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June 3, 2013
Hello Clients, Friends, Colleagues, and Newcomers!
In January of 2011 I urged you to do some estate planning. To those of you who have taken the time and care to do your estate plan, CONGRATULATIONS. I hear the trumpets blaring in celebration of you. And, I know that soon those trumpets will sound forth for you and YOU and YOU.
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In January, I was thinking about how the Egyptians are still remembered
because they built pyramids and temples and enormous statues of themselves which still exist for us to see.
 Today I am thinking not only about the Egyptians but about the First Emperor of China and his longing for immortality, his keen need to be remembered forever and ever... He wanted to live forever and because he had a large tomb with warriors to guard it, he will be remembered for a very long time. I hope you had a chance to go to the Asian Museum to see these warriors. Or perhaps you've been to China, to Xi'an, to see the warriors in their natural setting, so to speak. They are very beautiful and do lead to something like the immortality of the First Emperor's memory. I guess the chances that we will build monuments or carve warriors to prolong and protect our memories is pretty unlikely, but still, we hope to be remembered, at least for awhile, at least by our loved ones.  I urge you to think about how you would like to be remembered. Of course, you will be remembered for your deeds, humor, smile, and love but your estate plan (or lack thereof) may well influence the memories. If you don't write a Trust agreement or even a Will or other estate planning document, your wealth will go to your family (your intestate heirs, as we say) as provided by California law. But these heirs will be getting your wealth not because you said so but because a set of laws provides that they get it. And you may be remembered as someone who did not do important, meaningful tasks. Your loved ones may think of you with a tinge of hurt that you did not make the effort to write down your wishes. And if perchance you want something to go to a museum or to pay to care for your dog, this wish will not happen. Then there may be real hurt or disappointment. Not good! |
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Your estate plan can lead to a bit of immortality. Not immortality with the longevity of the the First Emperor, but still. . . .
 Here is what you need to do:
1. Call an estate planning lawyer, someone at Law Offices of Julia P. Wald would be an excellent choice; go to our estate planning website to get the particulars.
Right now, call, set up an appointment:
(415) 482-7555!
2. Think about who should get:
- your money and investments (and when can they handle the money on their own)
- your dog/cat/parrot
- your belongings, especially:
- ones with sentimental value
- ones with monetary value
- ones that "the kids" may fight over
3. Decide who will be your Executor (who will manage your estate until it goes to your designated beneficiaries), who will be your Trustee (who will handle
your wealth, investing it and giving it out as you direct), and who will make your medical decisions if you cannot.
 3. If you have minor children, doing estate planning is really REALLY important. You need to think about whom you want to take care of these most wonderful of beings. It may be that the people who will step up to take charge are not the people you would want to be raising your kids. Your child rearing philosophy may be different from that of Auntie Mame, for instance, but those of your wonderful Aunt Mabel may be frighteningly like hers. In any case your children will remember you more fondly if you do not put them in the middle of a custody or guardian fight.
While you are thinking about choosing a guardian for your children, think in very concrete terms about what it will be like for the people who will be taking in these children and for the children. Do you need to give the guardians some money to enlarge their house? Will that be a loan or a gift? If your sister is the guardian, your children will move in with her family, including her husband. If your sister then dies, will her husband be the successor guardian or should that be your other sister? You may not feel your brother-in-law is "family enough" but after your kids have lived with him and he has been their "DAD", do you want them to move on to another (a third) household?
Every parent has to figure out what is best for his/her family, there is no "one size fits all', but you need to think in detail about what you want to happen in the lives of your children. Of course we all expect that these provisions will never be put into effect, but some day your children may read your Will and see how thoughtful you were in planning for their happiness and well being. MORE TRUMPETS will blare.
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 Okay --It's Summer .
Summertime always makes me feel WONDERFUL.
Do you know that once you sign your estate planning documents, you will feel even better. Better than ever.
And, you will no longer wake up at 3 am and think: Oh dear . . . what will happen?. . . . I do need to call Julia...
And won't that be great and a terrific relief.
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 Let's Talk...
Give me a call and we can discuss your estate plan. I'll give you my wisdom and my time (up to half an hour), and it won't cost you anything. Sincerely, Julia Wald The Law Offices of Julia Wald
415.482.7555 |
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