Most people intend to get an estate plan in place. They just haven’t done it yet.
Tony Hsieh hadn’t either. The founder of Zappos died in 2020 at 46, leaving behind an estate worth hundreds of millions — and no will, no trust, and no instructions. What followed was years of public court proceedings, contested claims, and legal chaos that his family had to navigate while grieving. None of it had to happen.
Here’s the hard truth: dying without a plan doesn’t mean nothing happens. It means the state decides what happens. A court process called probate becomes public record. Creditors and claimants line up. Family members who expected clarity get conflict instead. And the assets you spent a lifetime building sit frozen while everything gets sorted out.
A proper estate plan changes all of that.
When your documents are in place and your assets are titled correctly, your family doesn’t have to go to court. A trusted person you named steps in, follows your instructions, and handles everything privately. No waiting. No public record. No fighting over what you “would have wanted.”
What most people don’t realize is that the documents alone aren’t enough. A trust that exists but wasn’t funded, a will that was never updated after a divorce or a new business — these create almost as many problems as no plan at all. A real plan means your assets are titled to flow into your trust, your beneficiary designations are current, and the people you trust actually know what to do and where to find everything.
Tony Hsieh knew more about systems and risk than most. He just never sat down with the right person and made it real. That’s the part that requires another human being across the table — someone who asks the hard questions, builds the right structure, and stays in the relationship as your life changes.
You don’t do this because you expect something to happen. You do it because the people you love shouldn’t pay the price for the uncertainty.
Ready to stop putting it off? Book a Legacy Planning Session. We’ll answer your questions, review your options, and talk about our process and fees. Then, if we decide we’re a good fit to work together, we’ll take the next steps. And if not, that’s fine too! Normally $550, mention this blog and we’ll waive the session fee. BOOK HERE