We know that life holds many challenges today. For many of us, we do not know what the next year will look like, let alone the next month. We do not know how to best protect our families from the Coronavirus, or when things can return to “normal”. How can we plan forward when we do not know what the future holds? How can we be proactive and take steps now, even during a quarantine, to ensure that our wishes for ourselves and our loved ones can be honored?
Let us help you create some peace of mind now, during this time of uncertainty, and in the future.
Did you know an Ohio estate plan can legally solidify your end-of-life decisions regarding your property, your investments, your legacy, and even your health care? You can decide now what you want to happen should the time come when you can no longer be in control.
An estate plan is one of the best steps forward you can take, at any time, to ensure you and your loved ones will always be protected. Remember, though, even the best-laid plans may need to be revisited and updated to reflect your wishes. When is the best time to make these revisions? This will depend on your own circumstances, or when there is a change in the law that could impact your planning.
When it comes to your circumstances, what are the changes that could necessitate you revisiting your estate planning? Let us share six of the most common events that we see in our firm that indicate a change may be needed.
1. Marriage. Did you, your children or another family member named in your estate plan get married since your plan was created or last updated? Re-evaluating your estate plan can help to include new family members. When you discuss this with your estate planning attorney, together you may both determine how your will, trust, beneficiary designations, insurance policies, powers of attorney, or other important estate planning documents should or should not be amended.
2. Divorce. For most married couples, a divorce also means a separation on everything and this includes estate planning. Failing to re-evaluate your estate plan after a divorce, especially after senior or “gray divorces,” could result in an ex-spouse receiving an undue inheritance or leaving you unprotected as your former spouse may no longer be recognized as a decision maker under state law.
3. Taxes. Taxes are a major consideration when creating any estate plan, and tax laws are subject to change. Every state has its own laws governing estate planning and inheritance taxes. In addition, federal tax reforms, like the SECURE Act of 2019, can have a significant impact on individual estates and the markets in which estate assets are invested.
4. Retirement. Retirement is a life change that often requires an estate plan re-evaluation, and it is particularly important if you have a 401(k) or an IRA. Not only were they likely established many years ago and potentially need updated beneficiary designations, but new federal legislation such as the SECURE Act of 2019, mentioned above, could greatly impact these retirement plans.
5. Birth. The birth of a child or grandchild is a wonderful life event. Adding children or grandchildren to an estate plan is a great way to both protect them and provide for their future. This could include providing for their future education or creating a special needs trust, if necessary.
6. Death. A death in the family may also require a re-evaluation if the deceased person was named in your estate plan. If a deceased spouse was your main beneficiary, then you will need to designate someone else as soon as possible. You may also need to update other estate planning tools such as health care documents and your durable power of attorney.
We know this article may raise more questions than it answers. If you or someone you know would like more information about re-evaluating an estate plan or creating one for the first time, do not wait to contact our law firm to meet with one of our estate planning attorneys today.
Article provided by Gregory Port, M.B.A., J.D., Founder of Port Legal, one of Ohio’s TOP Elder Law & Estate Planning law firms. Attorney Port and his firm are Members of the National ElderCare Matters Alliance and have a Featured Listing on ElderCareMatters.com– America’s National Directory of Elder Care / Senior Care Resources to help families plan for and deal with the issues of Aging.
If you have additional questions about your family’s Elder Care / Senior Care Matters, you can count on ElderCareMatters.com (America’s National Directory of Elder Care / Senior Care Resources) to help you find America’s Top Elder Care / Senior Care Professionals. You can find Local Elder Care / Senior Care Experts by Searching our National Database by City and Service Category. (This Search feature is located on the homepage of ElderCareMatters.com).
The Elder Care / Senior Care Experts who are found on ElderCareMatters.com can provide you with the help you need in a wide range of Elder Care / Senior Care Services, including Elder Law, Estate Planning, Home Care, Assisted Living, Care Management, Daily Money Management, Senior Living, Investment Advisory Services, Tax & Accounting Services, Wills & Trusts, Probate plus many other Elder Care Services.
We look forward to helping you plan for and deal with your family’s Issues of Aging.