Candace Dellacona on supporting ‘the sandwich generation’
By Kristen Oliveri
Candace Dellacona is a principal and shareholder in Offit Kurman’s Estates and Trusts Practice Group, where she works closely with multiple generations to protect what they have built. She guides clients through pivotal life moments like welcoming children, navigating illness, planning for business succession, advocating for elder care, and creating tailored estate plans for the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. Her thoughtful approach blends legal expertise with compassion, ensuring her clients are supported at every stage of life.
In our conversation, Dellacona opens up about her personal journey and the power of her podcast, The Sandwich Generation’s Survival Guide, which explores the challenges of balancing care for aging parents while raising children or supporting adult children. This wide-ranging interview touches on her work, her voice as an advocate, and the superpower that grounds her both personally and professionally.
Can you share your professional journey and what led you to become an estate planning attorney?
I worked at biglaw before I went to law school. It became clear to me that I wanted to work as an attorney, but I wanted different clients – not corporations but people. I went to law school knowing what type of law I wanted to practice.
Your clients know you as “The Sandwich Generation Lawyer.” How did that nickname come about?
I think it grew organically out of the clients that I represent. Many of my clients were “in the middle” – I had a ton of resources and then I found myself also in this same situation so it was really something that developed over time.
Many professionals in the wealth space develop a unique client niche over time. What type of clients do you work with most often?
I have three sort of categories for clients. The first I’d describe as multigenerational – generation one, business owners/clients who have acquired some wealth, who are trying to figure out the best way to transfer that biz, or the wealth to the next generation in the most efficient way, but also being mindful of the strengths and weaknesses of generation two – that the wealth is passed on in a way that makes sense. Now that I’m almost 50, I’m also representing generations 3 and 4, too. The second category is LGBTQ+ families. Now more than ever, their documents must be properly constructed to protect their families, regardless of what the law says at the federal level. The third category is clients who are in the public space- so professional athletes, musicians, actors, etc.
You’ve turned your expertise into a successful podcast, The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide. What kinds of topics do you explore on the show?
All of my clients, whether “traditional” families or not, experience life in the middle The sandwich generation is a universal feeling to anyone who is lucky enough to reach mid-life and wants to advocate for their older loved ones while trying to raise a family. Even those who do not have children want to advocate for their older loved ones and it’s hard to strike a balance so the topics that we explore are resources for those of us in the middle, such as talking about what a geriatric care manager does, to Kass and Mike Lazerow – successful entrepreneurs who tried to strike the balance as parents while running a biz to a NATO fighter pilot who employed his war-time tactics to be the best caregiver he could for his beloved mother to college financial aid issues.
When you’re not working, how do you enjoy spending time with your family?
Our entire family has the travel bug – and one of my children is in university overseas so we really love to travel and meet up with our daughter often to spend together as a family of five.
What would you say is your superpower?
Empathy. It sounds silly, but if you can empathize with people, you are so ahead of the game.
What’s the last book you read?
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.