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

When someone you love names you as agent under a power of attorney, it can feel like you'll be able to step in and handle whatever needs to be done. But what happens when the law says otherwise? In this episode, I share the story of a Tennessee woman who discovered that even a broad financial power of attorney has limits. Through a real-life example involving a conservatorship, a probate estate, and a Florida real estate sale, we'll explore what powers of attorney can do, what they can't do, and how thoughtful estate planning can help ensure the right people have the right authority when it's needed most. Along the way, you'll learn why caring deeply about someone doesn't automatically give you the legal ability to act on their behalf, and how one woman's careful estate planning may continue helping others long after she's gone.

Can you open a probate estate, distribute the assets, close the file, and move on without worrying about creditors? Not quite. In this episode of The Death Readiness Podcast, Jill answers a listener's question about why probate sometimes feels painfully slow. Using Tennessee law as an example, she explains how the creditor claims process works, why executors can't simply skip legal formalities, and what can happen if beneficiaries receive their inheritances before all of the creditor deadlines have expired.

What happens when you give one child a house during your lifetime but want to keep your estate plan “equal” later? In this Tuesday Triage episode, Jill answers a listener question about lifetime gifts, equalizing inheritances, and how beneficiary designations can complicate even the best intentions. Through practical examples, Michigan law, and a real court case, this episode explains why documentation matters when fairness between children is at stake.

Where you live can cost, or save, your estate hundreds of thousands of dollars. In this Tuesday Triage episode, Jill Mastroianni breaks down a listener question about estate taxes, domicile, and owning property in multiple states. Using a real-world scenario involving Washington, D.C., Maine, Georgia, and Kentucky, Jill explains how state estate and inheritance taxes actually work, why domicile is more than just a mailing address, and where people get tripped up when geography and estate planning collide. This episode helps separate fear from facts so you can make informed decisions about where, and how, you live.

What happens when someone is killed by a federal officer—and no criminal investigation follows? In this episode, Jill connects Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s final words to the modern-day death of Renée Good, then walks through the legal doctrines that shape accountability in the United States. You’ll learn how immunity works, why investigations matter, and what legal paths, however limited, may still exist when the system feels silent.