“Why It’s Important to Plan Your Estate Now!”

No one likes to dwell on the idea of his or her own death, but if you postpone planning for your passing until it’s too late, you run the risk that your intended beneficiaries may not receive what you would want them to receive. Whether due to extra administration costs, unnecessary taxes, or squabbling among your heirs, it’s important to plan now for the future no matter how small your estate may be! By getting your affairs in order while you are still competent, ensures that your property will go to the people you want, in the way you want, and when you want. Estate planning also enables you to save as much as possible on taxes, court costs, and attorneys' fees; and it affords you the comfort in knowing that your loved ones can mourn your loss without being simultaneously burdened with unnecessary red tape and financial confusion.

All estate plans should include, at a minimum, four important estate planning documents: a Durable Power of Attorney for Property, a Last Will, a Health Care Power of Attorney, and an Authorization for Release of your protected Health Care Information (HIPAA). The Durable Power of Attorney for Property allows your agent to manage your property while you are still alive, in case you are unable to do so yourself.

A Last Will is for the management and distribution of your property after death. The Health Care Power of Attorney allows your agent to make medical decisions for you when you are incompetent or incapacitated and cannot make those decisions yourself, and the HIPAA Authorization allows your agents to access your medical records without problems. In addition, more and more Americans also are using Revocable (or "Living") Trusts to avoid probate and to manage their estates both during their lives and after they’ve passed away.

It’s important to get your affairs in order in the present to plan for the future as one never knows what may in store. You should contact a trusted estate planning attorney who is educated in elder law to help you plan for your future as well as the future of generations to come.

Visit your state’s NRN sponsored website to get great estate planning information such as:

• 14 Most Common Reasons to do Estate Planning Now

• Estate Planning Advances You Haven’t Heard Of!