Estate planning can be a complicated endeavor if you try to do it alone. As a funeral director I'm often asked estate planning questions while making funeral plans with families. Due to the nature of our meeting the questions usually will center on "final estate planning" and what should they be doing to prepare? My response is always the same "seek the advice of a professional estate planning specialist."
Regardless of a person's phase of life, estate planning is something I believe should begin as early as possible. Having heard untold numbers of horror stories from families about losing inheritances due to poor estate planning, I'm convinced the earlier a person starts planning their estates, the better condition their "final estate" will be in.
Estate planning can encompass many areas of a person's life. Planning for each phase of life can be a daunting task. Many things must be taken into consideration. It is very easy to become overwhelmed just thinking about it and why I believe many people just never get around to doing it formally. This unfortunately adds problems that many times will surface at the worst time, which is at or near the end of a person's life. This of course only adds to the stress of loved ones who must then also deal with these estate issues.
Rules and regulations on issues related to estate planning change frequently in my observations. Particularly, those involving senior citizens such as Medicaid and asset allocations. Taxes and inheritance issues involving a person's estate can be complex also. For this reason, I would advise anyone considering a proactive approach to planning their estate, to discuss these issues with your attorney or CPA first. They should be able to help with these important issues or refer you to the appropriate people who specialize in these areas. If you don't have an attorney or accountant to ask, call your state bar association for a referral. They should be able to provide you with names and addresses of attorneys in your area who specialize in estate planning matters.
Remember to incorporate some form of funeral preplanning in your "final estate" plans. Many people go to great lengths to have their estates planned out, only to neglect to prepare for the most final of plans, their own funeral. Of all planning done, this will be among the most important and remembered by your family and loved ones.
Jerry R. Guy is an active licensed funeral director and author. Information on how to plan or preplan a funeral can be found at his sites:
http://www.beforeplanningafuneral.com and
http://www.integritypreneedsolutions.com
