Mother's Day is finally here and you’re probably still looking for the perfect gift. Flowers and cards are always appreciated, but maybe this year, you can get her something different: the peace of mind that comes with an estate plan.
Wait, what?
We know it’s not pretty or poetic but hear us out. An estate plan can be the perfect gift for mothers of any age or stage of life. In this series we will address the needs of moms with kids at any age...
Back to YOU, Mom
When the Mother’s Day celebrations are over, and you’re surrounded by gifts from your loved ones, take a moment to gift them back by making sure you have a solid estate plan.
With an estate plan, you can:
- Make your healthcare wishes clear so you do not burden your family by forcing them to make critical decisions without your guidance that they may second guess for many years;
- Determine with extreme specificity who gets what of your personal property and larger assets;
- Cover your debts with life insurance;
- Save your estate money and your family time and emotional heartache by avoiding conservatorship and probate;
- Keep family assets in the family where they belong;
- Allow your family the time and space to seamlessly care give or grieve; and
- Most importantly, maintain family harmony.
If you already have an estate plan, GOOD WORK! However, if it is out of date it can cause a lot of problems if something were to happen to you! We recommend updating your plan every 5 years or with any big life change.
Make the call. Mark it on your calendar. Do what you need to do! When the time comes to use your plan, your family will be grateful that you have cared for yourself and for them by creating or updating your estate plan. And yes, even for your “mothering” from the grave!
Don’t Skip the Flowers
You have learned a lot in a short time just now. Take it all in, take a deep breath, and get to work.
We’re not saying you should skip the nice lunch or skimp on the flowers this Mother’s Day. Mom deserves those, too. In fact, Sunday brunch is a great time to START THE CONVERSATION! And when all that’s over, schedule a video call to meet us. We will take care of her (or you) as if you’re our own family.
An estate plan is truly the gift that keeps on giving. When the time comes, it will be invaluable, and the peace of mind will last a lifetime.
* Probate can also be avoided by using joint ownership and beneficiary designations but be very careful with this kind of planning; it often doesn’t work as it’s intended.