Plan for This Podcast – Full Episodes

Is your retirement fund ready for a $36,000 monthly bill? In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite Lorenz welcomes "Bow Tie" Tom Summers, an independent insurance agent, to pull back the curtain on the staggering costs of aging in California.

Using the real-world example of Tom’s 100-year-old mother, they break down the math of 24/7 home care—which can reach over $433,000 per year—and compare it to the more cost-effective al...

Can you really leave your entire fortune to your dog? 🐶 In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite Lorenz and Ron Greenwald dive into the infamous case of Leona Helmsley—the "Queen of Mean"—who famously bequeathed $12 million to her Maltese, Trouble, while disinheriting her own grandchildren.

They break down the legal realities of pet trusts, the thin line between personal sovereignty and mental incompetence, and why "control...

What happens when caregiving, aging, and cognitive decline are handled in isolation instead of with a plan? In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron examine a troubling real-world situation involving Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, using it as a lens to discuss how shame, privacy, and avoidance can quietly escalate into serious safety risks.

They break down the dangers of relying on a single caregiver, especially whe...

Welcome to the *Plan for This Podcast*—your trusted source for estate planning, wills, trusts, caregiving, and financial preparedness.

Hosted by Marguerite Lorenz and Ron Greenwald, we simplify complex topics into clear, actionable steps that help you protect what matters most.

📌 In this episode:

What happens when estate planning details are unclear, incomplete, or assumed instead of confirmed? In this episode of Plan ...

What happens when your past creates heirs you never planned for? In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron unpack a complicated estate planning scenario involving anonymous sperm donation, hidden heirs, and the long-term consequences of silence in relationships.

Using Brian’s story, they explain how heirs at law differ from named beneficiaries, why wills and trusts can still be challenged, and how fear of unknown clai...

Most families never clearly talk about care-giving until someone is already overwhelmed. In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron open with a short comedic clip from Joe DeVito to highlight a serious truth: many parents assume their children will “just take care of things,” while adult children assume they will figure it out later.

From there, the conversation deepens into the real cost of silence. Marguerite explain...

What happens when someone with immense wealth, influence, and creativity dies without a will or trust? In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron unpack the estate planning fallout following the death of Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos, and why his lack of formal planning led to years of probate chaos, public scrutiny, and emotional strain on his family.

They explain how handwritten notes, verbal promises, and informal r...

Your estate plan is not “set it and forget it,” and in this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron walk us through the case of Lila and Jerry, a couple whose trust and documents are more than 25 years old. What begins as a simple review quickly reveals risks: outdated language, missing successor trustees, unclear incapacity provisions, banking limitations, and amendments stacked on amendments.

Marguerite explains why major...

Talking about end-of-life wishes is not morbid, it is compassionate. In this powerful episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron walk through the Go Wish card deck, a tool designed to spark honest conversations about what matters most in a person’s final weeks.

Each card represents a priority people often struggle to say aloud, such as relief from pain, being with family, maintaining dignity, having spiritual support, or resol...

Facing mortality is difficult, however preparing for it brings clarity, comfort, and peace of mind. In this insightful episode of Plan for This, Marguerite welcomes author Greg Barnsdale, whose book Do Not Ignore Your Mortality challenges families to embrace honest conversations long before crisis moments arrive.

Together, they explore why people delay estate planning, how unresolved fears block meaningful dialogue, and the emot...

When faith, family, and finances collide, elders can become vulnerable in ways they never expected. In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron share the story of Dolores, a 78 year old widow whose increasing church gifts and pastor recommended reverse mortgage left her exposed when a serious accident changed everything.

As her son Gary steps in to help, Marguerite walks through the real reverse mortgage risks that ofte...

When Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher passed away just one day apart, the world mourned their loss—but estate planners saw another story beneath the headlines. What happens when two generations pass in rapid succession? Who inherits first, and how does the law determine ownership, timing, and taxes?

In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron unpack the estate planning lessons from the Reynolds–Fisher family....

What can we learn from Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson’s family story? In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron dive into the unique estate planning challenges that blended families face—especially when fame, business, and legacy all overlap.

Welcome to the *Plan for This Podcast*—your trusted source for estate planning, wills, trusts, caregiving, and financial preparedness.  

Hosted by Marguerite Lorenz and Ron Greenwald, we...

When comedy legend Jay Leno petitioned the court to become conservator for his wife Mavis, the headlines caught everyone’s attention. But behind the celebrity story lies a universal truth—conservatorship can happen to any family that doesn’t have a complete estate plan in place.

In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron unpack the Leno case to explain how conservatorships work, what capacity means, and how simple documen...

What happens when grief, aging, and fear of dependence collide? In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron walk through the story of Meredith, a 73-year-old widow facing cognitive decline, lingering grief, and the difficult question of who will care for her as she grows older.

With her daughter Eliza stepping in as a natural caregiver, Meredith struggles with the tension between wanting independence and needing support. M...

Welcome to the *Plan for This Podcast*—your trusted source for estate planning, wills, trusts, caregiving, and financial preparedness.  

Hosted by Marguerite Lorenz and Ron Greenwald, we simplify complex topics into clear, actionable steps that help you protect what matters most.  

📌 In this episode:  What happens when a remarried couple with a blended family dies without an estate plan? In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerit...

Welcome to the *Plan for This Podcast*—your trusted source for estate planning, wills, trusts, caregiving, and financial preparedness.  

Hosted by Marguerite Lorenz and Ron Greenwald, we simplify complex topics into clear, actionable steps that help you protect what matters most.  

📌 In this episode:  What happens when your estate plan relies on a will and a testamentary trust—only for your attorney and successor trustee to pass a...

Welcome to the *Plan for This Podcast*—your trusted source for estate planning, wills, trusts, caregiving, and financial preparedness.  

Hosted by Marguerite Lorenz and Ron Greenwald, we simplify complex topics into clear, actionable steps that help you protect what matters most.  

📌 In this episode:  Ever wondered what really happens during an estate cleanout? In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and Ron welcome Todd Step...

Welcome to the *Plan for This Podcast*—your trusted source for estate planning, wills, trusts, caregiving, and financial preparedness.  

Hosted by Marguerite Lorenz and Ron Greenwald, we simplify complex topics into clear, actionable steps that help you protect what matters most.  

📌 In this episode:  Life doesn’t always go as planned—and that’s exactly why planning ahead matters. In this episode of Plan for This, Marguerite and R...