Estate Planning Is Like Ice Cream — The Best Plan Is the One That Doesn’t Melt
 

July 15 is National Ice Cream Day. And yes — even ice cream has something to teach us about estate planning.

When President Ronald Reagan declared July as National Ice Cream Month back in 1984, he called ice cream “a nutritious and wholesome food, enjoyed by over 90 percent of the people in the United States.” Not so sure about "nutritious" these days, but definitely wholesome —and a summer tradition to celebrate this beloved treat in July and all year long.

But here’s a thought: What if your estate plan were as enjoyable, reliable, and satisfying as your favorite bowl of ice cream?

🍦 Estate Planning and Ice Cream Have More in Common Than You Think
 

Just like ice cream, estate planning comes in many flavors and sizes. Some people like the simplicity of a single scoop basic will. Others prefer the layered richness of a double scoop revocable living trust to avoid probate. Some add the topping of asset protection with our Living Trust Plus. Sadly, many people are lactose intolerant and skip the ice cream and the estate planning entirely, hoping for the best. Thank goodness for all of today's dairy-free options!

A good estate plan is like a well-built sundae — thoughtfully prepared, balanced with the right ingredients, and made to be enjoyed while still intact.

🍨 Flavor Isn’t Everything — Structure Matters

Imagine handing someone a triple scoop cone on a hot July day — without a napkin and without a bowl nearby to catch the tower when it starts to melt and topple. That’s what it’s like leaving assets behind without a coordinated legal structure. It might look good at first, but without the right support, it quickly becomes a messy and sticky disaster.

Too often, people rely on beneficiary designations to “keep things simple” — naming individuals directly on bank accounts, life insurance policies, and retirement plans, thinking they’ve avoided probate and made everything easier.

Unfortunately, that kind of planning often melts under the hot and harsh reality of the fact that beneficiary designations very often fail to work as intended.

As I explain in my three-part series on the dangers of beneficiary designations:

• Part 1: How Beneficiary Designations Often Override Your Will or Trust
• Part 2: Why Naming Your Estate as a Beneficiary Can Backfire
• Part 3: The Hidden Problems with Beneficiary Designations — and When They Don’t Even Work

Beneficiary designations are like handing someone a scoop of ice cream without a cone or cup — there’s no way to control the mess if anything goes wrong. And more often than not, something does go wrong.

🍧 The Best Estate Plans Hold Up in Real Life

A solid estate plan isn’t one that sits untouched or “stored away” — it’s one that’s ready to work when life happens.

That means:

• Using a revocable living trust instead of relying solely on a will
• Coordinating or avoiding beneficiary designations to prevent conflict and confusion
• Planning for incapacity and long-term care costs
• Including powers of attorney and advance directives
• Protecting assets against future lawsuits, creditors, and nursing home expenses

Your estate plan should not just look good on paper, but should hold up in the real world — during incapacity, during a long-term care crisis, and after death.

🍫 Want Real Protection? Add a Chocolate Shell

If you’ve ever had a dipped soft-serve cone from Dairy Queen, you know the magic: soft vanilla ice cream coated in a crisp chocolate shell that holds everything together and slows the melt. That’s what Living Trust Plus® does for your assets. This special type of irrevocable asset protection trust works like that chocolate shell — shielding your savings, home, and investments from Medicaid spend-down, nursing home bills, and lawsuits, and helping you avoid the negative tax traps that many people fall into, such as giving your home away to your children and losing the step-up in basis. Unlike a basic revocable trust, which offers no asset protection, the Living Trust Plus is designed to lock in your legacy while still letting you enjoy access to income and control over your home.

So if a traditional estate plan using a revocable living trust is like a perfect soft-serve cone on a summer day, an estate plan with the Living Trust Plus asset protection trust is like that same cone dipped in hardened chocolate — delicious, durable, and disaster-resistant.

🍦 Customization Is Key

Just as cones and sundaes vary in size and flavors, so too does estate planning. Whether you’re in a blended family, have a child with special needs, own a business, or want to keep your assets safe from creditors or divorcing in-laws — your plan should reflect your unique flavor.

Customization ensures your estate plan satisfies your wishes and protects your beneficiaries — without leaving anyone out in the cold.

🍨 Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Ice cream melts. So does your window of opportunity if you wait too long.

An unexpected illness, hospitalization, or mental decline can make it legally impossible to sign documents — even if you know exactly what you want. Estate planning must be done while you still have capacity.

That’s why we always say: the best time to create or update your plan is now. Not when you retire. Not “after the next vacation.” And definitely not “when I get around to it.”

🍧 Celebrate National Ice Cream Day by Doing Something Sweet for Your Family

This July 15, enjoy your favorite scoop — but also take time to think about your legacy:

• Do you have an estate plan? Do you want to leave a lasting legacy?

• Is your estate plan structured to actually work the way you intend?
• Are your beneficiary designations helping — or undermining — your plan?
• Have you protected your assets from nursing home bills and lawsuits?

If you’re not sure, we’re here to help.

Because when it comes to your estate plan, the last thing you want is a puddle of confusion where a carefully crafted sundae should be.

Stay proactive. Stay prepared. Stay healthy.