Being Prepared for Big Changes

There are many things and people in life that seem permanent to us, then reality shows us that nothing is. The recent death of England’s Queen Elizabeth at 96, a leader who was in the background of many of our lives, for most of our lives, was both surprising and inevitable.

On a more personal level, many of us have experienced the loss of loved ones who had lived to an advanced age, and their loss is so significant it marks an end of an era for us and our families. Often these losses affect us emotionally and on practical levels, in terms of our financial and living arrangements.

These losses, and big changes, can be quite difficult for us, and they certainly also remind us of the passing of time and impermanence of our own lives.

These challenging realities put a lot in perspective about our priorities, how to best honor those we’ve lost, and what we’d like for people to remember about us when we’re gone.

One important way to be prepared for big changes and losses in our lives, and to help our loved ones be prepared for loosing us, is to review or establish our Estate Planning.

If it has been a while since you last updated your plan with our office, please remember that a review and update is typically needed:

1. If more than 3 years have passed since you signed your planning documents;

2. If new children have been born or adopted;

3. If your children have now become adults;

4. If you have become a grandparent;

5. If there has been a significant change in the value or composition of your planning assets;

6. If you have disposed of specific assets which were going to a named beneficiary;

7. If one or more of your named beneficiaries have deceased or are now under a disability;

8. If one or more of your named fiduciaries, agents, or surrogates have deceased, are now under a disability, or are no longer appropriate to serve for you;

9. If there have been significant tax law changes since you signed your plan; or

10. If there have been significant Florida law changes since you signed your plan.

Our compassionate and caring Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorney is here for you is sensitive to you and your family’s unique needs and concerns.

Our Elder Law and Estate Planning Law Office has the knowledge, experience, and empathy necessary to guide you in preparing a Will or Trust, or in legally representing you in a Probate or Trust Administration. If you have any concerns about Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney, Designation of Health Care Surrogate, or managing the costs of long-term care, we are here for you. With offices located in Orange Park and St. Augustine, we are here to help you and your loved ones have more peace of mind.

Grady H. Williams, Jr., LL.M.: Your Florida First Coast Elder Law Attorney.