You do not have to be “rich” to have an estate or need an estate plan. Whenever people think of an estate, they often think about expensive cars, multiple vacation homes, or other extravagent symbols of wealth. However, those things are not necessary for an estate plan.
What Constitutes as an Estate
Your estate is in reality everything you own when you pass away: one home, jewelry, clothing, furniture, bank accounts, life insurance policies, and more. Your estate may be in the hundreds or thousands of dollars, not millions. Estate planning then affects you just as much as those with country club memberships.
So, you may not have thought you had an estate, but you actually do. Because you have an estate, you need an estate plan. You estate plan is not just about passing on your property, but also passing on your values and priorities and passing on your property in the way you want.
4 Key Advantages of Estate Planning
Creating an estate plan probably feels overwhelming, there are just so many decisions to make. But fortunately, you do not need to do this alone. An estate planning attorney knows the questions to ask and circumstances to consider. They can help you create an estate plan that is appropriate for your situation. Here are four benefits of estate planning that you and your loved ones can receive:
- Estate planning ensures you have total control over your assets while you are alive and well.
- It provides for you and your loved ones if you are ever mentally unable to make financial or medical decisions for yourself without the courts becoming involved.
- You can pass on your property to whom you want, how you want, and when you want.
- It decreases the amount of money that has to be spent on attorneys, taxes, and the courts.
Do you find these benefits compelling? Does protecting your estate and helping your children to continue to make good decisions sound like worthy goals? Work with an estate planning attorney, and contact The Rains Law Firm or schedule a complimentary initial meeting to start the process.