If you run a business, you probably spend money every week on things that help you operate, serve customers, and grow. Many of those costs can potentially reduce your taxable income. But not every expense counts as a business deduction, and some categories get more scrutiny than others.

In law school, we learned legal principles by examining real cases and hypotheticals. We saw how the law works through the lens of what happens when things go wrong. In estate planning these cases often read like a soap opera script, with secret families, coerced will changes, hidden assets, and murder for money.

Now that tax season is behind us, most business owners are ready to move on. And honestly, that’s understandable—filing is stressful, the deadlines are real, and getting it done feels like an accomplishment in itself. (And if you filed an extension, well, you’ve got to hang on a little longer).

When someone leaves behind a handwritten will, they probably had good intentions. They took the time to write something down. They put their wishes in their own words. On its face, that can feel like enough. But creating a will isn’t only about intentions, there are legal hoops that must be jumped through. Howard Hughes…