Why Do Estate Planning?

Protect Your Loved Ones if Something Happens to You

Choose your Path

Start with Why

Estate planning is about much more than writing a will or creating a living trust. It’s about caring for and protecting your loved ones if you can no longer do so.

You’ve worked hard and sacrificed to provide for the people in your life. They are your “why.” Think about those people for a moment, then consider the items discussed on this page and throughout this site.

What Do Your Loved Ones Need When You’re No Longer Here?

Proper estate planning will address the answers to that question. It is the final act of love you will leave behind.

I once heard estate planning described as a legal set of babysitter instructions on how we want things handled if we’re unable to do so ourselves. Our loved ones deserve and often need that kind of mindful guidance. A proper estate plan will provide just that.

What your loved ones don’t need is uncertainty.

Doing Nothing Comes at a Cost

Practically every week I receive a call from someone whose parent, grandparent, etc., died with no will, living trust, or legal documentation of any kind. The surviving family has no idea what to do or what to expect. They must depend on a lawyer to put the pieces together for them, which often requires over a year in court and tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.

Or worse, the outcome creates struggle and disrupts harmony between those left behind. Default state laws, outdated beneficiary designations, surprising tax consequences, and other factors can leave our loved ones in a real pinch at the worst possible time.

As you can imagine, this is not what the person who died would have wanted. No one (or at least one one reading this website) would want their loved ones to experience that kind of stress or loss of control. However, our property laws and financial system do not fare well for people who do nothing.

Which Problem Do You Want?

I get it...you’re busy. It’s no fun to think about this stuff. Let’s face it, it’s much easier to plan our vacation or our next major purchase than to get uncomfortable and address the reality of our own demise.

But, if you aren’t willing to get out of your own way and address this facet of adult life, you’re just kicking the can down the road and putting the burden on someone else. And I’ll bet you’re not that type of person, or you wouldn’t still be reading.

Let an Experienced Estate Planning Attorney Be Your Guide

If you try and shortcut the process and go it alone, there is a good chance you will have a false sense of security. Problems don’t become apparent after you’ve died or become incapacitated, and by then it’s too late to fix those problems.

Truly solving the problems associated with incapacity and death requires expertise. An experienced estate planning attorney will show you a path that:

Makes sure your property is not frozen – and is available for your loved ones
Protects your property from being misused, blown, or given to the wrong people
Reflects your hopes, dreams, and values
Saves your loved ones 20-50x what you spend to set this up for them

It Starts With a Single Step

It’s great that you are here. I hope you are learning more about why estate planning is so important.

But, I can’t applaud you just yet. Information without action has little value.

Learn more about our process and take the first step on your journey today.

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