Are You Truly Prepared to Travel This Summer?

The summer typically represents the perfect time to travel. Regardless of your preferred mode of transportation, it is important to have your affairs in order before departure.

Create an Estate Plan

Before leaving for your destination, you should have the planning and legal documents in place that will allow you to travel with peace of mind, knowing your wishes, family and belongings are all legally protected.

• Have you designated a guardian to care for your children in the event that something happens to you?

• Have you designated individuals to make medical and financial decisions on your behalf in case you become incapacitated?

• Have you developed a written plan to determine how your assets will pass at your death?

If you have not properly addressed these and other important issues, you need to consult with a trusts and estates attorney to create an estate plan before you travel. As difficult as it may be to contemplate, death is inevitable, and many become incapacitated. We can either choose to ignore this reality, or accept it and be proactive in protecting our loved ones and ourselves.

Update Your Estate Plan

If you have already created an estate plan, it is critical to review and update it periodically to reflect changes in your dispositive wishes, family circumstances, and the law. If your plan is not consistent with your current wishes and subsequent changes in your life and the law, update it before you travel to make sure that you, your family and your assets are all well-protected.

If you would like to create or update your estate plan, please contact me by email at lsass@laramsass.com or (917) 628-8007.