We understand that it feels hard to get around to estate planning; it sounds about as fun as getting a root canal. However, a root canal gets rid of pain and estate planning prevents future pain for you and your family. We all want to ensure that our loved ones are protected and receive our hard-earned assets – regardless of whether you have $10 million or $10,000. Don’t let common roadblocks stop you from estate planning for yourself and your family.
Who Wants to Talk About Death?
As you grow older, there is a time to face the reality of death for you and your loved ones. Living in denial is never a good solution and only adds more distress to your life later on.
Discussions of death, dying, and illness, money and family, wills and trusts, make many folks uncomfortable. Of course, that’s normal. But don’t let a few minutes of feeling uncomfortable stop you from taking care of yourself and your loved ones.
I Don’t Get It
As attorneys, we work with you to make estate plans documented in legal papers. We discuss your finances and analyze how the law relates to your situation.
It’s common to feel uncomfortable in a world you’re not familiar with. If that’s what you are thinking, you are not alone. However, attorneys translate complex legal concepts into everyday layman’s terms for you. Attorneys understand that you may not understand legalese or what types of legal documents you may need. We went to law school to know how to help you work out what you need to protect yourself and your family. As attorneys, we legally must consider your best interests above all else.
I Don’t Know Why I Need a Plan
Most estate plans contain specific documents that protect you and your family from:
- State government interference that happens if you pass away without a will
- Not having a say in whether you want a feeding tube or respirator if you are incapacitated
- Not knowing who will care for your finances if you become incompetent
- Losing your hard-earned retirement savings to a nursing home
- Enduring years in probate court to settle a loved one’s estate
- Losing guardianship of yourself to someone you don’t even trust
- Medicaid expense recovery claiming ownership of a beloved family home to pay back Medicaid costs
- Not knowing who will care for your children if you and your spouse pass away
- Not knowing how to settle an estate because there is no will. Uncertainty often leads to family disunity and discord.
At some point in our lives, people we love pass on, and we are left making tough decisions. If they’ve made good plans, we know how to take the next steps. Sometimes, those we love become incapacitated through an accident or health event. In those situations, it can be heartbreaking to make life and death decisions for them without knowing what steps are next.
Some people prefer to have a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order when it comes to life-saving therapies. Others would like to hang onto life by any means necessary. If we don’t have difficult conversations with our family and document their wishes, how will we handle the situation if someone is deathly ill? Who will manage their finances while they are in the hospital? Will you care for their pets and pay their mortgage? These are questions that you can answer now to prevent pain in the future.
The Reason We Plan
Like a rotten tooth, it feels painful when money is lost that you could have protected and passed on to your family. It hurts to watch your loved one in the hospital and not know what types of medical treatment you should sign off on. It’s painful to spend down your retirement funds to qualify for Medicaid when you could have qualified and kept the money if you’d only started planning sooner.
You make an estate plan in the way that you brush your teeth. You just do it because it needs to be done -and isn’t that what being an adult is all about?
We Can Help
Everyone is busy. We understand that, but there’s never going to be a better time. The truth is that estate planning isn’t that bad. In fact, with the help of our estate planning attorneys, it is easy. We chat with you about your goals and concerns, analyze your family and financial situation, and work with you to develop a solid plan.
You provide the information and we take care of making the plan and keeping you and your loved ones safe. Call our office, get on the calendar, and get it done. Contact us today and find out how we can help you.