people assume their assets will simply transfer to their loved ones when they pass away, but without the right planning, the process can be long, costly, and stressful.