I am feeling bad for the many people in the Northeast and Midwest who have had multiple storms this year.  Living in Arizona, it is hard to truly internalize their pain, even though I spent three very cold winters in Chicago.  When these unusual weather patterns interrupt the daily flow of life, I wonder how much time the residents spend thinking about detailed plans for the future.  My guess is that they are more consumed in trying to just get by now.   I wonder how much thought those in the grasps of the storms give to estate planning.  My suspicion is that such matters are left for another day.

We all have current concerns that dominate our attention.  If we are not careful, we can let slide the important planning we must make for our future, and for the future of our affairs when we are no longer able to control them.  In the lull of the storms, and even while we are experiencing some of the buffetings of everyday living, we should seriously consider preparing for the future.

In our estate planning practice, we witness a very sad number of situations in which the time for planning has expired, and the opportunity for protection has been lost, and those left to pick up the pieces do not have the benefit of many crucial options.  The saddest experiences of our 13 attorneys and all our support staff, involve watching families and other beneficiaries lose assets, protection, security and peace of mind that could have been easily provided by friends and family who are gone or who can no longer function.

We encourage everyone to occasionally review their estate plans.  There have been very significant recent changes that should be addressed, and we would desire that everyone enjoy the benefits the good changes bring, and be able to plan around the bad changes.  We hope that people don’t continue to leave such important matters for a warmer, less hectic, more convenient day, until it is too late.

Contributed by MH Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale Estate Planning Attorney and Partner Theron M Hall Jr.

About Morris Hall:
At Morris Hall, we have focused our legal practice on estate planning for over 40 years.  Along with estate planning, our attorneys help clients and their families with matters of probate, trust administration, wills, power of attorneys, business planning, succession planning, legacy planning, charitable gifting and other important legal aspects.  We also have divisions in financial, real estate and accounting to help you incorporate all of your planning together, ensuring that everything works perfectly for your needs and situation. Our Arizona offices are located in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Tucson, Prescott, Flagstaff and Arrowhead.  Our New Mexico offices are located in Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe.  Contact us today at 888.222.1328 to schedule an appointment!

This blog should be used for informational purposes only.  It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice.  If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney in your community who can assess the specifics of your situation.