Mistakes to Avoid in Estate Planning

Before making a will, trust or other important plan for your estate, knowing what lies ahead is important. Avoiding mistakes in planning can save you and your family essential time and money that should be going into your estate.

Call us in the Boulder Valley for a free consultation about your estate planning needs at (303) 800-1588.

At Braverman Law Group, LLC, in Colorado, our lawyers have over 15 years of experience in assisting people with estate plans. That experience means we can help you avoid costly mistakes and get your documents in place so you can move forward with the peace of mind from knowing you made plans and don't need to worry about what will happen after you're gone.

Over the years, we've noticed that people tend to make the same mistake over and over when creating their estate plans. We can help you avoid those mistakes. Here are four of the most common mistakes we see clients make:

1. Thinking you don't need an estate plan — Whether you have considerable wealth or a modest retirement plan and a smaller home, having a plan for asset allocation and beneficiary designation make the grief process less burdensome for your loved ones. If you take the time to make decisions for your survivors, you are doing them a tremendous service in thoughtfulness and they won't have to make difficult decisions when a crisis arises.
2. Waiting too long — The time to make estate plans is before you need them. Once you need them, you may not be in a position to have input in what happens to you or your assets or loved ones in your care. Make plans early to avoid these consequences of procrastination.
3. Not being comprehensive enough — Some people forget about important sections of the plan, which may seem obvious once pointed out.
4. Not choosing the best people for the job — Your trustee, executor, POA, guardian all need to be carefully thought out and qualified as the best choice for the role they will fill. An experienced estate planning attorney knows how to assist people with these difficult choices and can be an independent sounding board when you have trouble deciding who to designate.

Bennett and Diedre Wachbrit Braverman are local attorneys who have helped numerous clients create solid estate plans. They can help you, too. Call them to arrange a free consultation at (303) 800-1588. You can also reach their estate planning office through email to make your appointment. Call today, so you can have peace of mind tomorrow.