Why Reading the Will Looks Nothing Like in the Movies

You’ve seen the scene in movies: the family gathers in a lawyer’s office, the Will is dramatically read aloud, and everyone discovers who inherited what. Real life looks very different.

In this episode, Jill Mastroianni explains what actually happens to a Will after someone dies, who receives a copy, why being an heir-at-law isn’t the same as being a beneficiary, and what it really means when a Will becomes “public record.” She also explains why reading someone’s Will may give you only part of the story of what happens to their assets after death.