It has certainly been a strange year and it feels as though we are finally heading out of it and things are “getting back to normal”. It makes me very happy to hear everybody talking about all of their upcoming plans for travel and trips to visit family because they missed out on a lot of planned events this past year.
Let me tell you what has really hit home for me, is how painful lack of planning can be and how it can affect your family in many ways. There are far too many lessons that we have learned from the past year, but one, in particular, is how a lack of planning can devastate a family.
Before you head out on all of your great adventures and trips, please take a moment for yourself and put your own oxygen mask on. Please pull out your estate planning and take a quick look at it. Make sure that the documents read the way that you want them to read and that you understand them.
Furthermore, make sure that all of your beneficiary designations on your life insurance and retirement accounts match what you intend for them to do and do not incorrectly believe that your Will controls how those assets are distributed.
As we have stated in many other blogs and articles, the beneficiary designations on these items are the most important thing and will trump what you have in your Will. Just confirm that your plan is the way that you intend it to be and that there are no unintended consequences.
If you have not had it reviewed by a professional in the last three or four years, take the time now to bring it to someone to review to ensure that everything is the way that it needs to be.
We also encourage you to take the time, once your documents are review and updated as necessary, to talk to your family about your planning when you are on your adventures and at family gatherings to make sure that everybody knows what your wishes are and what your planning is for the future.
These simple steps will save heartache and avoid hurt feelings. The time is now to review prior to heading out. Enjoy your travels and please be safe.
If you are looking for advice in regards to estate planning, please call our office at 717-845-5390 or click the link here and we will contact you.
