The Death Readiness Podcast: Not your dad’s estate planning podcast

This episode explains why handwritten wills, while legally valid in some states like Michigan, often lead to probate disputes and unintended property distribution, offering guidance on avoiding these pitfalls.

This episode explores the critical importance of naming beneficiaries on retirement accounts through a real case where failing to do so could cost a surviving spouse over $300,000.

This episode explains why business interests and stock grants often create blind spots in estate plans, using listener questions and real-world examples to discuss ownership, documentation, and proactive planning.

This episode discusses the importance of questioning estate planning experts and trusting your instincts to improve plans for real-life situations, using a personal story about overtraining to illustrate the pitfalls of rigid planning.

This episode explores the legal complexities of the Slayer Statute, specifically whether someone can inherit from a person they attempted to kill if the victim dies naturally, blending estate planning with true crime elements.

This episode explores Joyce Watkins' wrongful conviction and 27-year imprisonment, featuring an interview with Jason Gitchner of the Tennessee Innocence Project about legal advocacy, resilience, and maintaining personal agency.

This episode features an interview with Judge Andra Hedrick discussing the pitfalls of DIY wills and estate plans, based on her experiences in probate court.

This episode shares a personal story about hiring the wrong estate planning attorney despite a trusted referral, highlighting red flags and the importance of trusting your instincts when selecting legal representation.

This episode explains why business owners need estate plans, using a case study about a client who discovered her stock options were actually LLC units with binding operating agreements.

This episode explains how families can give financial gifts to loved ones with disabilities without jeopardizing their eligibility for government benefits through proper estate planning.

This episode debunks viral social media claims about California's Proposition 19 and inheritance taxes, using a real-world example to clarify estate planning complexities.

A former estate attorney discusses immigration enforcement rights and school protocols after her daughter participates in an ICE protest, emphasizing that knowing legal rights isn't always sufficient for protection.

This episode explains how debt is handled after someone dies, covering when debts must be paid, the priority of different types of bills, and practical advice for managing estate administration.

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This episode explores how selling a lake house can complicate a will by transforming a specific gift into cash, potentially leading to family disputes and legal uncertainty.

The host revisits a popular episode featuring a conversation with her dad about raising a child with Down syndrome, exploring family, responsibility, and creating a meaningful legacy beyond financial estate planning.

This episode explores how housing security risks manifest in blended families and long-term relationships, offering practical guidance on legal tools like life estates and leases to ensure clarity and protection.

The host shares how poet Andrea Gibson's documentary and words helped her confront personal medical fears and find agency in small steps, while connecting it to broader themes of staying present in life.

This episode explores how well-intentioned financial assistance, like viral GoFundMe campaigns, can inadvertently create legal and financial complications, especially when interacting with government benefits.

This episode explores how digital algorithms and online threats pose greater dangers to teenagers than physical environments, framing digital safety as essential for modern parenting.

The host reflects on how hosting a podcast about death and estate planning has taught her to personally confront grief after a family loss, rather than just discussing it professionally.

This episode features Laura Lynn Morrissey discussing practical strategies for having difficult conversations with aging parents about getting help at home or moving to assisted living, while preserving their dignity and avoiding family conflict.

This episode explores how to legally include pets in estate planning through animal trusts, using the host's personal story about her dog Oliver to illustrate the importance of planning for pet care after death.

This episode uses Jane Goodall's inspirational story to discuss the importance of estate planning and personal responsibility in preparing for life's uncertainties.

This episode explores whether you need a will by explaining what a will is, its purpose, and common misconceptions, using a personal anecdote to illustrate how people often approach estate planning without understanding it.

This episode explains that being named as an executor in a will does not legally require you to serve in that role, addressing common misconceptions and providing clarity on estate planning responsibilities.

This episode explains why updating a will after having more children is crucial, using real-life examples and legal insights to highlight the risks of outdated estate plans.

This episode explains why banks often reject powers of attorney for trust accounts, highlighting the legal distinctions between personal financial management and roles requiring election or appointment.

This episode explains the complexities and common misunderstandings of irrevocable trusts in estate planning, focusing on avoiding hidden tax traps in lifetime gifts.

This episode explores how poor estate planning led to the loss of President James Polk's historic home, Polk Place, illustrating the importance of clear legal documents to preserve legacies.

This episode clarifies the distinction between medical aid in dying and assisted suicide while exploring end-of-life options and legal considerations for families.

This episode addresses what happens when you lose your original will and provides guidance on proper filing and estate planning.

This episode explains why trusts often fail when assets aren't properly transferred into them, detailing the financial and emotional costs to adult children who must handle this administrative work.

This episode discusses why powers of attorney often fail in real-world situations and offers practical steps to ensure they work effectively during family crises.

This episode explains how the IRS treats holiday gifts and bonuses given to employees or independent contractors differently from family gifts, covering tax implications for items like cash, gift cards, and branded swag.

This episode explores how small, inconvenient acts like fostering a puppy connect to estate planning and personal agency, emphasizing that preparation and knowledge create power in uncertain times.

This episode explains what a ladybird deed is, how it can help avoid probate for real estate, and why it might create complications, based on the host's experience as an estate attorney.

This episode explains the differences between power of attorney and guardianship while offering practical steps to protect aging parents and avoid probate court.

This episode explains how legal gaps in wills can lead to family conflicts, using a personal story about inherited jewelry to illustrate practical estate planning tips.

This episode discusses how to compassionately guide aging parents through life care and estate planning by moving them from problem awareness to solution awareness.

This episode addresses how to prevent ex-spouses from accidentally inheriting money through estate planning mistakes, using listener questions and real cases.

This episode explores how to maintain fairness among children in estate planning, addressing lifetime gifts, wills, beneficiary designations, and real-world legal complications.

This episode explores the challenges of keeping family properties like cottages or lake houses in the family across generations, addressing both emotional attachments and practical estate planning considerations.

This episode explains how to give money during the holidays without triggering IRS gift tax reporting requirements, using personal stories to illustrate the importance of understanding tax rules.

This episode explains how geography and state laws impact estate planning, focusing on estate and inheritance taxes across different states.

This episode explores how a mother can protect her son from potential harm of inheriting money through trust provisions, discussing trustee powers and estate planning strategies.

This episode of The Death Readiness Podcast shares the story of Emery Grossinger, a boy who survived Auschwitz and lost both parents by age 13, framed within Jill Mastroianni's reflections on the Holocaust and estate planning.

This episode explores why disinheritance can be a risky estate planning strategy and offers practical alternatives to prevent family conflict.

This episode explores a complex medical ethics case where a pregnant woman is declared brain dead, raising questions about autonomy, abortion law, and end-of-life decisions.

This episode explores the risks of naming a caregiver adult child as the beneficiary of an IRA, using a real listener's question about parents with dementia to highlight pitfalls and safer alternatives in estate planning.

An estate planning attorney discusses what happens to assets when someone dies and the importance of documenting them to avoid family scavenger hunts.

The host discusses five critical questions to ask before agreeing to be an executor or agent under a power of attorney, emphasizing the real responsibilities and potential need to say no.

The episode discusses the importance of legal documents for 18-year-olds to ensure their wishes are respected in medical emergencies.

This episode discusses how prenuptial agreements can foster healthier relationships, using a case study to highlight the importance of estate planning.

An estate planning attorney explains whether putting a house in a trust protects it from Medicaid nursing home costs.

An attorney explains how special needs estate planning differs from traditional estate planning and interviews a guest about securing the future of a loved one with special needs.

Jill Mastroianni interviews her father about raising a child with Down syndrome and navigating estate planning and advocacy.

Attorney Jill Mastroianni interviews grief educator Megan Malick about navigating end-of-life conversations and emotional readiness.

Attorney Jill Mastroianni introduces her podcast on estate planning and end-of-life preparation, sharing how she met her co-host at a networking event.

An attorney interviews a professional organizer about the importance of going through belongings and the emotional journey of end-of-life preparation.