Vacations can be the perfect opportunity to relax, disconnect from work and responsibilities, and enjoy your spouse, partner, kids’ or friend’s company. But before you head off on your next getaway, there’s something else you should consider doing that might not sound quite as fun—creating an estate plan. Here’s why:
An estate plan ensures any medical decisions needed while away from home will be handled according to your wishes, and with as much ease as possible, no matter what the rules are where something happens. If you fall ill or become injured and can’t make medical decisions for yourself, your estate plan will ensure that decisions will be made by the person you choose, and with your indicated desires for your care at the forefront.
Without an estate plan in place, your family or friends could have a heavy burden to get you back home, locate your assets, keep your bills paid, and even ensure your children are taken care of by the right people in the way you wish.
Lastly, an estate plan ensures that any debts or liabilities are properly handled in case something happens while on vacation. This can help prevent creditors from trying to collect from surviving family members after the fact — something no one wants to deal with during such a difficult time.
Even Married Couples Need an Estate Plan
You might think that because you are married, you don’t need an estate plan. Or you might even think your Last Will & Testament (or Will) is enough and would just handle everything. But that’s generally not the case.
You need medical powers of attorney, making it clear that you want your spouse making medical decisions for you, as well as having additional decision-makers as back-ups. A Living Will, in particular, will give clarity on how you want medical decisions made for you.
Finally, if you have dependent children, you want to ensure you’ve made it as easy as possible for their care to be continued by the people you want, in the way you want. Without a plan in place, decisions around their care could be tied up for months, including access to the financial assets their caregivers would need to ensure they have what they need along the way.
The Benefits of Working With an Attorney
While you can create an estate plan without legal assistance, there are serious risks to the people you love, if your plan is not completed, not updated after the initial plan is set up, or not completed properly. The only real guarantee for the people you love to have as much ease as possible, is to you work with an experienced attorney specializing in estate planning.
We understand what a thorough and complete estate plan requires — as well as the potential pitfalls or issues that could arise due to your unique personal and family dynamics. We can advise you on other important documents such as Wills, Trusts, powers of attorney (POA), health care directives (HCD), and guardianship paperwork (for minor children) so you can make informed decisions based on what you want to have happen if you become incapacitated or die. All these items should be considered when creating an effective estate plan — especially when one or both parties will be traveling outside their home country at any point.
Don't Let a Lack of Planning Dampen Your Vacation Spirits!
Taking a few simple, yet critically important steps now can save you and your family considerable headaches later if anything were ever to happen while on the road.
We can help put a plan together now so that you don’t forget about this important task before packing up for your next adventure. Making sure all your affairs are in order will ensure nothing stands in the way between you and enjoying time together! You can rest assured knowing everything is being taken care of properly before you embark on your next trip.
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