Eric G Matlin's Estate Planning Book
Not Dead Yet, so plan your estate
2025’s 3rd edition of Not Dead Yet so plan your estate (NDY) reflects the expertise and insights I honed while helping thousands of families with their estate plans, absorbing from their personalities, experiences and stories just about every imaginable family dynamic.
Uniquely, NDY is two books in one: The front 2/3rds text and tutorial portion of NDY is a legal roadmap and tutorial to estate planning presented in clear bites with minimal legalese. The back 1/3rd is a graphic novel that caters to anyone who prefers learning visually by identifying with the characters and relating how the characters’ planning (or lack thereof) may apply to their own lives.
Since NDY is a “Print on Demand” book, I continue to make changes whenever I determine they are necessary. It evolves as the law has in the past several years. This 2025 third edition has been substantially updated from the original version, including an all-new graphic novel.
The Large Print text-only volume of Not Dead Yet so plan your estate is also available. Adhering to ACB guidelines, it caters to the visually impaired reader or anyone else who prefers reading 18 pt type instead of 10.5 pt type.
Whether you prefer text with graphic novel in print, Kindle text with graphic novel or text-only with large print, you will come away with the knowledge you need to help secure your family’s future.
Our blogs
- 6Mar
Spotlight on Trusts & Estates Section Council Member Mary E. Vanek
THE TRUSTS & ESTATES SECTION COUNCIL has members from throughout the State of Illinois with a variety of professional achievements, skills, and practices.
- 8Sep
Attorneys Mary E. Vanek and Talia M. Shambee Achieve Appellate Court Victory
Matlin Law Group attorneys, Mary E. Vanek and Talia M. Shambee, recently prevailed in the Illinois Appellate Court on behalf of the firm’s
- 3Nov
Attorney Spotlight - Mary E. Vanek Passes Florida State Bar
Congratulations to one of our Managing Partners, Mary E. Vanek, on passing the Florida State Bar! Mary is now able to assist our
- 27Oct
What Is Mental Capacity, and Why Does It Matter?
What is mental capacity in a legal sense? Having the cognitive ability to enter a contract is a crucial legal principle. All parties
- 28Jun
Power of Attorney for Health Care and HIPAA Authorization for Clients with College-Bound Children
While many parents are covering dependent insurance of their adult children until the age of 26, many of these parents are unaware that
- 13May
New Attorney Spotlight
At Matlin Law Group, we are committed to providing quality legal services to our clients, as well as building on our success and
- 30Mar
A Baker’s Dozen of Why People Procrastinate About Their Estate Plan
Do any sound familiar to you? Most people don’t like to think about death or money. Wills and Trusts force you to
- 30Mar
Estate Planning Spring Cleaning Checklist
It is officially spring, time to awaken from our unusually long COVID winter hibernation/nightmare, just in time for annual spring cleaning, the perfect
- 9Aug
College and Covid-19
In this unprecedented time with a pandemic virus affecting many, it is understandable that parents are concerned about their college-bound children. While many
- 26Mar
COVID 19 Update: Matlin Law Group Remains Open as Essential Business
Clients & Friends of Matlin Law Group: As you are probably aware, Governor Pritzker issued a “Stay at Home” Order for the State of
- 18Mar
Matlin Law Group, P.C. Remains Open (Working Remotely) to Serve Our Clients
Clients, Friends and Family of Matlin Law Group: As the global effect of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 (COrona VIrus Disease 2019) continues to
- 4Feb
Should I Stay or Should I Go…Seeking a Warmer Tax Climate?
If you are an Illinois snowbird looking for tax relief in the Sunshine State while maintaining homes in Illinois and Florida, you may
- 31Jul
Power of Attorney for Health Care and HIPAA Can Help When You Receive the Dreaded 3am Call
Some estate-plan documents have nothing to do with money or what happens to our estate after we die. If you are outraged-or at
- 5Jun
A Guide to Estate Planning for Young Families
Every legal adult needs an estate plan, powers of attorney and HIPAA authorization at the very least, but the scope of planning may
- 7May
How Much Does Estate Planning Cost in Illinois?
Estate planning is an important milestone in an adult’s life. Regardless of wealth and status, everyone benefits from estate planning, to ensure that
- 27Mar
Estate Planning Checklist: 5 Essential Steps to Protect Your Future
When tragedy strikes, it reminds us that life is precious. Recently, friends of clients of mine lost their 17-year-old son to a skiing
- 5Mar
Will Planning Guide: How to Make a Legal Will in Illinois
Making a Will can be a daunting task. You know it’s important to plan for what will happen to your property, dependents and
- 8Dec
When Do You Need Estate Planning? How to Start at Any Age
When do you need estate planning? At every stage of adult life! Estate planning isn’t just something older people with great wealth do.
- 12Jun
Non-traditional relationships also need estate planning.
If you have an important non-traditional relationship other than marriage, it is especially imperative that your legal affairs are in order. Sometimes the
- 7Jun
"Be Kind; Everyone You Meet is Fighting a Hard Battle"
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” Each year, nearly 45,000 Americans commit suicide, and that’s
- 23Apr
Estate planning attorney Eric Matlin pleads guilty to entertaining readers
Attorney Eric G. Matlin was recently featured in a weekly Sunday Breakfast article in the North Shore Weekend by JWC Media, written by
- 18Apr
Barbara Bush’s Comfort Care Decision at End of Life – Rest in Peace
At the end of life, families are often faced with decisions about whether to continue to treat health conditions facing a loved one
- 12Apr
Should Your Executor Be Your Eldest Child?
When we meet with our estate planning clients to talk about who might act for them in the event of disability or death,
- 5Apr
Local author pens estate planning book
Alan P. Henry, Freelance Reporter 12:59 am CDT March 28, 2018 The challenge, as Eric Matlin saw it, was to write a
- 19Sep
Being a trustee or executor is stressful. Become de-stressed.
You have been chosen by a family member or friend to act for them or on behalf of their family in times of
- 31Aug
How to Contest a Will in Illinois
When a person passes away with a will, that will is submitted to probate. Probate is the process by which the directives in
- 31Aug
Should I agree to serve as executor?
Have you been appointed as the executor of an estate? Carrying out your duties can feel overwhelming and sometimes like a second job.
- 31Aug
Do you need a health care power of attorney? The answer might surprise you.
Let’s back up a little bit and talk first about what a health care power of attorney is. A health care power of
- 13Jun
DO “DINKS” NEED ESTATE PLANNING?
We often hear the from our married clients who have double income and no kids: "We do not have any kids so we only
- 2Apr
In re Estate of Marion Young Tait 2017 IL App (3d) 150834
In the recently decided appellate case, In re Estate of Marion Young Tait, the third district of the Appellate Court of Illinois was faced with
- 2Apr
Living Without a Will
A recent Gallup Poll has indicated that at least 56% of U.S. citizens do not have a will in place. Taking a closer
- 30Mar
Should You Use A “Do-It-Yourself” Estate Planning Service?
QUESTION: Should You Use A “Do-It-Yourself” Estate Planning Service? Many people ask whether it is a good idea to use a DIY estate planning service to
- 30Mar
DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR HEALTHCARE AGENT SHOULD BE? TAKE THIS QUIZ TO FIND OUT.
QUIZ for HOW TO PICK A HEALTH CARE AGENT OR PROXY Sophie was laying in her bed feeling feverish and a little bit lost.
- 28Mar
Electronic Records and end-of-life plans
Planning for the future of your health care doesn’t stop when you ink your name at the bottom of a Power of Attorney,
- 7Apr
Spring Cleaning – Getting Your Documents Organized for Your Estate plan
It is officially spring! When many of us awaken from our long winter hibernation just in time for annual spring cleaning, the perfect
- 14Jan
Top 12 Reasons People Delay Estate Planning
January is as good a time as any to contemplate your goals for the new year and begin to fulfill new (or old
- 20Dec
Are You Covering Your Children’s Health Insurance Costs Without Any Access to Their Medical Information?
The Affordable Care Act requires plans that offer dependent coverage to make the dependent coverage available until the adult child reaches the age
- 1Oct
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. All of us probably know somebody who has been affected by breast cancer. According to Cancer.org, breast