Message from Erin L. Nunes, Partner,
Surprenant & Beneski, P.C.
Estate planning can improve your quality of life by forcing you to confront your mortality and identify areas where you want to make changes.
When we think about our death, it can be a sobering experience. But it can also be a catalyst for positive change. By thinking about what we want to leave behind, how we want to be remembered, and how we want our loved ones to be cared for, we can start to identify areas of our lives where we want to make improvements.
For example, we may realize that we hope to contribute toward the costs of the education of our grandchildren, or that we hope to leave a legacy behind through charitable giving. Estate planning can help us to make these hopes a reality by giving us a clear roadmap for how we want our assets to be distributed and our wishes to be carried out.
Here are some specific ways that estate planning can improve your quality of life:
- Reduce stress and anxiety. Knowing that your affairs are in order can give you peace of mind and reduce stress levels. This can free up your time and energy to focus on the things that are most important to you.
- Avoid conflict among loved ones. A well-crafted estate plan can help to avoid conflict and disputes among your loved ones after your death. This can be especially important if you have a complex estate or if there are any potential disagreements about your wishes.
- Ensure that your loved ones are financially secure. Estate planning can help to ensure that your loved ones are financially secure after your death. This may involve leaving them a specific inheritance, setting up a trust, or purchasing life insurance.
- Give back to your community. Estate planning can be a way to give back to your community and make a lasting impact. You can do this by specifying that a portion of your estate be donated to charity or by creating a charitable trust.
If you have not yet done so, I encourage you to consider estate planning. It is a gift that you can give yourself and your loved ones that will last well-beyond this holiday season.
©Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. 35 Arnold Street, New Bedford, MA 02740, 336 South Street, Hyannis MA 02601 and 45 Bristol Drive, Easton MA 02375. This article is for illustration purposes only. This handout does not constitute legal advice. There is no attorney/client relationship created with Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. by this article. DO NOT make decisions based upon information in this handout. Every family is unique and legal advice can only be given after an individual consultation with an elder law attorney. Any decisions made without proper legal advice may cause significant legal and financial problems.