The growth and popularity of the Internet have led to multiple online resources that promise to simplify estate planning. Adults hoping to save money will use these websites, e-books, and software programs to create their own estate plan. While these plans may seem ironclad and as good as the work done by a professional attorney, the shocking truth about your estate plan is that it may fail when your family needs it the most. Many family members have discovered too late that their loved one has left a chaotic situation behind by creating an inadequate estate plan.
Estate Plans Must be Updated
The majority of do-it-yourself estate planning resources advertise themselves as a one-and-done solution for estate planning. Once the estate plan is created, it is not unusual for an adult to store the completed product in a safety deposit box or home safe. Unfortunately, they fail to realize that an estate plan must be updated periodically. Inheritance laws change, as do family circumstances. Forgetting to account for marriages, births, divorces, and other major life changes could create an extremely stressful situation for your heirs. Checking an estate plan at least once a year is something that professionals recommend, and those who do not have experience with estate planning are often unaware of the importance of updating their plan.
Are Your Assets Protected?
Over the years a false narrative that estate planning is only something that should be utilized by the rich has been created and maintained. In reality, all people who have property or assets that they love and wish to pass on to their loved ones need an estate plan. These plans are not just about making sure your children each get something that has special meaning; they are also intended to protect your assets from government entities and others. Not creating a plan at all, or creating one that is not thorough, can leave your heirs with a stressful situation on their hands.
Not Understanding the Importance of Picking a Trustee
The importance of selecting a trustee is something that many people often fail to understand or overlook completely. A person will take for granted that his or her spouse or children will manage the estate without realizing how complicated things can become with more than one person attempting to administer an estate. Alternatively, a person may pick a trustee at random and choose someone who is completely unsuited for the task. The importance of your trustee cannot be understated, as that person will be the one responsible for carrying out your wishes and making things easier for the family members you have left behind.
Contact an Attorney
Today over half of the adults in the United States have not made any plans regarding their assets or estates. We at MMZ Law are prepared to help you create a valid estate plan and will ensure that it is kept updated. Contact (909) 256-6702 our office in Claremont, California today to schedule a FREE confidential consultation.
*Ask us about Medi-Cal Asset Protection because nursing home costs are tremendously expensive and can wipe away your assets.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
MMZ LAW, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
341 W. 1st St. Suite 100
Claremont, CA 91711
MARIVEL M. ZIALCITA is the founder of MMZ LAW, A Professional Corporation, where she practices in the areas of Elder Law – Medi-Cal Planning Asset Protection, Trust & Estate, Special Needs, Conservatorship, Trust Administration, & Probate. Ms. Zialcita is a frequent speaker on trust and estate matters and holds memberships in the State Bar of California, Trust and Estate Section, The San Bernardino County Bar Association, Wealth Counsel and Elder Counsel. She currently assists in the pro bono legal services program at the James L. Brulte Senior Center in Rancho Cucamonga, California. She is based in Claremont but assists clients throughout Southern California.
This information is educational information only and not legal advice.