October 5, 2017

Most estate planning conversations with a lawyer have to do with the trusts that are set up upon each individual’s death, their attitudes or self-sustaining care towards the end of the life and the distribution of their assets. 

However, you should never neglect the softer side of your estate planning including your care of your pets, and other important topics like your attitude towards getting care in a facility or in your home. Some people may choose to stay at home towards the end of their life and would be uncomfortable placed in a hospital.

One of the crucial aspects of approaching estate planning at this level has to do with naming someone as a trustee, guardian, executor or establishment of power of attorney is a statement that you trust that individual to do what is best in various situations. Such a designated agent may struggle to make these decisions if you have not had a comprehensive conversation about what you intend to accomplish towards the end of your life and certain things that you do and do not want to be taken into consideration should problems emerge.

Consulting with an experienced estate planning attorney can open your eyes to the various issues often encountered by people at this level of estate planning. Both the procedural and the softer side of your needs need to be evaluated.