Guiding You Through The Estate Planning Process
There are few things more frustrating for family members to deal with than an estate plan that is riddled with mistakes. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence for people from all walks of life.
The best thing you can do to avoid estate planning mistakes is to discuss your goals with a skilled lawyer. At Blackacre Law LLC, our attorneys can help guide you through the estate planning process to ensure that you have everything you need, providing you with the peace of mind that comes with knowing your wishes will be honored.
What Not To Do
There are some mistakes in estate planning that we encounter time and time again, including:
Not having the documents you need to meet your goals: Estate planning is about much more than simply deciding who shall receive what after you are gone. A comprehensive estate plan should involve a number of different documents, including a will, power of attorney and advance health care directive. We can help ensure that you have everything you need to accomplish your goals.
Not having a health care power of attorney and a living will match up: Health care power of attorney and a living will are often terms that are used interchangeably. However, a living will takes precedence over a health care power of attorney. If both documents are part of your estate plan, you should ensure that your instructions are the same across both documents to prevent confusion about how your health care decisions are to be made.
Not occasionally reviewing and updating your plans when needed: Too many people create an estate plan and then put it out of their mind forever. Imagine your family’s surprise years later when they find that you have left all of your assets to an ex-spouse whom you haven’t spoken to in decades. While this may be an extreme example, it is valuable to occasionally review your plan and to make any necessary updates to reflect major changes in your life.
Trying to do things yourself with pre-printed forms: If you are a layperson who tries to make complicated plumbing or electrical repairs based on an internet video, things are probably going to end badly. The same general rule applies to estate planning. “Canned” forms can be found all over the place. However, everyone’s situation is different and nothing can provide you with the level of detail you need outside of meeting personally with an attorney.
The Best Way To Avoid Mistakes Is To Contact Us
We can provide you with the skilled estate planning guidance you need and your family deserves. Call us at 864-775-5400 or submit our online contact form to schedule a consultation. From our offices in Greenville, we represent people throughout South Carolina.
