Attorney
Hi Everyone,
Happy Wednesday! I hope you all enjoyed your Valentine’s Day and spent time with your loved ones. It’s amazing what we do for love and the lengths that we go to for such. Yet, people often fail to consider what would happen to their loved ones if they were no longer here. Who would care for them? Where would their assets go? These are questions that typically fall into the, “I don’t want to think about it,” category.
Unfortunately, death is inevitable and time is not guaranteed. Commonly, I see people scramble at the last minute to create an estate plan. They’re worried about finding attorneys and notarizing documents when their focus should be on their loved ones and being present. Sometimes, it’s too late and a plan cannot be executed in time.
So, why is it important to create an estate plan before a crisis hits?
- Options: By the time you actually need an estate plan your choices and planning options are typically limited. Additionally, once you are incapacitated you lose the ability to execute a plan on your own terms.
- Control: Planning while you are healthy ensures that your assets are passed down to who you want in the way that you want. It also ensures that you are the one that chooses who is in charge and not the state.
- Clarity: It’s extremely difficult to make important legal and financial decisions when you are in the midst of a medical emergency. The brain cannot simultaneously process such extremes effectively.
- Peace of Mind: Knowing who will manage your affairs, who will tend to your family, and where your assets are going before a crisis hits allows you to focus on quality of life and not legal headaches. Having a plan in place pre-crisis mode provides a huge sense of relief.
While I understand that estate planning is not necessarily a topic that one wants to think about, it is a necessity. Our goal, is to ensure that we make the process as easy as possible. With our systemized approach we allow you to choose the level of protection that is right for you, work with you step-by-step to design a plan customized to you and your family, and teach you exactly how your estate plan will work when it’s utilized. When your plan is signed you can be relieved that you will no longer have to think about such in the midst of an emergency.
Is it time to create your estate plan, or are you due for an update? If you’re looking to avoid such chaos, please contact us and schedule a time to review your planning options.
Until next time,
Amy