The Decline of a Reading Generation

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how people take in information today — or rather, how little they do. Newer generations are reading less than ever. Studies show that attention spans are shrinking, fewer people are reading books, and even blog posts like this often get skimmed or skipped. We live in a world of headlines, sound bites, and swipeable tips.

And I get it — there’s so much information out there. It’s overwhelming. But here’s why that worries me: when it comes to estate planning, what you don’t read or learn could do real harm to you and your loved ones. Only about 24% of Americans have a will in 2025, down significantly from around 40% in 2016 (cep-dc.org). That means three out of four adults are leaving their estates—and their families—vulnerable by not having one.

Let’s be honest: most of us didn’t learn in school what happens after someone dies. No one taught us about wills, powers of attorney, or what it means when an estate goes through probate. There wasn’t a class on how to protect your digital accounts, or how to prevent your family from facing huge legal bills or delays in accessing your assets.

So where do people turn? They Google. They scroll. They might land on a blog like this — or they might not. And if they do, they’re often looking for a quick, free solution. But estate planning isn’t something you can piece together with snippets from the internet.

The internet is full of advice about estate planning — but not all of it is good, accurate, or right for you. And because many people don’t take the time to really read and understand their options, they risk:

• Leaving their family tangled in probate court for months (or years)

• Forgetting to name guardians for minor children

• Losing digital assets — like accounts, photos, or crypto — forever because no one can access them

• Falling victim to overpriced or unnecessary services, because they don’t know what’s fair or what they truly need

  
  

Estate planning isn’t just for the elderly or wealthy. It’s for anyone who cares about what happens to their family and their stuff when they’re gone. And it’s too important to entrust to search engines and half-read articles.

We live in a time when everything is at our fingertips — yet it’s easy to get paralyzed by too many choices, or lulled into thinking you can figure it all out later. But if there’s one thing you read today and truly take to heart, let it be this: Your family’s future depends on the plan you make now. Don’t leave it to chance, and don’t leave it to Google. Let’s have that conversation — while you still can.