Kerri Koen on Rethinking Estate Planning for Modern Families

It started with two moms who kept seeing the same problem.

In their legal work, Kerri Koen and her partner and co-founder Erin Nobles watched families create estate plans—only to ignore them until a crisis struck. The traditional “one-and-done” approach simply didn’t reflect real life. Families grow, children become adults, and finances evolve, yet the documents meant to protect those changes often stay frozen in time.

Kerri and Erin knew there had to be a better way.

Today, through Modern Legacy Law Group, they help parents across Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire protect their assets and keep loved ones out of court and conflict. By combining a counseling-based approach with modern technology, they’ve reimagined estate planning as an ongoing partnership, making it easier for families to update, access, and actually use the documents that matter most.

Here, Kerri shares more.

What are some of the most meaningful impacts work has had so far?

We hear often from clients that our comprehensive planning process made designing their estate plan feel easy and seamless, and that having their plan in place has given them a huge sense of relief and peace of mind. This feedback means the world to us. I also hear from clients when something bad has happened. While these calls can be difficult, there is a tremendous feeling of gratitude and relief that they had a plan in place in advance. While I can't prevent these things from happening, I can certainly make the aftermath easier when they work with us proactively.

What were the most difficult and most impactful lessons you've learned since starting your company?

I recently saw an alarming statistic that the average age of widowhood in the United States is 59 years old. For me, this reaffirms how many of our plans won't go the way we picture. We should always dream big and work to create our dream life, but having contingencies for when things go wrong is critical. Often, when one spouse passes or gets sick, I see people struggle through endless issues that could have been avoided with planning: being unable to access a bank account, having to go through a court process for assets that were intended to be shared, conflict between family members about healthcare decisions, and the list goes on. If I could encourage wives and mothers to do anything, it would be to create a plan for what happens in an emergency. Who are the decision makers? Who are the caretakers? Where are the assets and who can take control of them?

We dare you to brag: What achievements are you most proud of?

Feedback from our clients and community have fueled me when entrepreneurship feels challenging. Just this past year, our firm was recognized by Boston Business Women as "Best Lawyer,” and both my partner and I were listed in Boston Magazine's Top Lawyer list for 2025. We see these accolades as proof that our approach to planning is resonating, both with our clients and the legal community.

What would you tell your younger self if you were to start your professional journey all over again?

Always trust the instinct that tells you when to challenge the way things have "always" been done. By listening to our clients and understanding their concerns and goals, we've created an approach that offers so much more than the traditional planning model. We can always do better—and we need to trust ourselves when we spot an opportunity for improvement.