A Three-Step Review of Legal Affairs Will Bring Peace of Mind

  As the busy Fall season draws near, the time is right to review important legal matters to make sure that they are progressing as planned and, if plans need to change, to ensure that they change sooner rather than later (or not at all).  With that in mind, the following three-step review of your affairs is an ideal way to give yourself the gift of peace of mind at the outset of this year.
1).  Review Your Estate Plan.
   If it has been more than one year since you had your estate plan prepared or reviewed by an attorney, it is a wise idea to sit down and read through it to be sure it still manages and plans to dispose of your assets in a manner that is consistent with your wishes.  As time passes, babies are born, relatives die and relationships change, all of which are good cause for a second look at your estate plan.  In addition, if you don’t have the “bare minimum” planning documents - a will, a health care power of attorney and a durable power of attorney for finances - then you should contact an attorney to complete the missing pieces and to discuss whether more advanced planning techniques like trusts or lifetime gifting strategies could be the best way to achieve your long-term goals.
2).  Adjust Your Charitable Giving.
   With the widespread use of automatic deductions from bank accounts by charities and for-profit business alike, it is easy to allow charitable giving ...