This was a little bit of a combination of the old and the new for me. Through HARO (Help A Reporter), I answered a query John N. Peragine, Jr., the author of The Complete Guide for Organizing your Records for Estate Planning, concerning insight on estate planning issues. I was an estate planning attorney for 18 years, so I answered his questionnaire. A few weeks later John and the publisher asked if I would write the forward for The Complete Guide to Organizing Your Records for Estate Planning, and I did. It was a fun combination of my former law career and new endeavor to write.
Enough about me, you should buy the book, really. I can’t tell you how angry people get with their loved ones when they leave their estate a mess. Having your finances and wishes in order is more than a responsibility, it is a gift that you give to the ones you love. This book describes in a manageable step-by-step process how to organize your accounts, important documents, estate planning papers, final letters to family members, health issues, burial issues and much more. A CD is included with the book that provides forms and checklists to simplify the process. At your incapacity or death, it will be much simpler for your family to carry out your wishes.
In my opinion, everyone should see a lawyer for an estate plan, it should never be done from a book or a computer program. This book is still essential even with professional advice. Lawyers and accountants prepare the documents and tax returns, they do not organize papers, that is the responsibility of the client. Moreover, the book covers various personal issues, such as providing an autobiography or writing final letters to your loved ones; these tasks are completely separate from the role of a lawyer or accountant.
Here’s a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day idea: buy the book, give it to your parent and volunteer to help them organize for a few hours. You’ll spend time with your parent and accomplish an important task.
Tags: estate planning, how to, organize, recommended reading
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