edited by 
You can be certain by the mere fact that you clicked on this article that you are someone who cares about your future as well as that of your kids and loved ones. This is worth acknowledging and celebrating! Before we dive into the details of estate planning, I just wanted to remind you that even though it isn’t the most exhilarating topic, estate planning is a critical step in ensuring your legacy is as magnificent as your life has been so far.
With the assurance that you are making all the right moves, let’s dig into the key items you should be up to date on as your progress through your estate planning journey!
Item #1: The Will – Drafting your Legacy’s Blueprint
Let’s frame the Will the following way: it is the tool that enables you to shape your legacy the way you desire and craft an ideal future for your progeny and loved ones.
Drafting a Will is like drafting the script for your life’s movie, so make it personal! Infuse humor, personal anecdotes, treasured stories from your past into the legal masterpiece. Make it a legal ode to your personality! This document is your way of maintaining control over your assets, ensuring that they land in the hands of those closest to you, so give it the time it deserves (while not forgetting to have fun with it, of course).
One note on timing: it is never too early to start the drafting process for your Will. Your journey does not need to be anywhere close to over for you to plan for the day the conclusion comes, so being proactive can be an effective way to craft your desired narrative.
Item #2: Trust – Your Weapon Against the Throes of Probate
With your life’s magnum opus (a.k.a. your Will) completed and refined, it is now time to address the most critical tool in fending off the struggles of Probate: the Trust. As draft the script for the movie of your life which will be played 200 years from now, imagine a scene which depicts the smooth transition of your assets without the courtroom drama. Ok fine – maybe not the most exciting scene for a movie, but excellent for real life! This is where a Trust comes into play.
Unlike the Will, a Trust allows you to bypass the probate process, ensuring a faster and more private distribution of your assets. It’s like a backstage pass to the concert of life – granting your loved ones direct access to what you’ve left behind without the unnecessary red tape.
Item #3: Probate – Navigating the Legal Waters
Probate: the scary word which is associated with the legal process that validates your Will, ensures its authenticity, and oversees the distribution of your assets. The reason why avoiding probate is optimal, even though the process would unfold as outlined in your Will, is that the process is long, arduous, and expensive (not to mention the potential of public exposure associated with going through the court systems).
Fear not, though, reader! A well-crafted Trust and Will combo will significantly ease or potentially eliminate the probate process. By placing your cherished assets into a Trust, you minimize their exposure to probate, making the estate planning process much more efficient and smooth for your loved ones.
If you have any other questions, or wish to get an initial consultation on matters of Trust, Will, and Probate, we recommend checking out our expert friends over at Trust & Will. Cheers to the crafting the legacy of your dreams!
