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In the event of your incapacity, it’s crucial that you begin estate planning to set processes and prepare documents such as a last will and testament or revocable living trust to safeguard your assets. Congress determined that due to the importance and benefits estate planning has for Americans and their families, it was necessary to bring awareness to the cause. Thus, since 2008, the third week of October has been recognized as National Estate Planning Awareness Week. While the onset of COVID-19 did encourage a majority of us to begin thinking about the future, many American families are still severely lacking an effective estate plan with just one-third of adults in the U.S. having documented wills or trusts. If you assume that estate planning isn’t for you because you haven’t acquired mass wealth or several large assets, you’d be mistaken. 

The Importance of Having an Estate Plan

Estate planning is simply a way to protect your assets and your loved ones by creating legally valid documents that address a variety of concerns. These concerns often include ensuring that your money and property are protected, plans are in place in the event you become ill, and your assets are managed according to your wishes. 

Beginning the Estate Planning Process

To begin the estate planning process, several considerations need to be made. Some of the things that will require your attention are whether or not you have a will or trust, your plans for powers of attorney, insurance coverage, and your existing accounts. Below, we will discuss these considerations more in-depth:

Encourage Your Loved Ones to Begin Estate Planning

National Estate Planning Awareness Week is a great opportunity to get your own estate plan in place, but be sure to also reach out to your loved ones to ensure their future estate plans as well. Estate planning is often a difficult topic to broach because it brings the unpleasant topics of aging and death to the forefront of our minds. Here are a few tips to help you start the conversation:

Contact Anderson, Dorn & Rader, LTD. Estate Planning Attorneys

Our estate planning and trust company in Reno, NV has been serving families and businesses throughout northern Nevada for over 25 years. As experienced estate attorneys, we are dedicated to providing you with the most current estate planning information and strategies to ensure your legacy for future generations. We’re able to prepare last will and testaments, revocable trusts, healthcare directives, and act as power of attorney in the case of your incapacitation. Contact us today to learn more about estate planning or sign up for one of our estate planning workshops.  

 Attend Our ESTATE PLANNING Workshops

Living Trust vs. Will in Nevada

While a living trust and living will may sound similar they are actually two quite different things.

A living trust is designed to help protect and distribute your assets. The assets are actually titled in the name of the trust and depending upon the terms of your trust, you may have complete control or hand the management of the trust over to someone else. Upon your death, beneficiaries receive the assets according to your terms in the trust. A method of avoiding probate, it’s a way of bypassing the lengthy and often expensive court process of distributing your assets.

A living will, however, is a legal way of informing your physician what you want done in case of a terminal condition. It’s used when you can no longer communicate your wishes due to an injury or illness that leaves you incapacitated. Your living will should be accompanied by a health care power of attorney. This document designates a person to speak on your behalf and relay your wishes with regard to certain medical treatments and decisions. It might relate to resuscitation, feeding tubes, etc. These "advance directives" also give loved ones peace of mind knowing that they are doing what you would have wanted.

Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd.

It’s highly recommended that everyone draw up advance directives including a living will and a health care power of attorney, whereas a living trust is especially beneficial for those with a certain level of assets. To get help with a living will or living trust, a good estate planning attorney is your best bet.

CONTACT A RENO ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY

Wealth Counsel
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