What Good is an Estate Plan if No One Can Find It?
Establishing an estate plan is a huge accomplishment and milestone for many people. Protecting your assets and family’s future places you into a certain category as an adult and provides you with unmatched peace of mind.
However, now that the most important part of the process is complete, the next step is accessing those documents. If you created the trust, chances are you know where the documents are hidden away. But does your spouse know where they are? Does your trustee or other beneficiaries know? If you were to pass away tomorrow would anyone be able to access them?
Make Sure Your Family and Trustee Know Where Your Estate Plan Is Safely Kept
If you passed away with an estate plan, but no one can find your will or trust, legally your estate must still pass through probate. The courts will assume you did not have those documents or destroyed them. Even photocopies will not suffice.
Where Should You Keep Your Estate Plan?
If you have gone through the trouble of creating an estate plan, then put the documents away in a safety deposit box, a lockbox, or somewhere else safe. However, you must remember to let your spouse, trustee, and beneficiaries know where those documents will be held, just in case you unexpectedly pass away.
Also, remember to leave passwords and account numbers for all your online assets. Most people might not consider it, but social media passwords, email accounts, and other things should be included with your estate planning documents.
If you need advice about estate planning, setting up documents, or protecting them in the correct way, our team specializes in protecting your assets. Give us a call at (800) 403-6078 for a FREE consultation today! We look forward to working with you.
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