This guest post is from Faith
Ennis, Regent Law 2L student:
It is human nature to postpone any thought of death - including, unfortunately, the postponement of preparing one's estate for his or her death. Life is overwhelming enough, but the death of a loved one is so, greatly overwhelming and feels impossible to endure. Simple, mundane, daily tasks become unbearable.
Postponing one's estate
planning creates an unnecessary, additional burden. People underestimate the
importance of planning one's estate. When a spouse passes away, the last thing
that someone wants to deal with is estate planning, including arguments amongst
family members.
One thing that brought our family,
most importantly my grandmother, peace when my beloved grandfather passed away
unexpectedly in July 2021, was the fact that they had already sat down with an
attorney and settled their estate. There were no unanswered questions, familiar
arguments, or stress regarding what my grandmother would receive under his
will. The devastating occurrence was then easier to navigate.
This September of 2022, my uncle lost
his battle with cancer. My aunt had so much to deal with, but having an
attorney's help lessened anxieties. Instead of putting off estate planning in
the hopes he would heal, they took the necessary steps. When one gets sick with
cancer, estate planning becomes even more important. Advanced directives, and a
medical power of attorney become very pertinent. My aunt had to face the bleak
reality that it was time to unplug her husband from his life support. That
decision was extremely difficult, but imagine having to litigate whether she even
has the power to make that decision.
Life is difficult enough. The death of loved ones is difficult. Death is one thing we all have in common. Plan out your estate while your heart is not hurting, and encourage your friends and family to do so as well.
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