No one likes thinking about the moment when they will die. But death is inevitable for us all, and spending some time getting your estate in order while you're still around is a responsible and smart thing to do. But far too many people just simply keep putting it off because they don't want to think about it. If you want your affairs to be in order when it's your time to go, here's why you need to get started now.
Start Planning While You're Healthy, Not After You Reach Your Final Years
Good estate planning is something that should take some time. You'll want to carefully consider who should inherit your belongings or funds and come up with an exact breakdown of who gets what. It is not something you want to scramble to throw together at the last minute after receiving a bad diagnosis or falling into ill health.
You'll likely have other things to think about during the twilight of your life, and last-minute financial or estate planning will end up being rushed in a way that could cause you to make a mistake. The other consideration is you never really know when you're time is going to come or if something might happen that would leave you alive but incapacitated. If you don't get everything together before that happens, your affairs will be left to others to decide.
Making Your Wishes Know Early Can Help Keep Family Strife to a Minimum
An ugly family fight over an estate is something that does happen, and it could absolutely happen to yours even if you think everything will be fine. People can lash out in anger sometimes if they are surprised by the contents of a will, and it doesn't help if they are still actively grieving at the same time as well. The earlier you write your will or finish your estate plan and then communicate it to your family, the easier things should be when it comes time to read the will. No one can say they were surprised or that the will wasn't given careful consideration if you've been talking about it for years.
A Good Lawyer Can Set Up Your Plan and Then Execute It If Needed
For best results when dealing with estate plans, hire a seasoned attorney to get your affairs in order. Some attorneys may even be willing to act as the executor of the will or estate plan after you are gone, ensuring all decisions are made by a neutral third party and not a family member who may have their own motives.
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