Shannon Donnelly
Shannon Donnelly is the founder and CEO of Afterward. She built it after going through estate settlement herself following her father's death, and writes the Afterward blog from Denver, Colorado.
Recent writing
All 88 →The 10% Myth: What Executors Actually Get Paid
No state pays an executor 10% of the estate. How compensation really works, why executors deserve to be paid, and how to handle the money conversation with your family.
How Ready Is Your Family for a Death? A 10-Minute Gut Check
Ten honest questions that reveal exactly where your family would get stuck, and the shortest path to fixing the gaps you find.
Beyond the Will: The Details a Will Doesn't Cover
A valid will still leaves your family guessing about passwords, funeral wishes, pets, and the sentimental items they will actually fight over.
What a Death Really Costs Your Family: In Time, Not Just Money
Twenty months and $12,500 is the average, but the real currency is hours. Where those hours actually go, and which ones preparation can erase.
When Time Is Short: Preparing After a Terminal Diagnosis
What to handle first when the timeline is measured in months, in the order that actually matters, so the remaining time belongs to your family.
The Emotional Work Nobody Warns You About in End-of-Life Planning
The forms take an afternoon. The feelings take longer. What actually makes planning hard, and how to move through it without white-knuckling.