PODCASTEpisode 23 – Why Estate Planning Isn’t Just for Your Parents and Grandparents
If you’re 29, 39, or somewhere in between, you might be thinking estate planning is something you’ll deal with later. But what happens if the unexpected occurs and you don’t have a plan in place? The answer may surprise you.
In this episode of Into the Woods, attorney Hannah Mills returns to join host Dave Shaffer in exploring why estate planning matters at every age. They discuss what happens under New York’s intestacy laws when someone dies without a will – including how a surviving spouse may not inherit everything. Dave and Hannah also cover key considerations for blended families and stepchildren, unmarried couples, business owners, and parents of young children, including guardianship provisions and the importance of powers of attorney and healthcare proxies for college-age kids. The episode wraps with a cautionary show-and-tell segment about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo author, whose lack of estate planning left his partner of 32 years without rights to his multimillion-dollar estate.