Take Matters into Your Own Hands….
According to a recent survey, only 42% of U.S. adults have estate-planning documents. I get it. Who wants to think about death? Who wants to make the hard decisions about who gets your stuff? Who wants to spend their hard-earned money on a pile of papers? I understand this perspective completely. And I’ll be brutally honest. If I wasn’t an estate-planning attorney, I probably wouldn’t have an estate plan either.
- But because I’m an estate-planning attorney, I have a different perspective…
- Brothers battling over their deceased mother’s sentimental belongings…
- Siblings squaring off to get guardianship over their elderly mother…
- A second husband fighting over his deceased wife’s property with her children…
These are cases that I’ve seen firsthand, all played out in probate court proceedings filled with costs, delays and incredible amounts of stress and emotion. In each case, the families were ripped apart with little to no chance of ever repairing the damage. The common denominator of each case was a deficient estate plan.
Why would anyone voluntarily put their family through this process?
We can all agree that creating an estate plan is a hassle and it costs money. But for the sake of your family, take matters into your own hands. Get your affairs organized. Eliminate the uncertainties and stress associated with your death. You might not want to think about it now, but your family will appreciate it later.