Why Estate Plans Fail Without Communication: Go Beyond the Documents
Oct 03, 2025
On this episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast, I spoke with Paul Deloughery—author, estate planning and probate litigation attorney—about why effective estate planning is about more than just the documents.
We explore how family dynamics, communication, and values play a critical role in whether a plan succeeds—or fails. Paul offers a fresh perspective for advisors, advocates, and families: estate planning isn’t just a legal process—it’s a human one.
๐ก Key Insights:
๐น Estate planning is a process, not a product—documents alone aren’t enough
๐น Family communication matters—healthy dialogue is essential to long-term success
๐น A strong estate plan must align legal documents with real-life details
๐น Understand how wills and beneficiary designations function and what takes precedence.
๐น Asset structure must match the plan—otherwise the plan fails.
๐น Nothing good comes from a child who’s focused on what they’ll inherit.
๐ฅ Watch this episode below:
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๐ง Listen to the podcast below or on your favorite podcast app.
Connect with Paul Deloughery:
- LinkedIn (here)
Connect with Sudden Wealth Protection:
Books:
- Lasting Wealth: A Revolutionary Method for Family Wealth Transfer (Amazon)
- Probate Made Simple: How to Save Time, Ensure Family Harmony, and Reduce Stress (Amazon)
Bio:
Paul Deloughery is an estate planning and probate litigation attorney with over 25 years of experience helping families protect their wealth, maintain harmony, and create lasting legacies. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, he takes a proactive approach to estate planning, emphasizing family governance, autonomy safeguards, and multigenerational wealth protection.
A Certified Family Wealth Advisor, Paul is the author of Lasting Wealth – A Revolutionary Method of Family Wealth Transfer and Probate Made Simple. He earned his law degree from the Iowa College of Law and holds Bachelor of Arts and Science degrees from Indiana University-Bloomington. He is licensed to practice in Arizona and is a member of the State Bar of Arizona and WealthCounsel.