As April showers are springing into May flowers, I realize how quickly life moves. It seems only yesterday that we were taking down the Christmas tree, and now we are quickly moving into summer vacations. The way time slips past, I realize more and more the importance of what I get to do for a living: I get to help people and their families plan and prepare for life’s most difficult times. As an estate planning attorney, I get to mitigate the harshness of dealing with death or incapacity, and allow the families to concentrate on what is most important – the people.

I was flipping through an article about some of the famous people who have died in 2015. It is an amazing list, some very influential people in their respective fields, from Andrew Lesnie to Stuart Scott to Ernie Banks. One of the things I noticed was that death does not have an entry age. Unfortunately, we are all prone to that one moment that takes us from this life. The question becomes what have you left for your loved ones to deal with?

Losing someone is hard enough without the hassles and headaches of dealing with that person’s estate, if not planned properly. Proper planning is important at every age because it means that you have the plan to handle your specific set of circumstances and goals to make it easier on your loved ones if you were to become incapacitated or pass away.

The good thing is that you each have the power to get the legal advice and put a proper plan in place. But it is up to you. You have to make the call. You don’t have to, and you shouldn’t “wait until you retire”. Time moves quickly, and life is unpredictable. Take the few moments to get your plan in place, so you will be able to enjoy life with the peace of mind you deserve because you did more than leave your loved ones an inheritance. You left them a legacy.

Contributed by Morris Hall, PLLC Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces estate planning attorney, and partner, James P. Plitz.

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The attorneys at Morris Hall have 100’s of years of combined experience ensuring that families’ assets are protected from probate, unnecessary taxes, creditors, ex-spouses and Medicaid spend-down. Our Arizona offices are located in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Carefree, Tucson, Oro Valley, 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.