FOR THE NEW YEAR: EASE YOUR MIND, SAVE YOUR FAMILY HEADACHES AND MONEY
You, and your family, will be glad that you did
According to the United States Census Bureau, Arizona has close to a million residents that are sixty five years or older. While not particularly surprising with our high number of baby boomer retirees, what does surprise me are the number of individuals that I deal with each year that have given no thought towards what will happen when they go into decline as they near late-life or when they pass away. Even worse still, is dealing with the incapacitated or deceased person’s family after they are crippled by disability or gone.
After practicing for thirty years now, I get it. Many Americans just do not want to think about aging or death. It is unpleasant and unsettling. However, by ignoring the inevitable, we oftentimes cause ourselves more stress and burdens that we could have easily avoided. More tragic still, by not doing anything, you could unwittingly cause your family members and loved ones a multitude of problems and expenses that could have easily been avoided.
With advance planning, you can ease you mind in knowing that you have your affairs in order. Your wishes can be expressed and directives set up, well before you are faced with mental impairment and/or physical decline. Obviously, you are always able to change your wishes, so long as you are deemed capable, but you at least know that you have things in place.
The other invaluable advantage to taking care of your affairs is the emotional and financial burden you save your family and loved one. For example, the setting in place of an advanced care directives may make your wishes clear about future health care decisions. By getting your affairs in order, it is relatively simple now to place your end of life and death directives in place so your family does not have to file a probate action with court.
Stop procrastinating, as your New Year’s resolution, pick up the telephone and set up an appointment with my office to discuss these oftentimes sensitive or touchy subjects with the complete confidence that everything is protected by attorney/client privilege. Get your questions answered and find out the simple steps that you can take to get the ease of mind that you have your affairs in order and everything is being handled the way you want it to be.
You, and your family, will be glad that you did. Happy New Year!
