Have you ever had a moment when your world changed forever – a phone call announcing the loss of a loved one, a medical diagnosis, or a car accident? In that moment, the world stops. Your life halts, and you wonder how you will cope with all the practical ramifications while managing the inevitably overwhelming emotions. There are so many things in life that we have absolutely no control over. While that is terrifying, it is important to remember that not everything is out of our control. While none of us will leave this life unscathed, the only thing we can predict is that a day will come when we do leave it. And yet…
we live our lives pretending like the inevitable will never happen.
Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
On June 27, 2021, my mom took her last breath after a four-month battle with cancer. Fortunately, she already had all of her legal documents in place so that we could manage her accounts and make decisions on her behalf, based on her wishes, in those last weeks of her life. She had a will and a plan for her assets after she died so we didn’t have to guess. She also had made arrangements for her remains, which allowed us to be present and let that moment of her last breath one of peace. While cancer is a beast that I wouldn’t wish on anyone, at least we had time. The hard truth is that isn’t always the case – we don’t always have time with the people we love leading up to the time of their death, or before a catastrophic accident or diagnosis changes everything. The simple and thoughtful acts of executing a will, and signing powers of attorney and a medical directive, makes all the difference in that moment when decisions have to be made in a time of grief and fear.
It’s so easy to put off the important decisions because we think we have tomorrow. But we’re not guaranteed another day. So let’s take a look at the documents you can put in place to make it easier on your loved ones and assure that your wishes are known.
What is an estate plan?
- Basic Will – the document that directs the division of your assets upon your death and guardianship of your minor children
- Testamentary Trust – a trust set up so that in the event your death, your assets will be properly managed for your minor children
- General Power of Attorney – the document that allows you to designate someone whom you trust to have access to your financial accounts & property if you are incapacitated
- Medical Power of Attorney – the document that allows you to designate someone whom you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event you are incapacitated and incapable of making those decisions for yourself
- Medical Directive (Living Trust) — the document that allows you to make known your end-of-life decisions about your care in the event your situation is terminal
The most challenging part of executing these documents is identifying who you want to be appointed to have these crucial responsibilities and make these important decisions. When you don’t have these documents in place, you leave people guessing about your wishes, or incapable of making the decisions that need to be made, or leave it to strangers to make those critical decisions.
Losing a loved one is difficult enough. So is dealing with catastrophic, life-changing injuries. Your loved ones having to navigate these decisions without the power or direction from you is overwhelming during an already terrifying time. Having these documents in place is a precious gift to your family.
I am so pleased and excited to announce that Mary Glenn, whom I’ve admired for years, has decided to join our firm in order to help families get the estate planning the need in place. Mary has been helping families prepare and plan for the inevitable for over 15 years. She brings compassionate wisdom and insight to her work and is thrilled to be able to offer this comforting service to our clients. You can find out more information through our free resource here. If you don’t have an estate plan in place, reach out to us today for a complimentary case evaluation to begin the process. We invite you to take this step today to provide you with the peace of mind knowing that you have made life easier for your loved ones.
