Lizzie Borden’s Estate: Lessons From a Century-Old Estate Plan – PT. 2 – EP. 199 – Life’s Third Act

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In this follow-up to our live Lizzie Borden Halloween episode, attorney CPA Joe Cordell returns to explore the part of the story most people never hear: Lizzie’s life after the trial and what happened to her estate. While the world remembers the sensational 1892 murders and her surprising acquittal, far less is known about how Lizzie lived out her remaining decades, her relationship with her sister Emma, her connection to actress Nance O’Neil, and the choices she made when it came to inheritance, assets, and charitable giving.

Joe walks through the sisters’ move to Maplecroft, their eventual estrangement, the social fallout Lizzie faced in Fall River, and the surprising way she managed and grew her wealth. Then he breaks down the probate battle that followed her death, why her will created six years of litigation, and what her estate decisions reveal about planning, precision, and the importance of choosing the right documents and executor.

If you’re interested in how real historical estates work—or how even a century-old case can teach us modern lessons about wills, trusts, and end-of-life planning—this episode completes the story.