Cindy, a widow in her early 60s, was undergoing physical therapy for an injury to her foot, making it difficult for her to get around. In addition, she was suffering depression brought on by the immobility and pain, resulting in her neglecting to pay bills and taking care of other financial affairs.
Although there is often a progression of complexity in estate planning, this progression generally follows stages in life rather than specific ages.
Second honeymoons are definitely romantic. A third is even more so, unless maybe if each was with a different person. Nothing wrong with that, but it is a game-changer. The will or agreement you wrote 20 years ago, which maybe you have misplaced or forgotten, may not reflect your current thinking — or soulmate.
Photographs in the cloud, Facebook and Instagram accounts, bank and other financial accounts, and a host of other accounts and data are at our fingertips on electronic devices.
Having an estate plan can ensure that fiduciaries are identified to oversee and distribute your assets in the way you would have wanted. As a business owner, your ownership assets in your estate may require a more sophisticated level of planning.
One in four American adults live with a disability, according to the Center for Disease Control. One in 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s or dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Some marriages end in noise and pain. Other marriages drift away quietly with the signing of documents and only a hint of acrimony.
With the recent health crisis, many people have been asking their lawyers if a “Do Not Resuscitate” order – commonly known as a DNR – should be a part of their estate planning.
The possibility that a power of attorney might be rejected may be one reason not to simply pull a form off the internet and hope it will be accepted.
Estate planning documents often are treated like the photocopied permission slip for a child’s field trip. You fill in your name, include the children’s names and dates of birth and sign. The document is filed away to be used if needed, but you really never expect it to be used.
