skip to content
Call Now: 515-444-5221
woman working with her laptop

What is Estate Planning Awareness Week?

It may sound like an odd thing to commemorate, but October 17th through 23rd is actually Estate Planning Awareness Week. This is not really a celebration though. Instead, it’s more of a reminder that anyone can benefit from making a plan of their own. You don’t have to be absurdly rich to work with a Des Moines estate planning lawyer from our firm.

What is Estate Planning?

Estate planning is a process where you make decisions about how your assets will be passed on to your loved ones when you pass away, but it’s also more than that. An estate plan allows you to leave directions behind in case you are incapacitated and cannot make medical decisions. It gives you the chance to review accounts and assets and make sure that they will transfer to the right beneficiaries. You can also take out a life insurance policy and choose beneficiaries for that.

Do I Really Need Estate Planning?

Estate planning can benefit you and your family even if you don’t have a lot of assets to pass down. Certain estate planning tools, like trusts, can help you avoid the probate process, which delays the passing on of your assets and costs your family money.

You can also take this time to make an advance healthcare directive. This allows you to choose your healthcare proxy, a person who will make healthcare decisions for you, and instructions on what kinds of treatments you would want. If you want to go to a specific doctor or hospital, you can say that. If you do not want to use life support machines like ventilators, you can include specific instructions. This is an important part of estate planning and it can benefit you no matter what level of wealth they have.

Do I Need a Lawyer’s Help?

Yes, it’s a good idea to have an experienced estate planning lawyer on your side here. There’s a lot of paperwork involved in creating an estate plan and there are legal requirements for different documents that need to be met. You don’t want to make a will only for your family to find out later that the document was not properly drafted and thus not legally binding.

Our law firm will work with you to make a plan that helps you protect your assets and leave something behind for your beneficiaries. If something like a trust, family LLC, or another estate planning tool is a good fit for your estate, your lawyer can tell you about how you should make these arrangements. A well-made plan can make this entire process less stressful for your loved ones and it could also help reduce the possibility of fights breaking out over your estate.

Contact Our Law Firm

If you want to learn more about the benefits of estate planning, contact Herting Law, PLLC. We can schedule a consultation and help you develop a plan that is uniquely suited to your estate and assets. You won’t regret taking the time to make these preparations.

Website Designed & Managed by