This Holiday Season, Give the Gift of Peace of Mind

December is the time of year when families come together to share good food, laughs, and presents.  During the holidays, estate planning is likely one of the the last things on everyone’s mind. 

However, making sure you that you have a properly executed estate plan is one of the best gifts you can give to your loved ones.  The loss of a loved one is a very painful experience, and leaving your spouse or children with a messy estate will cause them more stress and cost them more money, while they are still grieving.

Some people associate estate planning with negative thoughts, like death and taxes.  But this could not be further from the truth.  Yes, during the estate planning process you will have to address who you want to inherit you assets once you die, but executing an estate plan may save you estate taxes and attorney’s fees down the road, allowing more money to go directly to your loved ones.  Additionally, deciding ahead of time who will receive which assets and who will be in charge of distributing those assets will help avoid disputes between beneficiaries.

Often clients come to us because their parents did not have an estate plan, and settling their parents estate was a long, costly, and stressful process.  These clients have experienced first hand the repercussions of passing away with out an estate plan in place.  This experience opens their eyes to the importance of estate planning and motivates these clients to act now to get their own affairs in order.  An estate plan is like insurance: you may not think you need it, but by the time you do need it, its too late.

This holiday season, give yourself and your loved ones the gift of peace of mind by executing an estate plan.  At Ladimer Law Office PC, we wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!