About this episode

Molly McGrath discusses with Jessica Schmitz the reasons why estate plans often fail and the importance of trust funding.

In this episode, Molly sits down with Jessica Schmitz, Founder of Fund Ease, LLC, to discuss why so many estate plans fail after the documents are signed and the critical role trust funding plays in ensuring a plan actually works when it's needed most. Jessica shares the common reasons trusts go unfunded, why clients often fail to complete the funding process, and how law firms can improve follow-through, avoid probate risks, and deliver a better client experience. You'll learn how to identify trust funding gaps, create a more effective estate planning process, improve client accountability, and ensure your clients' assets are properly protected from unnecessary probate and costly mistakes. Key Takeaways: A Trust Isn't Complete Until It's Funded. Assets must be properly transferred into the trust to avoid probate and ensure the plan works as intended. Most Funding Problems Are Really Follow-Up Problems. The biggest breakdown isn't preparing the paperwork—it's the lack of a consistent process to follow up with clients, advisors, and confirmations after documents are submitted. Funding Needs Dedicated Ownership. When funding is assigned to someone already juggling multiple…

People in this episode

Host: Molly McGrath

Guest: Jessica Schmitz

Topics covered

• estate planning
• trust funding
• probate
• client experience
• law firms

Keywords

• estate plans
• trust funding
• probate risks
• client accountability
• law firms

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fund Ease, LLC

More episodes of Hire and Empower with Molly McGrath

• Episode 365: The 6 Hiring Stages Every Law Firm Must Fix Before Making Another Hire · July 21, 2026 · 27 min
• Episode 364: Before You Fire Another Employee, Listen to This · July 14, 2026 · 51 min
• Episode 363: The 90-Day Onboarding System That Actually Keeps Great Employees · July 7, 2026 · 42 min
• Episode 362: The Exact Hiring System We Use to Recruit Top Legal Talent · June 30, 2026 · 56 min
• Episode 361: The Hiring Practices That Make Your Best Candidates Ghost You · June 22, 2026 · 38 min
• Episode 359: Marketing → Intake → Sales: Where Revenue Actually Breaks · June 9, 2026 · 32 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Hire and Empower with Molly McGrath podcast page.