Before I decided to practice law, I was a school teacher. When I taught, I never thought of that career choice as a dangerous one, like firefighters or police officers or coal miners, who risk their lives daily in dangerous fields. In those days, many young women felt that it was one of the few professional fields open to us. It also gave us an opportunity to have a career and to feel like what we did could make a real impact.
However, in the last few years, we have seen mass shootings in schools along with other acts of violence against teachers. And now, my teacher clients tell me administrators are encouraging them to prepare their Last Will and Testament, as they will be at risk from Covid-19 when they return to the classroom!
The Importance of Estate Planning
I’ve always believed that all adults need a Last Will and Testament and medical and financial powers of attorney, regardless of their income, assets, family size, etc. Without a will, state intestacy laws will dictate who will receive your assets, and the recipients may not be the people you want. Relatives may begin fighting over who will care for your children and who will handle their money. The ultimate decision may be left to a local judge who might have no clue how you would have felt about that selection.
Thus, I’m always pleased to welcome those who want to plan their estates. I see my clients relax, smile, and express satisfaction when their plans are in place. I work to help them understand the exact process which would take place in the event something bad happens.
Preparing for the Future
As an attorney, I’m more than happy to help everyone wise enough to want to plan their affairs rather than leaving it all to chance. However, is this enough?
Children don’t have a vote in decisions about when or how schools will reopen. And teachers, who may need the income, may feel they have very little say in the risks to which they may be exposed to over the next several weeks and months.
We need to look to our government, administrators, and business leaders to help us all be safe. As we approach the election process, I hope those who are worried, confused or frustrated will spend a more time considering their decisions. I hope voters will research the history and expressed beliefs of those asking for our votes.
I encourage those who still have concerns to contact those who already received our vote. Demand your representative makes prudent decisions – based not on what they believe may help them keep their elected positions, but instead on what is right.
If we spent the same amount of time preparing our estate plan and contemplating our voting decision as we expend on making a major purchase, we would all face our future with more confidence than the people I’m seeing in my office these days. After all, our voting and estate planning decisions will impact our futures significantly longer than that car, vacation, or other expensive purchase that we thought so hard about before taking the plunge.
Reach out to our legal team at Levy & Associates P.A. today if you have estate planning concerns you would like to discuss with an experienced attorney. Call (407) 439-2822 or contact us online to request a consultation.