The COVID pandemic has become a painful lesson in how important it is to having estate plans in order, especially when a spouse becomes sick, incapacitated, or dies unexpectedly. With more than 1.14 million Americans dead from the coronavirus, not every one of them had an estate plan and a financial plan in place, leaving loved ones to make sense of their estate while grieving. This article from Market Watch titled “How to get your affairs in order if your spouse is dying” offers five things to do before the worst occurs.
Start by gathering information.
The first step in getting estate plans in order is to put together paperwork about each and every account. Look for documents that will become crucial, including a durable power of attorney, a living will (directive to physicians) and a last will. Gather paperwork for life insurance policies, investment portfolios and retirement accounts. Create a list of contact information for your estate planning attorney, accountant, insurance agent, doctors and financial advisors and share it with the people who will be responsible for managing your life. In addition, call these people, so they have as much information as possible—this could make things easier for a surviving spouse. Consider making introductions, via phone or a video call, especially if you have been the key point person for these matters.
Create a hard copy binder for all of this information or a file, so your loved ones do not have to conduct a scavenger hunt.
Create or update your estate plan.
If there is an estate plan in place, discuss it with your spouse and family members so everyone is clear about what is going to happen. If your estate plan has not been updated in several years, that needs to be done. There have been many big changes to tax law, and you may be missing important opportunities that will benefit those left behind.
If there is no estate plan, you will need to act quickly. A trust can be created to transfer assets, as long as the trust is funded properly and promptly. Many Americans die without a will, known as “intestate.” With no will, the court must rely on the state’s estate laws, which does not always result in the people you wanted receiving your property. Any immediate family or next of kin may become heirs, even if they were people you with whom you were not close or from whom you may even have been estranged. Having no will can lead to estate battles or having strangers claim part of your estate.
If there are minor children and no will to declare who their guardian should be, the court will decide that also. If you have minor children, you must have a will to protect them and a plan for their financial support.
Confirm beneficiary designations.
Check everything for accuracy. If ex-spouses, or partners are named on accounts that have not been reviewed for decades, there will be a problem for the family. Problems also arise when no one is listed as a beneficiary. Beneficiary designations are used in many different accounts, including retirement accounts, life insurance policies, annuities, stock options, restricted stock and deferred compensation plans. Making sure these beneficiary designations are up to date is an essential step in putting your estate plans in order.
Create a master list of digital assets.
These assets range from photographs to financial accounts, utility bills and phone bills to URLs for websites. What would happen to your social media accounts, if you died and no one could access them? Some platforms provide for a legacy contact, but many do not. Prepare what information you can to avoid the loss of digital assets that have financial and sentimental value.
Have “The Conversation”.
Gathering the materials to get your estate plans in order and having these conversations is difficult, but they are a necessity if a family member receives a serious diagnosis. If there is no estate plan in place, have a conversation with an experienced estate planning attorney who can advise what can be done, even in a limited amount of time. A great resource for starting these conversations is The Conversation Project, a non-profit organization.
Contact our office today to get started.
Reference: Market Watch (Jan. 22, 2021) “How to get your affairs in order if your spouse is dying”
