No Kids? No Problem - But Seriously, Get an Estate Plan

Let’s be honest: one of the secret perks of being a childless couple is never having to argue about who little Braden gets to live with if things go sideways. But here’s the thing nobody tells you — not having kids actually makes estate planning more complicated, not less. Without a default heir waiting in the wings, you have to be pretty intentional about where your stuff goes. Otherwise, the state will decide for you, and spoiler: it probably won’t match your wishes.

Your Spouse Isn’t Automatically Getting Everything – Surprise! In many states, if you die without a will or other estate plan, your assets might be split between your spouse and your parents — or even your siblings. Yes, really. The in-laws could legally end up with a cut of your carefully accumulated record collection. A will or trust fixes this immediately.

Name Your People (All of Them) – Beneficiary designations on your retirement accounts and life insurance policies operate completely outside your will or trust. That means your 401(k) could still be going to your college girlfriend if you haven’t updated it since 2009. Go check. Right now. I’ll wait.

Powers of Attorney Are Non-Negotiable – If you’re incapacitated, someone needs to make medical and financial decisions for you. For parents, this often falls naturally to an adult child. For you? You need to explicitly designate someone — a spouse, sibling, close friend — or a judge will appoint a stranger to do it. I can’t overestimate the value of powers of attorney.

Think Beyond Each Other – The “what if we both go at the same time” conversation is morbid, but necessary. A simultaneous death clause in your will or trust (lawyers call it a “common disaster” clause, which sounds dramatic but is very useful) spells out what happens to your assets if you and your partner die together or within a short time of each other.

This is also where you get to do something genuinely meaningful: leave money to causes you care about, support a niece or nephew’s education, or fund a scholarship in your name. No kids means you get to define your legacy — that’s actually kind of a gift.

Don’t Forget the Fun Stuff – Sentimental items — jewelry, art, heirlooms — can cause surprising amounts of family drama when left unaddressed. A personal property memorandum attached to your will or trust lets you say specifically who gets what, and you can update it without redoing the whole will or trust.

The Bottom Line: Estate planning for childless couples isn’t morbid or complicated — it’s just a few hours with an estate attorney (and I know a great one – she’s so easy to get along with) and the satisfaction of knowing your life’s work goes exactly where you want it to. Think of it as one last act of control in a world full of chaos.

And hey, at least you don’t have to figure out who gets the dog and the kids. But about those pets…stay tuned.

And if I can help. I’m here for it!