Singing Hymns and Hiding a Body: Estate Planning Lessons from Bernie
Release Date: 07/11/2025
Count on It: Guardianship, Fiduciaries, and Family Fallout in Rain Man
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Back to the Future: Time Travel, Trusts, and the Power of a Backup Plan
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Secondhand Lions: Informal Guardianship, Hidden Fortunes, and the Will to Do Better
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Good Will Hunting: Brilliance, Brokenness, and the Blueprint for Legacy
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āHow do you like them apples?ā While most remember Good Will Hunting for its iconic one-liners and emotional depth, this episode of 82 Toothpicks uncovers the powerful legacy and estate planning themes woven into the filmās heart. Ethan, Thad, and Joselyn explore how a story about trauma, talent, and trust reveals critical lessons about guardianship, inheritance, and planning for those we love. The team contrasts Willās painful upbringing in the foster care system with Skylarās carefully planned inheritance and educational trust. They dig into how guardianship decisionsāor the lack...
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When the American Dream Crashes: Estate Planning Lessons from Fun with Dick and Jane š¬
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The Notebook: Dementia, Devotion, and Durable Powers of Attorney
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"If I'm a bird, you're a bird," but what happens when one of them can no longer remember? This week, we're opening up the romantic classic The Notebook to reveal the heartbreaking lesson in elder law hidden beneath Noah and Allie's epic love story. ššš„ While Noah reads to Allie to help her remember, we explore the critical importance of incapacity planning when facing cognitive decline. We discuss the immense challenges of long-term care, the emotional weight of nursing home decisions, and why having a durable power of attorney is non-negotiable. The team also examines how the...
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Knives OutšŖš¼ : Wills, Lies, and Donut-Shaped Plot Holes
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What do you get when you mix a murder mystery, a dysfunctional family, and one very unexpected heir? This week on š 82 Toothpicks, Thad, Ethan, and Amber dissect Knives Out, a sharp-witted whodunit where the real mystery is buried in the estate plan. As Marta inherits everything from the late Harlan Thrombey, chaos eruptsāand so does a conversation full of estate planning gold. From slayer statutes and will contests to disclaimers, trust fund babies, and ātheatrical tax returns,ā this episode dives deep into the legal twists and turns that drive the story forward. š Key...
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The Grail Diary, Daddy Issues, and a Will That Cracks the Codeššµļøāāļø
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āI Am Your Fatherā... and Your Executor? Estate Planning Lessons from The Empire Strikes Back šāļø
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What if one of the greatest plot twists in movie history was actually a massive estate planning failure? š„ This week on š 82 Toothpicks, Thad, Ethan, and special guest Mike dive headfirst into The Empire Strikes Backāthe fan-favorite Star Wars film thatās secretly packed with galactic-level legacy drama. Join the crew as they unravel the Skywalker familyās succession problems, Vaderās attempt at a hostile business takeover (āWe can rule the galaxy as father and son!ā), and the legal mess of having unknown heirs like Luke and Leia floating around the galaxy. We also...
info_outlinešš¼ Jack Black, murder, and a will gone wrong?
This week on š 82 Toothpicks, we dive into the darkly hilarious true-crime comedy Bernie to uncover the real-life estate planning lessons lurking beneath East Texas charmāand a freezer full of secrets. Whether you love quirky small-town stories or just want to learn what not to do with a power of attorney, this episode is packed with surprises (and a few gasps).
Join Ethan, Thad, and Joselyn as they break down the tangled legal drama behind Bernie Tiedeās relationship with Marjorie Nugent, including:
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The ethics of inheritance and undue influence
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How holographic wills can trigger probate chaos
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Why a power of attorney isnāt a license to spend freely
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The warning signs of financial elder abuse and diminished capacity
š¬ Timestamps to explore:
00:10 ā Why Bernie is the ultimate estate planning movie
28:00 ā The courtroom drama: murder, motive, and money
48:00 ā Real-life lessons: what would you do as the lawyer?
š” Key Takeaway: Estate planning isnāt just paperworkāitās about protecting people when emotions, power, and money collide.
š§ If youāve ever wondered how Hollywood gets estate planning right (or hilariously wrong), this episode is for you. Subscribe to 82 Toothpicks on your favorite podcast app, and visit huizingalaw.com for free resources and past episodes.
š¬š¦· Every movie is an estate planning movieādonāt miss the next one!