What You Need to Know About Estate Planning at 30

From The Death Readiness Podcast: Not your dad’s estate planning podcast by Jill Mastroianni - Estate Planning & Probate Attorney/Lawyer for Women

June 2, 2026 · 18 min · Episode 81

About this episode

Jill Mastroianni discusses essential estate planning documents for young adults and the importance of starting the planning process early.

What estate planning documents does a healthy 30-year-old actually need? In this episode of The Death Readiness Podcast, Jill answers a question from a young listener who wondered what someone her age should be doing about estate planning. Using stories from her own life, including the loss of several young friends, Jill explains why estate planning isn't just for retirees. You'll learn why powers of attorney and healthcare advance directives may be more important than a Will when you're young, how the famous Nancy Cruzan case changed the conversation around end-of-life decision-making, and what a recent Michigan court decision means for pregnant individuals and advance directives. Most importantly, you'll learn why estate planning doesn't have to be perfect; it just has to start.

People in this episode

Host: Jill Mastroianni

Topics covered

estate planning
young adults
powers of attorney
healthcare directives
end-of-life decision-making

Keywords

estate planning
30-year-old
powers of attorney
healthcare directives
Nancy Cruzan
Michigan court decision
end-of-life

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Michigan