“I have a simple estate.”
“I don’t have a lot of assets.”
“The rules of intestacy will suffice in my case.”
“The cost outweighs the benefits.”
These are some of the most common things I hear from those who do not have an estate plan. However, regardless of the size, value, or complexity of your estate, everyone should have at least a basic estate plan.
A sad example of why this is true comes from one of my personal friends. In 2012, her elderly mother suffered a stroke. There was no estate plan in place; no durable power of attorney nor health care directive.
No one could access her accounts in order to pay bills nor could they answer doctor’s questions about medical care.
My friend and her siblings spent precious time asking the court to appoint one of them to manage her mother’s financial affairs and make healthcare decisions.
Sadly, her mother passed away shortly thereafter and without a will, the siblings were left in an awkward position where their mother’s personal property was concerned.
All of those issues could have been avoided with a basic estate plan composed of a Will, Durable Power of Attorney, and a Healthcare Directive.
With those in place, you can insure that your loved ones are not placed in a similar situation. You can make the decision about who will manage your finances and who will make healthcare decisions for you if you are incapacitated. And you can make sure that the distributions of your assets meets your wishes.
I will help you prepare such a basic estate plan for the flat-fee of $250 for an individual or $400 for a couple.
The fee is billed after the instruments have been delivered and accepted. If you are unhappy with the estate plan, then you don’t owe anything. It’s that simple.
I can also assist you in developing a more complex estate plan including living trusts or pour over trusts.
And as always … your initial consultation is free.
