Most people believe that estate planning is important, yet they don’t think it is necessary for them. We often hear people say their estate isn’t big enough or that they will get around to creating an estate plan when they are older. However, an estate plan is important for everyone at all levels of net worth. Below are three central reasons why YOU need an estate plan:
- You want to protect your family. If you fail to create an estate plan and you die, your loved ones are left with a big mess. Not only can financial disputes occur, probate can be time-consuming and costly. Your estate plan can not only safeguard your assets, but it can also provide your loved ones with peace of mind and guidance once you are gone.
- You want to save money. Sadly, many people postpone creating an estate plan because they think it will be too expensive. The cost of creating a comprehensive estate plan is minimal when compared to what can be lost financially if you die without a plan in place. Your estate plan can provide asset protection, save on taxes, and prevent litigation expenses. Consider this: in one estate we read about recently the husband died leaving a business owned by two sons and a mom. It has easily cost the family over $500,000 in fees and has taken more than four years to get resolved and the family will never heal. Another case recently reviewed showed that a girlfriend of 18 months, much younger than the decedent, sued to become the common law spouse and inherited millions in property.
- You want peace of mind. Once you create an estate plan, you will have the peace of mind that you are saving your family from stress and conflict. It will also give you the comfort of knowing that your own future and senior care is planned and provided for. By creating power of attorney documents and a trust, your loved ones will be equipped to handle your long-term care without the time, cost, and stress of going to court to obtain authority to manage your affairs.
There are many other reasons to create an estate plan, but they all center on the three goals outlined above. Whatever you want to accomplish in your estate plan, we can help.
The Astill Law Office has provided high quality legal services for over 30 years. We specialize in wills, trusts, estate planning, and asset protection. If you have any questions about creating a Trust, Will, or estate planning in general, contact The Astill Law Office at 801-438-8698.