There is a mistaken impression that many people have that estate planning is exclusively for wealthy or older folks. The reality is that any St. George resident with a child, a house or a business should have an estate plan that will take care of your family and assets should you die or become incapacitated.
Without an estate plan, a court decides what happens to your children, your assets and your business in the event that you die. With a plan, you’re the one making the decisions and taking care of your family.
Those who are in greatest need of estate planning are, without a doubt, couples with children. You want to make sure that in the event that you die, or that your spouse dies or you both die before the kids grow up, the children’s education, daily needs, upbringing and guardian are all taken care of in estate-planning tools such as wills and trusts.
You can also make plans in the event that you become incapacitated by injury or illness and can no longer express your wishes about medical procedures or life support. In this way, your choices are clear and carried out, and you remove the burden of making those choices from a spouse or children.
For those with a business, a couple of things are crucial to know: estate planning can reduce taxes for beneficiaries and can help ensure continuity of your business and an orderly transfer of ownership and authority.
For parents and business owners, estate planning is crucial. Discuss your goals, needs and unique circumstances with an attorney experienced in these complex legal matters.