For too long the media has controlled the narrative of estate planning. I remember watching the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless, and every time a character died there would be a dramatic will reading in a dark wood-paneled room, or every time Victor was offended by his children or he and Nicki broke up or got back together again, someone would be written into our out of his will. Let’s not forget the trust funds lorded over the kids’ heads either. In reality, estate planning is not just a tool for the rich to try and manipulate their family. To use the popular phrase of the times, that’s “fake news”.
Most estate planning attorneys view themselves as the ultimate authority on estate planning, but what they fail to see is that clients are our ultimate authority because without their input and their leadership we can’t help them truly protect their families. Every family is unique, and every client has their own wishes goals and preferences.