It was a typical night before my family was going to leave for our summer vacation to Alaska. As excitement surrounded the house in preparation of leaving early the next day, I scurried around checking and double checking that each of our children had the appropriate clothing and toiletries in their luggage bags. After I felt assured my children were completely prepared for the vacation, I went through the same routine with my personal belongings, checking and double checking to make certain my family and I were prepared for whatever came our way during our vacation. The planning for this vacation was different than what I had experienced with previous summer vacations, because I was uncertain as to what the weather conditions would be like in Alaska. I did my best to pre-plan by continuously checking the forecasted weather. However, I felt it necessary to pack for both warm and cooler weather just in case.
I’m sure most of you go through the same or similar ritual when planning your family’s vacation. My number one goal was to make sure that my family has a memorable experience, but more importantly that everyone would be safe and that we were completely prepared for whatever came our way. As I prepared for this family adventure, I thought about how vacation planning is very similar to estate planning.
Estate planning is important to ensure your family doesn’t have to go through a costly probate and guardianship/conservatorship. Proper planning is also necessary to protect and preserve your hard earned estate from unnecessary taxes and delays in distributing your estate when you pass away. Having a properly drafted estate plan will ensure that your family won’t have to go through a court action to determine who will be in charge of making your financial and healthcare decisions should you become incapacitated and when you pass away.
While it’s obvious why most of us would rather plan for a vacation then plan for end of life, estate planning must be done, sooner than later. Don’t delay, and get a proper plan in place for you and your family.
For more information or to schedule a free consultation, contact our office today at 888.222.1328.
What the Attorneys of Morris Hall Can Do For You:
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. The attorneys also help those in Arizona and New Mexico to apply for and receive Medicaid assistance and Veterans Benefits. 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.
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