Kids may hear the phrase “don’t try this at home” and immediately run out the door to try that cool bike trick or blow up some fireworks. But as adults, we know there are lots of things you really shouldn’t do on your own. A few things come to mind like extensive home repair, cutting your own bangs, or performing surgery. These projects are better left to professionals (unless you’re the professional in one of those scenarios, and in that case, carry on.) Some things, like those uneven bangs, can be corrected over time. Others, if done incorrectly, can create long-term problems for you and your family. If you have estate and incapacity planning on your DIY to-do list, you should probably reconsider. Instead, why not attend one of The Ladd Firm’s free workshops? Here are three reasons why you should register today:
1. You’re less likely to start your plan without someone to help you. If there’s one thing most people don’t like to think about, it’s mortality. It’s difficult to broach the topic for yourself or someone you care about, but it’s easy to say you’ll think about it tomorrow and let the distractions of your busy life drown out the nagging voice in your head. Unfortunately, death and incapacity don’t really work with our schedules, and preparing for the possibility of either is time sensitive. If the decision to plan is put off until the documents are immediately needed, it’s likely too late to get them and will require more costly and time-consuming measures. The good news is that you’ve probably already cleared the biggest hurdle when you pick up the phone to call an estate planning law firm. Putting a professional in charge means that you can provide your information and your wishes and let the attorney do the rest for you.
2. People generally don’t go home after work, get into their pajamas, and settle down for a relaxing night researching estate and probate law. These aren’t exactly fun topics, so it makes sense that most people don’t have an extensive knowledge of the way they work. Rules differ from state to state, and different situations require different solutions. All documents aren’t created equal, and yours may need special considerations to make sure your family is best taken care of. Even if it isn’t your first time dealing with estate proceedings, you may not have all the information you need to make an informed decision about your plan. It’s important to see the situation as comprehensively as possible, and it’s difficult to do that without consulting an expert.
​3. Peace of mind. There’s nothing that eases a stressful situation like having an expert review the information and say everything will be ok. “I know I should have done this a long time ago” is one of the most common things we hear at our workshops. We all think about it, and we know we need to plan. It weighs on our minds until the day we finally decide to make that call, and then we wonder why we waited so long in the first place. With the right documents and maintenance strategy in place, your plan can evolve with the changes in the years to come and make sure both your long-term care and your family’s future are accounted for.
If you’re struggling with the decision to start planning or have questions about your situation, register online for one of our free, no obligation workshops or call 251.431.6014. We can’t promise it will be more fun and exciting than ramping your bike over a barrel full of firecrackers, but we guarantee you’ll learn more and feel better afterward.
