Most of us do not intend to leave our families a financial mess when we are gone.

In fact, many believe they have done all the required work to have their estate settled: They considered what was essential, gave away assets during their lifetime and documented thorough instructions for what to do after they passed.

But after decades as a CPA helping administrators and trustees, I am rarely surprised when an estate is a mess. Even the most conscientious decedent can leave behind confusion, bad tax planning, missing documents, a poorly drafted trust, outdated titles and promises no one wrote down.

However, sometimes clients can make planning decisions that can negatively affect them while they are still alive, and that is far worse. One particular choice a client made, done with the best

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