Throughout my years as an attorney, I’ve been lucky enough to help clients through some of the toughest times in their life. Divorce, child custody, arrests and the complete destruction of a home are just some of the issues that come through my door on a daily basis. I always try my best to serve as a sounding board, a confidant and advisor during these turbulent times. We always get through it as a team, hopefully stronger than when we first began.

Inevitably, once the clouds lift and these cases reach their natural conclusion, clients begin to take stock of their lives and think about the future. Luckily, the law can help with this process. Estate planning is the process whereby clients decide what they wish to do with all of the assets at the time of their death.

When our clients get through their cases, they usually have a very different view of the people in their lives. Friends and family who, before their case, seemed distant or estranged, now are some of the most important people in their life. This should cause a reexamining of who you want to receive the benefit of your estate. This should mean creating an estate plan.

Estate plans can include documents that will distribute your assets upon your death. For instance, revocable trusts allow you to distribute all the assets you worked hard to accumulate throughout your life to friends and relatives. Trusts, if properly drafted and funded, will help your beneficiaries avoid the headaches and costs associated with probate court.

Estate plans can also include documents that help you in the event of a serious health crisis. Living wills allow you to write down your wishes for how you want to be medically treated during times when you cannot speak for yourself. Powers of attorney and health care surrogacies give people you trust the legal authority to advocate on your behalf during times when you can’t do it yourself.

If you are thinking about your future, give us or any legal professional a call about creating or amending your estate plan. No matter your age, wealth or health, planning for the future is an important and necessary step for your piece of mind.