Anne Rhodes and Dave Haughton on Estate Planning, Legacy, and Why Everyone Needs a Plan
In this essential conversation, Jonathan Treussard sits down with Anne Rhodes (Chief Legal Officer at Wealth.com and former estate planner at McDermott Will & Emery and Perkins Coie) and Dave Haughton (estate planning attorney with Massachusetts and New Hampshire practice experience) to demystify estate planning and explain why it matters for everyone—not just the wealthy. They tackle the uncomfortable truth that only 33% of Americans have estate plans, but 100% have an estate plan—the question is whether you created it intentionally or your state legislature decided for you by default.
The conversation explores the 18-year-old problem (parents lose legal authority once children reach majority), the "sticky note" framework for understanding probate (assets either have beneficiaries designated or they don't), and why perfection shouldn't be the enemy of getting something—anything—in place. Anne and Dave share powerful stories about family heirlooms causing more conflict than financial assets, the Marine father's medals that couldn't be split three ways, and the fur coat that disappeared when no one had documented who should receive it.
This episode reframes estate planning from a morbid chore to an act of love and clarity: you're not planning for yourself (you'll be gone), you're planning for the people you leave behind so they can grieve and celebrate your memory rather than fight over assets and navigate court systems during the most painful moments of their lives. Whether you're 18 and heading to college, 40 with young children, or 70 thinking about legacy, this conversation offers practical guidance for taking control of your plan before the state does it for you.
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What We Cover in This Conversation
Why everyone needs estate planning documents starting at age 18
The essential documents: powers of attorney, healthcare proxies, wills, and revocable trusts
The 18-year-old problem: when parents lose legal authority over adult children
Probate explained: the "sticky note" framework for understanding asset transfer
Why family heirlooms with no monetary value cause the most disputes
Don't let perfection be the enemy of good: get something in place now, refine later
The psychology of procrastination: why we avoid estate planning despite knowing we should
Leading by example: how doing your own estate plan influences family members to do theirs
Legacy beyond wealth: defining meaning through charitable giving and family values
How to honor someone's memory by planning ahead so family can grieve rather than fight
Key Takeaways
Estate planning starts at 18, not at retirement. Once children reach the age of majority (usually 18), parents legally cannot make decisions for them—even if they live at home, are on parents' health insurance, or are claimed as dependents. Without powers of attorney and healthcare proxies, parents must go to court for permission if their college-age child becomes incapacitated. This applies regardless of wealth level.
Everyone has an estate plan—the question is who created it. Only 33% of Americans have intentional estate plans, but 100% have plans. If you don't create documents, your state legislature decides who gets your assets, who makes medical decisions if you're incapacitated, and who raises your minor children. Default laws vary by state and often don't account for blended families, personal preferences, or family heirlooms.
Probate is about "sticky notes"—assets either have designated beneficiaries or they don't. Assets with beneficiary designations (retirement accounts, life insurance) or held in trust avoid probate. Everything else goes through the court-supervised probate process, which creates delays, costs, and administrative burden. The "sticky note" analogy: if an asset doesn't have a clear note saying who gets it, someone (a judge) will have to decide.
Don't let perfection be the enemy of good—priorities change over time. Waiting for the perfect plan means having no plan. Get the most important documents in place now (healthcare proxy for college students, guardian designations for parents of young children, tax planning for high-net-worth families) and revisit as life changes. Estate planning should be a living process, not a once-in-a-lifetime ordeal.
Legacy is about grief and memory, not just wealth transfer. Estate planning protects your family from having to navigate court systems, resolve ambiguous asset distributions, and fight over sentimental items during the rawest moments of grief. The biggest gift isn't the inheritance—it's clarity that allows loved ones to celebrate your life rather than argue about what you "would have wanted." Family heirlooms with zero monetary value (Marine medals, fur coats) cause more conflict than financial accounts.
Timestamps
00:00 - Welcome and backgrounds: Anne (French-born, Yale, estate planner) and Dave (Massachusetts native, estate attorney)
03:00 - What is Wealth.com and how estate planning technology is democratizing access
08:00 - Essential documents everyone needs regardless of wealth level
09:00 - The 18-year-old problem: when parents lose legal decision-making authority
12:00 - Don't let perfection be the enemy of good: get something in place now
14:00 - Probate explained: the "sticky note" framework for understanding asset transfer
19:00 - Estate planning for growing wealth: from basic documents to tax planning
23:00 - Psychology of estate planning: facing the "yuck" and family dynamics
26:00 - Leading by example: how your estate plan influences family members to do theirs
28:00 - Why people procrastinate: cost, complexity, and lack of deadline
31:00 - Legacy beyond wealth: defining meaning through values and impact
36:00 - Rapid-fire questions: privacy, bravery, baby giggles, Mitt Romney, Larry Bird
About the Guests
Anne Rhodes is Chief Legal Officer at Wealth.com, where she leads product development and legal strategy for the estate planning technology platform. Previously, she practiced estate planning at McDermott Will & Emery (Manhattan) and Perkins Coie (San Francisco), working with high-net-worth families on complex estate plans, tax strategies, and multi-generational wealth transfer. A French citizen who moved to Boston as a child, Anne graduated from Yale and brings both big-firm sophistication and startup agility to her work democratizing estate planning through technology. She is passionate about making quality estate planning documents accessible to families across the entire net worth spectrum and helping normalize conversations about mortality, legacy, and planning.
Dave Haughton is an estate planning attorney with nearly a decade of experience practicing in Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire before joining Wealth.com. He previously worked at Commonwealth Financial Network and has helped hundreds of families navigate estate planning, probate, guardianships, and trust administration. A lifelong Massachusetts native and stereotypical Boston sports fan (Celtics, Bruins, Red Sox, Patriots), Dave focuses on helping families avoid probate, protect assets from creditors and divorce, minimize estate taxes between spouses, and preserve legacies through thoughtful document design. He believes estate planning is fundamentally about honoring people's memories by ensuring families can grieve and celebrate rather than fight over ambiguous asset distributions.
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Disclaimer
The content of "Treussard Talks" is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Treussard Capital Management or its affiliates. Consult your own financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclosures, visit treussard.com.