Get Organized and Make Succession Easier on Your Family
– Simple Tips from a Trusted Succession Planning Attorney in Louisiana
Discussing death is not easy usually an avoidable subject for most people. In fact, most of us would rather talk politics or religion than contemplate what will happen when we die. The fact is that we’ll all pass from this earth and if we don’t have our affairs in order, our families will suffer more than we may intend. Dying doesn’t have to be an off-limits topic. Instead, you can save your family additional heartache if you have your affairs in order. Estate planning is imperative to ensure your family gets what you want them to have when you pass. In addition to your estate planning, you should include succession planning with help from an experienced Louisiana attorney. They understand the intricacies of the complex legal system and help your family when it comes to handling your affairs.
2 Suggestions to Gather Your Documents for Future Succession Proceedings
Why give your loved ones more to handle than necessary while they’re grieving? Throwing everything in a drawer and letting the kids sort it out after your death is not the recommended approach. Instead, give them the gift of organized paperwork so that they can get through the succession process quickly and easily, and mourn at their own pace. Here are two suggestions to get you started:
- Gather Together ALL Your Papers: This first step may seem easy, but it’s far from simple. Think about what you handled on a daily or monthly basis to pay bills. Now consider your life insurance policies. Start with these essential documents:
- Personal: birth certificate, social security number, any employment records
- Medical: list current health issues and medicines, insurance information, Medicare information
- Financial: bank statements, retirement and investment account statements, sources of income and debts, assets
- Home/Property: real estate deeds and notes, automotive loans, boat loans, automotive insurance.
- Pull Together the Everyday “Stuff”: The next step may not be evident because it doesn’t seem as important as your bank accounts or birth certificate. However, when you or a loved one passes, there are still bills to be sorted and paid and today’s digital age can have this information scattered even more. It’s a good idea to make sure these items are easily found:
- Contact Information: List your most important loved ones and friends’ contact information, including phone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses.
- Social Media/Digital Profiles: Write down your logins and passwords for your social media accounts and shopping sites. It’s helpful to indicate what you want to be done with your social media sites when you pass as well.
- Medicines: Keep a list of what medications you are currently on and any allergies to prescriptions.
- Utilities/Credit Cards: If you pay for these items online, it’s helpful to write the login information, account numbers, and other details.
- Other Services: Do you have streaming services or cable? Any other technological-type accounts need to be written down, too.
Bonus Tip: Once you gather this information together, you will want to store it in a safe location and let your executor know where that is. Additionally, it’s vital to keep the information current. Consider reviewing or updating information on a monthly or quarterly basis.
Set Your Affairs in Order – Talk to David L. White, Your Succession Planning Attorney
Gain peace of mind to enjoy your life freely when you prioritize your estate and succession planning in Louisiana. Think of the burden you remove from your family when you pass when you give David L. White a call. He has the experience to navigate through Louisiana’s complex succession laws. With a caring and listening ear, he will assist with setting things up, so you and your family don’t have to worry when the time comes to execute the plans.
Contact your Louisiana succession planning attorney to discuss your estate needs. Give us a call at 318-747-7023.
