NOW!
......... The word "plan" is very important. You
cannot plan anything once you have departed or
become incapacitated. Estate planning is not for
the "then," whenever that might be, it is for
the "now." If you desire to avoid or minimize
estate taxes, keep your estate in the family,
distribute family assets or personal mementos
according to your wishes, and retain the ability
to make other choices, you must have a plan and
the plan must be formalized. You CANNOT simply
tell people what you want, or where you want certain
items to go. Oral instructions are not valid in
a probate proceeding; every estate plan MUST be
written, signed, witnessed, and in some cases
notarized.
Estate
planning is all about you, your family, and your
estate. It's about taking responsibility to ensure
that your estate -- everything you own and control
-- is preserved and used for the benefit of those
you love. Finally, estate planning is about life,
not death. Through an effective estate plan, you
can live on, in and through your family, your
estate, your hopes and plans and dreams. You can
live on, but only if you plan ......... and plan
NOW!
