First and foremost, my role as your estate planning attorney is to listen to your concerns and tailor estate planning documents which address your concerns and ensure that the documents are representative of your wishes. Depending on your season of life, your concerns and needs will be different. Each of these seasons present their unique set of excitements, challenges and concerns. It is important to determine what these needs are and prepare the documents which will best meet the needs of my clients. In the following examples, I explore the typical concerns and needs of clients at different seasons of life.
A 20 or 30 year old is in his or her spring of life. It is during this season that individuals are finding their place in the world. They are developing their careers and finding their passions in life. It is the time that they are learning how to create a budget, buying their first home, having children, and starting a retirement plan.
During this age, most individuals believe that they do not need estate planning. However, this is simply incorrect. At this age, some of the important documents that he or she should consider having are as follows:
- Last Will and Testament
- Living Trust / Pour-Over Will (depending on his or her assets)
- Guardianship provisions for minor children
- Durable Power of Attorney
- Advance Health Care Directive