No matter how old you are, whether you’re a senior or a young adult, something you will need to think about is a will. This means you have a legal document or testament that expresses your exact wishes on how you want to distribute any assets after you pass on. For some people, this can seem like a morbid topic. For many elderly people, it is a necessity to think and plan for because over the years they have collected property and items that may hold a lot of value. The reason it is so crucial for seniors to plan for after their passing is to give their adult children a sense of peace. There will be no fights about who gets what, it will all be planned, and things will be distributed as a person wishes.
Many people try to write their wills by themselves, which can be okay. But, when a senior writes a will themselves they may miss important details, assets, and other things that can cause issues after they pass on. If a senior only has one or two assets it may be easier to write their will alone, but if they have land and other assets, it is important to seek someone with knowledge of elder law and someone who has experience looking through assets and asking the right questions to create a will that reflects exactly what a person wants. Here are a few things to consider before meeting with an elder law attorney to go over a will:
Make a List of All Assets
Before you head into any meeting with an attorney, a senior needs to be prepared, understanding what to talk about will help your time with the attorney run smoother and get more out of your meeting. Seniors need to sit down and think about all of the properties they own and all of the assets they have, as well as create a very specific list and idea of what they want to do with them. As a list grows, a will can be updated and it should be updated. This means a senior can still collect assets as they age and it will all be taken care of when they pass on.
Be Very Specific
It may seem harsh on any heirs to be super specific, but it will actually help when a senior passes on. Everything should be as detailed as possible in a will, and that is why it can be good to work with an attorney. They can ask clarifying questions that will help a senior be specific about things they want.
Talk To Any Heirs
Once you’ve chosen an attorney to work with and things are written in your testament, you will want to tell any heirs what the plan is. This will help them feel prepared for when you pass on and it will help keep any family arguments to a minimum. They may also have questions for you or even the attorney so it is important to keep communication as open as possible during this process, especially if anything changes.