Never a better time than now to plan your estate

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Never a better time than now to plan your estate

Adam Letourneau , QC • Apr 27, 2020

A good estate plan can put your mind to rest.

April 27, 2020 -

Adam Letourneau, QC, Managing Partner, LETOURNEAU LLP

There has never been a better time than now to consider getting a will, a personal directive and an enduring power of attorney in place. Whether it is a pandemic, or a health scare, or a change in circumstances in your life, such as separation or divorce, or adoption, having your affairs in order can give you peace of mind.

You can set out your last wishes in what is called a holographic will. The legal requirements for this are very specific, and we suggest that you consult a lawyer before attempting to do this on your own.

Better yet, consider engaging one of our lawyers to help you set up your estate plan. We will walk through all of the legal considerations, discuss best practices for choosing your executor (personal representative), agent or attorney depending on which document we are preparing for you. We will discuss options for distributing your estate and the avoidance of legal pitfalls. The wording of a will is extremely important to ensure that your wishes are carried out the way that you hoped for.

We will also discuss with you the importance of having a proper and legal personal directive in place, which will dictate who you want to make decisions for you if you become incapacitated. What kind of care will you want? What kind of medical intervention? Where will you want to live? Will you want pain medication or life support?

Lastly, we will also discuss with you having an enduring power of attorney in place so that someone you trust will be able to take care of your financial, legal, tax and real estate matters if you become incapacitated.

Do you have children? Have you been separated or divorced? Have you considered who you want to take care of your children if you become incapacitated or if you pass away? We can help you to carefully draft wording in your will, personal directive and enduring power of attorney to give you the best chance of having your wishes carried out regarding your children.

The cost of getting these documents in place is relatively minor, when you consider the consequences of not having a will, personal directive or power of attorney. By having a well considered, well drafted legal document in place and legally and properly executed, you can help your family members or friends avoid costly, lengthy and often emotional court proceedings.

During the current Covid-19 pandemic, we can assure you that we have protocols and plans in place to discuss your estate planning with you remotely, and to arrange for proper, legal execution of your important estate documents.

Consider calling for a free consultation with one of our LETOURNEAU LLP Lawyers at 403-329-4311 to discuss having your estate planning documents in place. Our flat fees for these services are posted here. See you soon.

This article does not constitute legal advice.

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