A New Year, New Beginnings
Despite challenges and uncertainties, a new year brings with it the promise of new opportunities. There’s something wonderful about the start of a new calendar year, the idea of a fresh start, and the hope for the happy times it can offer us, our families, and loved ones. New opportunities, resolutions, and personal goals are on the forefront of our minds.
The new year is also a great time to address bigger concerns regarding our personal health, families, and loved ones in regard to lifetime and post mortem planning. By addressing practical concerns such as protecting ourselves and our families in the case of an accident, emergency, illness, or death, and being proactive about planning long-term care, we can feel more positive about our current situations and our futures. Having more peace of mind about these serious issues can be one of the best ways we can start the new year.
Discussing these matters may seem very difficult, and the effort to focus on serious issues is worth it.
In fact, one of the top reasons many of our clients consistently give us for creating, or updating, their Estate Plans is to have peace of mind for themselves, their families, and loved ones.
As part of a happy and healthy new year, we encourage you to take the time to think about, and discuss, your Estate Planning and how Grady can help you have the significant gift of peace of mind by addressing this important need.
Addressing any concerns you have about your and your family’s health, financial situation, and plans for the future through holistic Estate Planning is one of the most important and practical things you can do.
Many of our clients have shared with us how much more peace of mind they have after establishing a Revocable Living Trust and ensuring that all of their Estate Planning does are current and robust.
Revocable Living Trusts are an excellent way to address your, and your family’s, current and future needs. There are numerous benefits to Revocable Living Trusts that include flexibility to change and update them over time, privacy, avoiding probate, minimizing tax liabilities, and even preparing for the possible of incapacity and long-term care.
If it has been a while since you last updated your plan with our office, please remember that a review and update is typically needed:
1. If more than 3 years have passed since you signed your planning documents;
2. If new children have been born or adopted;
3. If your children have now become adults;
4. If you have become a grandparent;
5. If there has been a significant change in the value or composition of your planning assets;
6. If you have disposed of specific assets which were going to a named beneficiary;
7. If one or more of your named beneficiaries have deceased or are now under a disability;
8. If one or more of your named fiduciaries, agents, or surrogates have deceased, are now under a disability, or are no longer appropriate to serve for you;
9. If there have been significant tax law changes since you signed your plan; or
10. If there have been significant Florida law changes since you signed your plan.
Our compassionate and caring Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorneys are here for you, and they are sensitive to you and your family’s needs and concerns.
We have the knowledge, experience, and empathy necessary to guide you in preparing a Will or Trust, or in legally representing you in a Probate or Trust Administration. If you have any concerns about Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney, Designation of Health Care Surrogate, or managing the costs of long-term care, please do not delay. Call us today at (904)264-8800, and set up a phone, video, or in-person appointment.
Grady H. Williams, Jr., LL.M.: Your Florida First Coast Elder Law Attorneys.