Last week, I spent nearly 40 hours in the car driving from Michigan to New York to New Jersey and back again. 

Death Readiness Dispatch

November 14, 2025

Hi there,

 

Last week, I spent nearly 40 hours in the car driving from Michigan to New York to New Jersey and back again. Between dog walks, quick runs, and the endless loop of school drop-offs and pickups, I usually stay up to date on my favorite podcasts. Which meant that somewhere on a dark stretch of rural New York, I ran out of my usual rotation and dipped deeper into the true-crime universe than I normally do.

 

And as I listened, I realized something: There’s a true-crime podcast for every murder mystery and rabbit hole… but nobody ever talks about what happens to the estate after the murder.

 

So today, I’m filling that gap. Today’s episode takes you into one of the most bizarre intersections of estate law and true crime I’ve ever seen. And the legal question at the center of it all?

Here’s the part that matters for you, even if your family is (hopefully) murder-free:

 

1. Death-bed planning invites confusion. Rushed documents create misunderstandings, bad assumptions, and messy court battles.

2. Joint accounts aren’t as simple as they seem. Either joint owner can empty the account at any time. This case puts a spotlight on how quickly that can go wrong.

3. Choosing the right trustee is everything. A bad trustee doesn’t just mismanage money — they can derail an entire estate plan.

4. Michigan’s slayer statute only applies to actual intentional killings. Not planning. Not conspiring. Not solicitation. Not attempts. That narrow definition surprised a lot of people in this case.

Your Trust Isn’t Self-Explanatory.

Let’s Break It Down

If you’re a beneficiary, a trustee, or someone staring at a stack of legal documents wondering what any of it means, my Estate Plan Audit was built for exactly that.

 

Think of it as a guided walkthrough of your plan — what works, what doesn’t, and what could blindside your family later. Most people don’t realize there are problems until a crisis hits. This is your chance to get ahead of it.

Thanks for being here.

PS: The Death Readiness Playbook is almost here, and it’s packed with the practical steps, conversations, and templates that make planning feel doable—not daunting. You’ll want this. Want to be the first to know when it drops?