The smartest time to get your affairs in order, is when you’re healthy, regardless of a pandemic, advises NBC Bay Area’s recent article entitled “3 Steps to Take Now in Case COVID-19 Leaves You Critically Ill.” You should talk to an estate planning attorney here in Northwest Iowa and think about these three steps to consider taking yourself before you meet:
1. Prepare for Your End-of-Life Care
For end-of-life care, many people have a “living will.” It can also be called an “Advance Directive” or “Advanced Health Care Directive.” With this in place, you can make decisions ahead of time about your end-of-life care and what happens if you go into what is called a “permanent vegetative state.”
2. Decide what Your Wishes are for Your Assets
Typically, this is done through a will or a trust. You decide who receives your home, vehicle, funds in bank accounts and other assets you own. You also need to name the Executor of Your Estate. When your trust is administered or your will is probated, the executor will be in charge of making it all happen correctly. For more information on how to choose an executor, click here.
In this step, having some form of legal counsel is crucial to making sure everything is done legally and that your wishes for your assets are carried out. We recommend using an Estate Planning attorney here in Northwest Iowa because they are the experts in making sure everything is done correctly.
3. Plan Your Funeral or Memorial Service if One is Desired
When an individual passes away without funeral planning, families typically have a harder time making choices about how the memorial service should look. Writing down exactly how you want your funeral or memorial service to look will prevent conflict and stress from causing your loved ones more pain.
At the end of the day, working with an experienced estate planning attorney here in Northwest Iowa will ensure that everything will be planned exactly how you want it. To get started with us, give us a call at 712-7373885 or set up a meeting here.
Reference: NBC Bay Area (April 15, 2020) “3 Steps to Take Now in Case COVID-19 Leaves You Critically Ill”
