Have you thought about dying lately? Most of us don't. Make sure you do some estate planning today before things get complicated.
End-of-life planning is not a fun topic to think about. Nobody wants to think about passing away, but is that going to change the inevitable? Not a chance.
A recent article in The Huffington Post, titled “Why We Avoid Estate Planning,” gives us reasons most of us avoid estate planning:
I just don't have the time. Everybody’s busy, however there are some things that are so important you have to take the time to get them done—like estate planning.
I don't want to think about dying. Who does? But it is simply better to plan right now while you’re healthy. Think about who will get custody of your minor children, who gets your money, and leave funeral instructions to ease arrangements. Some of us don’t like flossing or balancing our checkbook, but it’s the smart thing to do and saves us, let alone our families, avoidable headaches in the future.
I don't understand it. Ok, that sounds like a good reason. But that's why NW Legacy Law Center offers free Estate Planning Workshops monthly where we discuss several key estate planning topics like wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, asset protection, providing for minors and other beneficiaries (guardianship and finances), how to pay for long term care, and more! And as an added bonus all Workshop attendees are then invited to schedule an additional complimentary one hour session with us.
I don't really have much of an estate. Do you have a house? Do you have family keepsakes that you want to ensure go to specific people? Do you have a family? Any of these comprise of your estate and it's not just about money. Without a will or a named beneficiary, the probate process can be a nightmare for your survivors and that's what estate planning can help with.
Reference: Huffington Post (February 27, 2015) “Why We Avoid Estate Planning”
