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Estate Planning Confidence

Estate Planning Confidence

By: Robert Monahan
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 Personal Injury and Estate Planning Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • 016 Insurance Against the Risk of Incapacity

    016 Insurance Against the Risk of Incapacity
    Oct 19 2025
    Why Powers of Attorney are the Most Overlooked Forms of Protection Download Your Free Book: https://tinyurl.com/monahan-estate-book 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify When most people think about estate planning, they think about what happens after death.But what if the real crisis isn’t after you’re gone — it’s while you’re still alive, and unable to make decisions for yourself? That’s the situation we talked about in this week’s episode: the risk of incapacity. The Risk No One Expects “Incapacity” means losing the legal ability to make your own decisions — from dementia, Alzheimer’s, a stroke, or a sudden accident. It’s not guaranteed to happen, but if it does, everything changes overnight.Bills still need to be paid. Medical decisions still need to be made. But suddenly, you can’t make them. And here’s what surprises almost everyone:even your spouse doesn’t automatically have the legal right to step in. Banks, hospitals, and insurance companies don’t recognize “automatic spousal authority.”Without a Power of Attorney, your husband, wife, or partner has no more legal authority than a stranger.Their only option is to go to court for what’s called guardianship — a slow, expensive, and public process. Guardianship: The Court Process Everyone Wants to Avoid When families end up in guardianship court, it’s rarely because they’ve done something wrong.It’s usually because they didn’t know any better. To get authority, your loved ones have to: File a petition in court Get doctors to certify incapacity Wait for a hearing before a judge And sometimes, even fight off relatives who think they should be in charge Meanwhile, bills pile up. Decisions are delayed.And the person who should be helping you is tied up in red tape. The Simple Way to Avoid It A Power of Attorney avoids all of that. It’s a simple document you sign while you still have capacity — naming someone you trust to act for you if you can’t.There are two kinds: Power of Attorney for Property — handles finances, bills, and accounts Power of Attorney for Health Care — makes medical decisions on your behalf Together, they replace the need for a court-appointed guardian.Your chosen agent can act immediately, without waiting for a judge’s permission. That’s why I sometimes say: powers of attorney are the most overlooked form of insurance. The “Insurance” You Hope You Never Need Most people buy car or homeowners insurance “just in case.”You don’t expect to crash your car or have a fire.But you know that if it happens, the cost of being unprepared is enormous. It’s the same with incapacity.You may never face it — but if you do, the consequences are devastating.A Power of Attorney is your family’s protection policy against chaos. Two Families, Two Outcomes Let me give you an example. Jim and Sue did their planning.They signed wills and gave each other powers of attorney.When Jim was injured in an accident and needed emergency surgery, Sue could act right away — no confusion, no delay, no court. Bill and Edna, on the other hand, kept putting it off.When Edna suffered a stroke, Bill discovered he had no legal authority to act.He had to go through guardianship court just to pay her bills. It was slow, costly, and heartbreaking. Same event. Same risk.But two very different outcomes — all because one couple planned ahead. The Takeaway Estate planning isn’t just about what happens after you’re gone.It’s also about protecting the people you love while you’re still here. A Power of Attorney is your insurance against the risk of incapacity — a small step now that spares your family from crisis later. If you already have one, take a moment to review it.If you don’t, now is the perfect time to put it in place. Let’s start the conversation.is a great time to review it. If you don’t, let’s start the conversation. Contact me right away.
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    7 mins
  • 015 Won’t My Will Just Sit in a Drawer?

    015 Won’t My Will Just Sit in a Drawer?
    Sep 14 2025
    Why That’s the Point — and How It Makes All the Difference Download Your Free Book: https://tinyurl.com/monahan-estate-book 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify When people talk to me about estate planning, one of the most common questions I hear is: “If I go through all the trouble of creating these documents… won’t they just sit in a drawer, gathering dust?” And my answer is: Yes — and that’s exactly the point. Estate Planning vs. Insurance Think about how insurance works. You pay premiums for car insurance, health insurance, or homeowners insurance “just in case” something bad happens. You’re betting against an accident, an illness, or a fire. Most of us hope we’ll never actually need to use those policies. Estate planning is different. No one is going to bet that you’ll never die. That’s a guarantee. So while your documents may sit in a drawer for years, one day they will be needed. That’s why they matter. Not Choosing Is Still a Choice A lot of people assume that if they don’t make a plan, nothing happens. In reality, not planning is its own kind of plan. If you do nothing, Illinois law has a default system for who inherits your property, who manages things, and how your affairs are handled. You might think your spouse automatically gets everything or that the most responsible sibling will be in charge — but that isn’t necessarily the case. By creating a plan, you’re not just filling out paperwork. You’re taking control instead of letting the state write the rules for your family. The Hand-Off Matters Here’s another angle: estate planning isn’t just about the legal documents. It’s also about making sure your loved ones can find what they need when the time comes. In most marriages, one person tends to be the “organizer” — the bill-payer, the password-keeper, the one who knows where everything is. If that person passes away first, the surviving spouse may be left scrambling to piece things together. That’s why I created the Estate Planning Confidence Organizer. It’s a simple way to collect key information — from bank accounts and insurance policies to online logins — so the people you trust can step in without chaos. Two Families, Two Outcomes I’ve seen the difference this makes. In one family, the plan was complete and well organized. When tragedy struck, everything went smoothly — no probate, no family fights, minimal cost and stress. In another family, there was no plan. Probate dragged on for more than a year, legal fees piled up, and siblings’ relationships were damaged. The contrast couldn’t have been clearer. The Takeaway Yes, your estate planning documents may spend most of their time sitting in a drawer. But that’s where they belong — ready for the day when they’re needed. Their value lies in the peace of mind they give you now, and the clarity they provide for your loved ones later. If you already have a plan, this is a great time to review it. If you don’t, let’s start the conversation. Contact me right away. 📞 Call me at (847) 848-6165📧 Email me at monahanfirm@gmail.com Or ask about the Estate Planning Confidence Organizer to help you put everything in one place. .about-container { display: flex; align-items: flex-start; flex-wrap: wrap; /* allows content to wrap on smaller screens */ } .about-text { flex: 1; padding-right: 20px; min-width: 250px; /* ensures text doesn’t shrink too much */ } .about-image { flex: 0 0 auto; align-self: flex-start; margin-top: 30px; } .about-image img { max-width: 100%; /* scales image down on small screens */ height: auto; border: 2px solid #999; padding: 4px; box-sizing: border-box; } /* Responsive tweak: stack vertically on narrow screens */ @media (max-width: 768px) { .about-container { flex-direction: column; } .about-text { padding-right: 0; } .
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    7 mins
  • 014 Love Is Not Enough

    014 Love Is Not Enough
    Sep 8 2025
    What Unmarried Couples Need to Do to Protect Their Future Download Your Free Book: https://tinyurl.com/monahan-estate-book 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify More couples than ever are choosing to live together without getting married. For many, it feels practical — sharing expenses, building a home, and creating a life together. But there’s a hidden problem most don’t realize until it’s too late: the law doesn’t automatically protect your partner. If you’re not married, the legal system treats you and your partner as strangers — even if you’ve been together for 10 or 15 years. That means if something unexpected happens — an accident, illness, or even death — your partner may have no rights to make decisions on your behalf or inherit anything from you. In this episode of Estate Planning Confidence, I explain why love isn’t enough when it comes to protecting your relationship and your future — and I share the essential documents every unmarried couple should have in place. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why more couples are choosing to live together without getting married How the law treats unmarried partners — and why that can put you at risk Real-life examples of what can go wrong without proper planning The five essential tools every unmarried couple should have: Powers of Attorney – for health care and property decisions HIPAA Authorizations – to access medical information Wills – to ensure your partner inherits what matters most Beneficiary Designations – so your accounts reflect your wishes Cohabitation Agreements – to prevent disputes and clarify expectations Take Control of Your Future Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy or the married — it’s for anyone who wants peace of mind. By putting the right documents in place, you decide who matters most and ensure the law respects your choices. I’ve created a free checklist that walks you through the exact documents unmarried couples need to protect each other. You can download it here:🔗 Get Your Free Checklist If you’ve been living together and haven’t taken these steps yet, don’t wait. Protect your partner. Protect your future. 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: Estate Planning Confidence Podcast .about-container { display: flex; align-items: flex-start; flex-wrap: wrap; /* allows content to wrap on smaller screens */ } .about-text { flex: 1; padding-right: 20px; min-width: 250px; /* ensures text doesn’t shrink too much */ } .about-image { flex: 0 0 auto; align-self: flex-start; margin-top: 30px; } .about-image img { max-width: 100%; /* scales image down on small screens */ height: auto; border: 2px solid #999; padding: 4px; box-sizing: border-box; } /* Responsive tweak: stack vertically on narrow screens */ @media (max-width: 768px) { .about-container { flex-direction: column; } .about-text { padding-right: 0; } .about-image { margin-top: 20px; align-self: center; /* center image on small screens */ } } About Robert Monahan Robert Monahan is an estate planning attorney licensed in Illinois and New York. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the University of Virginia School of Law. Robert helps families plan with clarity and confidence from his office in Gurnee, Illinois. 📍 Office: 4229 Grove Ave, Gurnee, IL 📞 Phone: (847) 848-6165 📧 Email: monahanfirm@gmail.com Download the Free Sample Organizer! Get Organized. Stay in Control. Leave a Legacy of Clarity. When the unexpected happens, your family shouldn’t have to guess: Who to call Where your will is How to access your accounts What bills need paying That’s why I created the Estate Planning Confidence Organizer—a simple tool to help you record all the essential details th...
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