Estate planning might not sound like the most thrilling topic—but skipping it can create a real mess for the people you care about most. In this episode of The Stacking Benjamins Show, Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, and Neighbor Doug sit down with attorney Tim Semro to cut through the noise on wills, trusts, and life insurance. Whether you’ve been putting off writing a will or you’re wondering if a trust is worth it, this conversation will give you a clearer path forward.

Tim walks us through the essentials, from the differences between wills and trusts to the sneaky pitfalls that can trip up your beneficiary designations. We also tackle tricky scenarios—like probate headaches, planning across state (or even international) lines, and how to think about life insurance with living benefits. Plus, we swap stories about scams that hit a little too close to home and the simple moves you can take to protect your finances and family.

This episode isn’t about scaring you into action; it’s about showing how estate planning and the right insurance can actually bring peace of mind. By the time you’re done listening, you’ll have a roadmap for protecting your family, making smarter decisions with your money, and avoiding the landmines that could derail your plan. And yes, there’s still a trivia break and plenty of the usual basement flavor to keep things moving.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The key differences between wills and trusts—and when you might need each
Why beneficiary designations matter more than you think
How estate taxes and probate rules can complicate things (and how to prepare)
What life insurance with living benefits is—and when it could make sense
Red flags for spotting scams and fraud before they hit your wallet
How to align your estate plan with your financial and family goals

Questions to Ponder While You Listen (and maybe discuss with us in the Basement Facebook Group):

Do you already have a will or trust in place? If not, what’s been holding you back?
Have you ever discovered an outdated beneficiary designation (or seen the chaos it caused)?
What role do you think life insurance should play in your estate planning?

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/estate-planning-charitable-giving-week-1723

Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201

Enjoy!

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