Your obligations to your family or loved ones do not stop, even if you have already passed on. If your family, especially your children, are still heavily dependent on you, you can still provide for them through proper estate planning, even if you are no longer present.
It’s a well-documented fact that most people do no estate planning. Of those who do, the majority use a last will to pass their estate to a spouse or divide it among their children.
However, some want you to believe that you need only purchase a form to have an effective estate plan. Using this form, you are told, can save money and — best of all — the form is valid in all 50 states.
If you have a medical issue that will certainly lead to death and significant costs, is it wise to legally divorce ahead of your death, so that the person dying owns very little beyond their health care coverage to protect assets from the likes of the medical insurance community?
If you have any reservations about who you have in mind when writing your will, whether you're thinking about a young child or even an older person who could be vulnerable to scams, a trust could make a lot of sense.