Guidebook Planning process™

You need to do the responsible thing when it comes to your estate planning. It may be as simple as putting together a will, a power of attorney, a living will, and our favorite, your “What About Me” instructions. Estate planning sometimes involves a trust, maybe a family company, and should include the establishment of your very own Guidebook™ through the Guidebook Planning process™.

Think about putting all of your estate planning documents into an easy to handle/easy to read GUIDEBOOK™ format. All of the instructions about what you or your back-up crew need to know and do when “things” happen can be at your fingertips in your own Guidebook™.

If you are thinking of getting your estate planning done – take a moment to think about your concerns. What are you really concerned about? Put a piece of paper in your pocket and write down your concerns as you think of them during the next week. You may surprise yourself. If you have a spouse or partner, you may surprise each other. Who knows, you may learn something new about each other!

Don’t confuse estate planning with tax planning. And, estate planning is much more than death planning. Our office can help you understand and reach your estate planning goals.

Real life requires tailored solutions to your particular circumstances. We take the time to understand you, your family, and your concerns.

Think about what you would want done for you and your loved ones if you were incapacitated on a long-term basis. What if you couldn’t speak for yourself – what would you want done? If you are incapacitated, you need to know that your instructions are being carried out, that your affairs are being handled, and that you are being cared for the way you want. You may want to stay home as long as possible. You may want to be driven around the golf course once a week. You may want someone to read the newspaper to you if you can’t read it for yourself or play Top 40 tunes on a harmonica. You may like to watch Seinfeld or I Love Lucy, or the History Channel, or? Why haven’t you written your “What About Me” instructions?

Think about what should happen when you die. What is important to you? If you have minor children, you should not only name a guardian and a trustee (for their funds), but you should also write a letter to the guardians. What would you want the guardians to know about your children and your dreams for them?

You may be concerned about asset protection. Why should you expose all of your assets to one accident or mistake? If you own a rental house or engage in a risky occupation, you may need to use a limited liability company or other mechanisms to protect your assets from the “bad guys.”

You may want a surviving spouse or partner protected after you die.

Why don’t we protect our heirs from bad things, like lawsuits and divorces? By leaving assets in trust, you can help protect your heirs from needlessly losing their inheritance.

Finally, imagine putting all of the necessary instructions about you and your family into a GUIDEBOOK™. When disaster strikes, you and your loved ones are able to turn to your Guidebook™ for the answers.

We invite you to explore your estate planning options with us. Let us help you write your story – your Guidebook™.