Vacations can be the perfect opportunity to relax, disconnect from work and responsibilities, and enjoy your spouse, partner, kids’ or friend’s company. But before you head off on your next getaway, there’s something else you should consider doing that might not sound quite as fun—creating an estate plan. While it may not sound like the most thrilling way to spend your time, here are some reasons why you need to think about your estate plans before you travel.
- A comprehensive estate plan ensures that any medical decisions needed while you’re away from home will be handled according to your wishes, and with as much ease as possible. If you fall ill or become injured and can’t make medical decisions for yourself, your estate plan will ensure that decisions will be made by the person you choose, and with your indicated desires for your care at the forefront.
- Without a proper estate plan in place, your family or friends could have a very hard or even impossible time getting you back home, locating your assets, keeping your bills paid, and ensuring your children get taken care of by the right people in the right way.
- Finally, an estate plan ensures that your debts and liabilities are taken care of properly in case something happens while you’re on vacation. This can help prevent creditors from trying to collect from surviving family members after the fact — something no one wants to deal with during such a difficult time.
Yes, Even Married Couples Need an Estate Plan
If you are married, you might feel like you don’t need an estate plan. Or you might believe that your Will is enough and would just handle everything. But that’s generally not the case.
Even if you are married, you still need medical powers of attorney, making it clear that you want your spouse making medical decisions for you, or even potentially adding in additional decision-makers. You still want a Living Will to give clarity on how you want medical decisions made for you.
Finally, if you have dependent children, you want to ensure you’ve made it as easy as possible for their needs to be continued by the people you want, in the way you want. Without a plan in place, decisions around their care could be tied up for months, including access to the financial assets their caregivers would need, in order to ensure they have what they need along the way.
The Benefits of Working With an Attorney
While you can create an estate plan without hiring a lawyer, there are serious risks to the people you love, if your plan is not completed, not updated after it’s been done once, or not completed properly. A qualified attorney understands what needs to go into a thorough and complete estate plan — as well as the potential pitfalls or issues that could arise due to your unique personal and family dynamics.
At Davidek Law Firm, we can advise you on other important documents such as Wills, Trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, and guardianship paperwork (for minor children), so you can make informed decisions based on what you want to have happen if you become incapacitated or die. All these items should be considered when creating an effective estate plan — especially when one or both parties will be traveling outside their home country at any point.
Don’t Let a Lack of Planning Dampen Your Vacation Spirits!
Taking a few simple, yet critically important, steps now can save you and your family considerable headaches down the road if anything were ever to happen while you’re on the road. Not only do we want you to enjoy each moment spent together, but we want you to have the peace of mind of knowing that whatever comes your way is handled according to your wishes!
We can help you put a plan together now, so that you don’t forget about this important task before you pack up for your next adventure. Making sure all your affairs are in order will help ensure that nothing stands in the way between you and enjoying time together!
This article is a service of Davidek Law Firm, PLLC. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure that families and business owners make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for themselves and the people they love.