Estate Planning May Be A Family Decision

New York estate planning is often delayed by some local residents because it generates unpleasant thoughts about mortality, personal loss, and difficult healthcare issues. Like other uncomfortable tasks, many community members put off the process even when they honestly accept the need to properly get their affairs in order. In many cases, proper planning is only commenced when an entire family comes together to discuss the issue.

Yesterday, a Question and Answer section of the Northwest Times included a query from a woman who was having trouble getting her husband to meet with an attorney to discuss their estate plan. She explained how the two of them had scheduled several meetings but that he had always come up with an excuse at the last minute to cancel it. She was asking for advice on ways to better explain the importance of the issue to her husband and get him to proceed.

It was shared how individuals have different reasons for their reluctance to getting the ball rolling. For some, there is a misconception that they do not have enough wealth to require any kind of plan. Others wrongly assume that they do not really need a will or other fancy legal documents because they know someone who died without one. Still others have concerns about the time and cost of these plans.

The story concluded by advising the woman that she might want to share with her husband that these plans are actually important family decisions that affect everyone, including children. Besides ensuring that as many assets are passed along to them as possible, these plans also help with issues like who will raise the children in case something happens. Proper estate planning requires careful thought, discussion, and document review. The best plans sometimes require entire families to explain their thoughts, concerns, and goals. These and similar decisions are much better made by family members ahead of time than by state lawmakers and courts using default rules.

Our New York estate plan lawyers understand that many potential clients need time to consider issues of asset planning and preparation. We know that some residents like to learn a bit about the process and then wait before deciding to take the next steps. All of our professionals respect the choices made by those who are deciding what the best decision is for them, and we are open to working on the time schedule that makes each client most comfortable.

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