We all know the old saying- there are two things in life we can be certain of- death and taxes. We all know we are going to die; we just don’t know when we are going to die. We all hope it is a long way off, but it could happen to any one of us any day.
I had a good friend of mine that recently returned from a bicycling race he did back east. The trip took him through Washington DC, New Jersey and New York. He was riding for fallen officers. Officers that had lost their life protecting and serving the Phoenix Community. He arrived home late Saturday evening on September 17th. As some of you may be aware, pipe bombs exploded in New Jersey and New York on September 17th injuring dozens of people. Needless to say he is very glad he made it home safe and sound, but reality has hit him pretty hard as to how close he could have come to something very tragic happening. He told me he was in both of the exact same vicinities where the bombs went off just days before.
We all hope to live to a ripe old age and just die in our sleep with no pain or discomfort. Reality is most of us will never do that. Death and serious illness or injury come very unexpectedly most times. It is important that we are prepared for when that time does come. The best way to do that is to have our affairs in order today. Do not procrastinate. There is no time like the present time to plan for things in life we know are certainties. We all know we are going to die; it’s just a matter of how prepared for it you’re going to be.
Some simple steps to take to be prepared:
- Get your estate plan in order
- Review your life insurance policies and long term care insurance policies
- Look into a prepaid burial plan
- Make a list of your assets and where to find your important legal documents
- Make a list of all of your monthly bills and who to contact if you should die
- Make a list of your credit card companies and how to contact them
- Make a list of the important people that should be contacted if you die
Take the Boy Scout motto to heart- BE PREPARED.
Contributed by Morris Hall PLLC, Arrowhead, Phoenix and Scottsdale Estate Planning Attorney, David T. Eastman.
About Morris Hall, PLLC:
At Morris Hall, PLLC we have focused our legal practice on estate planning for over 45 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, Carefree, Tucson, Oro Valley, Green Valley, Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff and Arrowhead. 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.
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