Famous mom Gloria Vanderbilt was staunchly against trust funds for her kids. And at least one of them applauds her decision.

Too little estate planning can put your heirs in a bind and tie up your estate in time-consuming and costly probate litigation. But as the legal saga of Aretha Franklin's estate shows, too much estate planning—in particular, planning that introduces uncertainty about your final wishes—can also be problematic.

Lucille Ball: Dangers of Being the First to Die

Rankings of the best I Love Lucy episodes can be found across the web. There are also real-life lessons to learn from Lucille Ball, including from a lesser-known episode involving her daughter and her widower's second wife that provides important estate planning lessons about remarriage.

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