Let's get real: you aren't an Egyptian pharaoh. You aren't being buried with your gold, your chariots, or your iPhone. The U-Haul does not follow the hearse.
Being humble means admitting that you are mortal. We have a 100% mortality rate so far in human history. The biggest act of ego is thinking you don't need an estate plan because "it'll all just work out." It won't. Without a plan, the state's default laws (intestacy) take over. The state doesn't care that you wanted your niece to have the house. The state cares about its rigid, impersonal formula.
Action plan
- Review your life insurance and 401(k) beneficiaries. These are "transfer-on-death" assets that bypass your Will.
- Check for "zombie beneficiaries": ex-spouses or deceased relatives who are still listed on your accounts.
- Contact us for a "Beneficiary Audit" to make sure your money goes where you think it's going, and to find out what would happen to your real estate when you die.