Hopefully, you are one of the 44% of adults in the United States who have made a Will. If not, you may be holding back because of some common estate planning excuses. Many people have them, and they can be difficult to defeat. If you’re not sure you need to overcome estate planning, this article should help clear things up.
I’m not rich, so I don’t need an estate plan.
Wrong on so many counts! Estate planning is not just for wealthy people. There are many reasons to have an estate plan, including:
- You own something, and someone else will own it after you are gone. An estate plan lets you decide who that someone will be.
- You own a business. A business succession plan is a must-have for business owners.
- You have family members and want to take care of them. Your estate plan allows you to set up personal representatives, agents, and trustees to take some of the stress off your grieving family.
- You want to avoid probate. The right estate planning can minimize the time your family spends dealing with your estate.
If this excuse does not fit, the next one may.
It’s too hard to think about death.
Okay, this one we can understand. It is hard for most of us to think about death. But estate plans are not just about you and where your stuff goes after you are gone.
In fact, some estate planning documents – the durable power of attorney and health care power of attorney – go into effect during your lifetime. When you sign a durable power of attorney, you name someone to act on your behalf. Your agent can take over if you lose the ability to communicate, perhaps due to a head injury or stroke. The health care power of attorney is similar, but your agent will be working with your medical providers instead of your bankers and bill collectors.
Just as it can be hard to talk about death, it can be hard to fit activities into our busy schedule. At least, that’s what we tell ourselves.
I don’t have time to do my estate planning
When you think about the importance of estate planning, you’ll make time to meet with an attorney and get it done. An estate plan especially helps your family deal with difficult situations that crop up if you are incapacitated or pass away.
Call an attorney and set up an appointment to do your estate planning. When you see how little time it typically takes, you will probably be pleasantly surprised.
Let us know you are ready to get started.
Attorney Bruce Adams is an Alabama attorney who knows how to listen to his client’s business concerns and provide actionable advice. Please contact Bruce at 256-237-3339 to set up an appointment. Our office is located in Anniston, Alabama, but we assist clients in surrounding communities like Gadsden, Hoover, Talladega, Vestavia Hills.