There’s a saying I often use with clients: “You either have a plan, or you’re part of someone else’s.” It sounds like the kind of motivational quote you might see on a coffee mug or plastered on a Pinterest board, but when it comes to estate planning, it couldn’t be more serious, or more true.

We’ve all seen it in everyday life. You show up at a family BBQ, and no one has a plan for the food. Suddenly, you’re eating lukewarm hot dogs off paper towels because someone thought someone else was bringing plates. Or you head on a road trip with friends, but no one booked a hotel. Now you’re sleeping in the car with a neck pillow and a sunburn. Funny in hindsight—until you realize this is exactly how some people approach the most important parts of their lives.

And the stakes in estate planning? They’re a lot higher than soggy buns and lost sleep.

You’ve Worked a Lifetime, Now Finish Strong

You’ve built a life. You’ve raised kids, built a career, paid off mortgages, and maybe even put some grandkids through college. You’ve lived the American Dream. But the final chapters of that story, how your legacy is managed, how your healthcare is handled, who gets what and how they get it, don’t write themselves. If you don’t write the plan, someone else will. And you’re probably not going to like their version.

When you don’t have a plan, you’re not in control. The court steps in. The state’s default laws take over. The IRS gets a say. Nursing homes and government programs decide how to “help.” Your family might end up in conflict. That’s not legacy, that’s chaos.

Life’s Left Turns Happen Without Warning

I can’t count the number of times someone has sat in my office saying, “We meant to take care of this last year…” Then life took a sharp left. A stroke. A diagnosis. An accident. A sudden loss. It happens. And it’s always heartbreaking when someone worked for 40 years to build something, only to watch it unravel because there was no plan in place when it mattered most.

Without the proper documents, your adult children may have to go to court to make healthcare decisions for you. Without proper asset protection, the nursing home could take everything you saved. Without a coordinated tax strategy, your heirs could lose thousands to Uncle Sam. Without a plan, everything you worked for ends up tangled in red tape, delays, and disappointment.

Real Planning Takes a Team

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to do this alone. I’ve built a team of experts: estate planning attorneys, CPAs, financial professionals, insurance advisors, nursing home experts, Here’s the good news: You don’t have to do this alone. I’ve built a team of experts: estate planning attorneys, CPAs, financial professionals, insurance advisors, nursing home experts, and even funeral planning consultants, all working together to make sure your plan is comprehensive, custom, and complete.

We help you prepare powers of attorney, healthcare directives, living wills, and trusts. We analyze your tax exposure and look for opportunities to protect your wealth. We help ensure you won’t outlive your income—or lose it to a nursing facility. We even help you prepare your family, so when the time comes, they know exactly what to do.

Legacy Is Built on Purpose, Not by Accident

A strong finish isn’t about luck. It’s about intention. The people who “wing it” rarely get a peaceful exit or a smooth transfer of wealth. But the people who plan (who take the time to think through their values, their priorities, and their legacy) leave behind more than money. They leave behind clarity, peace, and a roadmap for the future.

So I’ll leave you with this: Don’t let someone else write the last chapter of your story. Have a plan. Prepare for life’s surprises. Build your legacy on purpose… because no one ever looks back and says, “I wish I’d left it up to chance.”