You can love your family and still leave them a legal mess. We sit down with attorney Eileen Spangrud to talk about the most common reason people avoid estate planning: it feels like inviting death into your calendar. Then we flip the frame. A will is not a superstition, it is a practical way to protect your spouse, your kids, and your future self with one clear set of instructions.
We walk through how a straightforward will process works, including the kind of questionnaire that helps you list assets, name beneficiaries, and choose an executor. From rare collections to charitable gifts, we explain what you can control and what happens when you do nothing and let intestate succession laws step in. The surprises are real, especially for second marriages and blended families, where “the state’s plan” can force outcomes you never would have chosen.
Then we get into the traps that cause the biggest probate fights: outdated documents, DIY and holographic wills, and beneficiary designations that do not match your will. We also zoom out to the rest of a complete estate plan: financial power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney, a living will, and an advance directive so your loved ones are not left guessing about money or medical choices at the worst possible time.
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