¼â½ÐÊÓƵ’s Office of Planned Giving encourages the ¼â½ÐÊÓƵ community to plan for the future by downloading the Personal Estate Planning Toolkit.
The week of October 15, 2018 is the 10th anniversary of National Estate Planning Awareness Week. ¼â½ÐÊÓƵ University encourages community members to celebrate this week by creating a new estate plan or reviewing existing estate plans to ensure that they are up to date and in the best condition to provide protection and security.
More than two-thirds of American adults do not have a will, and a will is only one component of a comprehensive estate plan. Not having an estate plan can lead to a grueling and time-consuming task for loved ones in what already proves to be a difficult time. Creating an estate plan is an act of love that should not be put off until it is too late.
There are many incentives for wanting to put an estate plan into place. Proper estate planning gives individuals abilities that they would not have otherwise, such as: directing the division of one’s property, rather than having the state decide; and making special arrangements for family members who are minors, disabled, or unfamiliar with money management. With proper estate planning, individuals can select a trusted executor with careful attention to individual wishes, and create durable powers of attorney for financial and health care decisions in the event of an injury.
Due to the complexities involved in planning an estate, seeking guidance from a qualified estate planning attorney is a great first step in the process. Attorneys are beneficial in that they can create an inventory of an individual’s assets and determine the most efficient ways to distribute those assets to people and causes.
Estate plans should be reviewed periodically and in the event of any life changes such as birth, death, marriage, divorce, or a move to a new state.
Not sure how to get started?
Visit to download our free Estate Planning Guide and Record Book. To receive copies by mail, please call 203-254-4020.
