Contact Us5 Tips from a the Bay Area Will and Trust Lawyer
There’s a lot that goes into estate planning, so it’s not a particularly simple process. That said, there are some simple things you can keep in mind when gearing up to work with your the Bay Area will and trust lawyer.
Estate Planning Tip #1: Make a Will
When it comes to estate planning, one of the most important things you can do is create a will with your lawyer. This document will leave written instructions of your wishes. While you may assume that everyone already knows what you want, that doesn’t mean that the courts will care. When you have a will, you’re making it legal.
Estate Planning Tip #2: Talk About It
While laying your wishes out in a will is incredibly important, it’s also a very good idea to talk to your loved ones about what you’ve included in the will. That way, everyone is aware of your wishes, and it will be much less likely that something will be misinterpreted later. A Bay Area will and trust lawyer can help direct this conversation if it’s something you don’t feel comfortable doing on your own.
Estate Planning Tip #3: Review Your Beneficiaries
About once a year, go back over your assets and make sure that your estate plan is up to date. This includes reviewing insurance policies, retirement funds, and any accounts that have a beneficiary, along with your will, any trusts, etc. Circumstances change, and it’s entirely possible that someone listed on an account is no longer a good choice as a beneficiary for a variety of possible reasons.
Estate Planning Tip #4: Make a List
With so many different things to track, it’s a good idea to make a list of the information that your loved ones will need after your death. Include things such as where to find important documents, how to access safe deposit boxes, passwords for online accounts, etc. Financial records and personal documents such as birth/marriage/death certificates will also be helpful to your heirs. Make sure that they know how to contact your will and trust lawyer in the Bay Area for further information.
Estate Planning Tip #5: Create a Health-Care Directive
Alongside your will, a health-care directive (often called a “living will”) is a must. This document gives your family and health care providers directions to follow regarding your medical treatment. Should you be unable to speak for yourself due to incapacitation, the health-care directive can answer many questions regarding the types of treatment you do and do not want. It also lists the person that you want making additional medical decisions on your behalf.
Obviously, these are just a few of the issues that you’ll want to discuss with a the Bay Area will and trust lawyer, but having them in mind gives you a good place to start so you can move forward with confidence.
Comments (1)
My wife and I are trying to make a Will right now, and we just wanted a few pointers to get started. We really liked this article, especially the part about a health-care directive. This seems like an important thing for our family to have so thanks for sharing these tips with us!