Michele Ungvarsky

Estate Planning:

Does the idea of preparing your will put you off?  Many people believe it is something only old rich people must do.  Don't believe it!  Estate planning is a process to get your affairs in order so you will make life easier for your surviving family members when you die.  Estate planning is something you do for your family.    An estate plan is about your family not money!  It can help maintain healthy family relationships during a tense and traumatic time.

It is never too early to plan with a simple last will and testament, advance health directives and durable power of attorney.  We hear about or maybe you know someone who suffered a fatal heart attack, stroke or was involved in a car accident.  Events like this do no leave time for you to plan for your family.  It is better to have estate planning documents in place before they are needed and before it is too late to make them.  Remember that estate planning is not just for what happens to your assets after you die.  You need protection in case you suffer incapacity or the inability to speak or act for yourself.  Having a durable power of attorney for health care and to manage your assets right away can prevent a situation that creates work and hassle for everyone during an extremely difficult and emotionally demanding time.  Estate planning covers you in your lifetime and death. 

It doesn't have to be difficult, expensive or depressing.  For the vast majority of people there is no need to worry about estate taxes or fancy trusts.  It takes only a few steps:  looking at what you own, have a simple will or trust made to take care of your family and loved ones and reviewing your beneficiary designations on other accounts.

Do you already have a will and other estate planning documents?  How old are they?  What life events have occurred since they were prepared?  Have your estate planning documents reviewed after a divorce in the family, after a death, after the birth of children or grandchildren, if there is there a remarriage with a second family involved.  There are many other reasons to have your estate planning documents updated. 

My goal with estate planning is to ensure that my clients set up a plan that will accomplish their goals should the unexpected happen. It is just as important that the clients understand the plan they have in place. Every family is different and so every client must be approached differently. My goal with probate is to ensure the process happens as efficiently as possible, but also to make the process as painless as it can be.

Call and make an appointment today!