Estate Planners See Increase in Requests from Clients

If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s to be prepared for the unexpected. More people than ever used this opportunity to get on top of their planning. If you went though difficult issues related to your health or experienced this with a loved one in 2020 or 2021, it’s a good time to speak with a dedicated estate planning lawyer to ensure your plans cover all your needs.

Your estate planning should cover not only what happens to any of your children or your property once you pass away, but provisions for what will happen to you and your affairs if you were to become sick or disabled during your life.

Most people view estate planning as the process of documenting your property transfer plans when they pass away. While that’s important and can make things much easier for your beneficiaries when you pass away, some of the most complex legal questions emerge when you’re hurt or ill and not able to communicate what care you’d like on your own. In the heat of the moment, medical decisions must be made, but if you haven’t taken the time to document these or appoint someone who knows them to make those calls on your behalf, your family members can get stuck in red tape during a period where timely decision-making is key.

If you have specific feelings about what medical care you’d like and when, make sure this is written down with the help of your local estate planning attorney. If you’re appointing someone else in a power of attorney role for you, be sure they are clear about how the process works and are comfortable serving in this role.

Don’t let unexpected events catch you off guard. Schedule a time to speak with an experienced estate planning attorney today.

Four Actions to Take Before Your Death

The end of a person’s life can be a difficult and confusing time. However, it doesn’t have to be. A recent article discusses four actions that every person should complete as they prepare for the next life. By completing these four actions, an individual can get the most out of his or her final days.

  1. Estate Planning: Estate planning is a process. Every person should execute his or her first estate plan upon becoming an adult. Importantly, however, a person should not neglect his or her estate plan. It is good practice for individuals to update their estate plans every three to five years, as well as after an important family event such as a birth, death, or marriage.

    Cover of "The Bucket List"
    Cover of The Bucket List
  2. Making Decisions for End of Life Care: The method through which a person wishes to leave this world is a highly personal decision. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that they can take control over how they spend their final days. This control is gained through a living will and medical power of attorney.
  3. Bury the Hatchet: It is impossible to know when the end will be. While some people may have the time and notice necessary to atone and make amends with the individuals they have hurt or from whom they have otherwise become estranged, others will pass on suddenly without any warning. It is therefore important to take care to not carry old grudges or remain estranged from former friends or family members.
  4. Bucket List: The idea of a bucket list has been gaining in popularity since the 2007 movie of the same name. A bucket list is a list of things that an individual or couple would like to do before “kicking the bucket.” If you have any such desires, consider documenting them as the first step toward making them happen.
Enhanced by Zemanta

Zip It: Put Your Plans on a USB Drive

We cannot predict when an accident or emergency is going to take place. All too often, hospitals and caretakers are unable to follow a person’s wishes for medical treatment – even if he or she had the correct documents in place – because these documents are not immediately available. In order to avoid this fate, a recent article discusses the option of keeping critical documents on a USB drive.

English: A Sandisk-brand USB thumb drive, SanD...
A Sandisk-brand USB thumb drive, SanDisk Cruzer Micro, 4GB. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A USB drive is a portable storage device that can be attached to a keychain or stored in a wallet. In order to view its contents, a user can simply plug it into any computer with a USB port. If your friends or family members are aware that you carry it with you, they can review its contents should they be required to make any medical or legal decisions on your behalf.

In order to protect yourself and your wishes in the event of an emergency, your USB drive should include a HIPAA release, living will, and medical power of attorney. It is not advisable to put a password on this drive because then the documents will not be easily accessible. However, do not store sensitive information on your USB drive, such as account numbers and passwords, unless it is password protected or encrypted.

Enhanced by Zemanta