Don’t wait to plan your estate, it’s the gift that keeps on giving

#SeniorLiving

It is easy to think that we still have time: time to make a will, create a trust, and then something happens. A parent, relative or friend passes, and you are the executor of their estate.  Then, you discover why it is important to have a plan in place.

Although I was not the executor of my father’s estate, I was to someone who was like a second father. Because he and his wife did not have children, and I became ‘family’ over the years, I was honored with the role to be executor of both their trusts, as they each had their own.

I experienced first-hand what it entailed in the execution of an estate plan. It requires a handful of visits to the lawyer’s office, numerous communications with the financial advisor, trips to the bank and months to complete. For my ‘second’ mom, being in her 80’s, it was emotional and exhausting and to have me by her side was priceless.

What was so important, was because there was a trust, we knew exactly the desires of my second dad and were able to implement them, honoring him and those he loved. If he had not taken the time to put his affairs in order, his estate would have gone into probate, adding time, costing money, and taking an even more stressful and emotional toll on his widow.

After the process was completed, his nieces and nephews were very blessed: it made sure that his home would be well taken care of; it provided for his wife; and it saved on estate taxes. Planning is for those left behind and is a gift that can truly keep on giving. The emotional healing process of losing a loved one is hard enough. Help the process by taking time to put your home and financial assets into an estate plan.

If you would like to learn more about real estate and move management services, please call 971-227-1302 or email Kimberly@mmret.com. Visit www.mmret.com.