Estate Planning

Knowing Your Estate Planning Attorney

By Jennifer Sawday

Last week I made a home visit to a long time client. Her husband recently passed. They always had trouble traveling to our office. And I always made a point to schedule home visits with her and her husband regarding their estate planning needs.

When she called to tell me that her husband passed, I expressed my sincere condolences and set up a home visit to handle trust administration. She had a hard time caring for him at his end of life and thankfully his passing was without incident.

When I saw her after he passed, she looked great and in good spirits considering. We were able to handle routine matters of trust administration in the comfort of her own home. As I wrapped up the home visit, she confided into me that she was worried that one of her children may take her from her home and place her in an facility when she was not ready. This client is not particularly old nor unable to manage her affairs, she just does not drive.  Her concern, whether it had merit, was valid regardless of how well adjusted or normal her children seemed.

This was an important confidence. I told her that if she was having any problems with her children to contact our office at once as we could help her. We could help her because we have known her for many years, have experienced ups and downs with her as she ages, have visited her in her home and can assist if the time comes for placement in a facility or if we need to fight off her children if they are being too aggressive.

I suggested that she contact a care manager. Someone she could build a relationship with and come to trust in case she needs assistance as she ages. This way she can have the resources to help her should she need to age in place, move to a facility or fight off a greedy child.

The point of this post is that establishing a good relationship with an estate planning attorney can have untold benefits beyond just executing an estate plan. Your attorney can continue to offer representation and assistance as life happens.

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Estate Planning, Probate and Trusts involve complex areas of law. Individual circumstances must be considered before any advice can be given.  The general information above is not to be construed as legal advice, which can only be given after consideration of the unique facts of each matter. Please seek the advice or counsel of your attorney, financial advisor or CPA as it may be appropriate.

Full post as published by Estate Planning Practice Blog on November 19, 2008 (boomark / email).