Today, people spend more time planning their next vacation or choosing the next car model that they would like to have than on estate planning. Estate planning is all about deciding who will get all of your assets after you pass away.
Of course, you will need to get in touch with an estate planning lawyer, as estate planning isn’t fun but rather a serious endeavor because everything that you have worked hard for is at stake. You might need a bit more convincing, which is why we have jotted below the importance of estate planning.
Protect Beneficiaries
Let us clear a few things first before we jump into the details. Many people believe that estate planning is only for the ultra-rich and that only individuals with a high net worth need to consider estate planning.
None of this is true, however. Estate planning is important for anyone who is a breadwinner and aware of the uncertainty of life. The thing is that anything can happen to you at any time.
For instance, you might get into an accident, in which case you will need to get in touch with a car accident attorney, as the attorney will not only protect your rights but also ensure that you get due compensation for your sustained injuries and damage to the car.
However, what happens if you don’t survive an accident and are decapitated as a result? You get the point – estate planning is exclusively designed to protect your assets and everything that you have worked so hard for your life, and ensures that your assets and everything that you leave behind goes to your beneficiaries.
Simply put – the main aspects of estate planning ensure that the heirs for your assets are designated – irrespective of how small or big the asset is. In the absence of estate planning, you will leave things in the hands of the court to decide what happens to your assets if you die suddenly. This process can take many years and also get ugly, as the court doesn’t know which one of your siblings or kids has been responsible or not.
Protect the Rights of Young Children
Another way asset planning can help with protecting young children. Of course, we all want to live long and healthy lives, and we cannot even imagine dying young, especially when the kids are small. You get the point – you need to be prepared for the unthinkable at all times, which is also where the importance of estate planning comes in.
With estate planning, you can ensure that your young children are cared for in the manner you would approve if you weren’t around. With estate planning, you can also name their guardians in case you or your spouse pass away before your kids turn 18.
Without estate planning, if you or your spouse pass away, it will be up to the court to decide who the guardian of your kids will be and who will take the responsibility of raising your children. Estate planning gives you complete control of planning everything yourself instead of relying on the court.