While your end-of-life wishes don’t make the most fun topic of conversation in your twenties and thirties, drafting a will and testament during this early stage of life is the best option for you and your loved ones. Having these important legal documents ready for the possibility of a worst-case scenario both alleviates some of the grief for your family and ensures that your wishes are carried through effectively.
At the Dua Law Firm, one of our specialties is estate planning in Fairfax County, Virginia. For will-writing in Northern Virginia, we will guide you through every step of this process with precision and empathy. To further understand the benefits of estate planning early on, read the list below.
1. Prepare for the Unexpected
As much as we hate to think about, death can happen to anyone. Young people often assume they are invincible against accidents and illness, but this is far from the truth. No matter what age you are, everyone is susceptible to injury and death. In the unfortunate event that something should happen to you, having an estate plan will relieve a lot of the logistical burden on your grieving loved ones. While making such a powerful legal document this early in life might feel strange or unsettling, it is ultimately a selfless thing to do for your friends and family.
2. Assign Decision-Making Power
For anyone who has experienced it, a death in the family opens a lot of emotional floodgates. Grief is an obvious one. With emotions and tensions running high among members of your family, anger is sadly another. If no single individual has been appointed decision-making power over the arrangement of your remains and property, your loved ones may end up arguing with one another over what you would have wanted, making a tough situation even worse.
Picture this hypothetical: you have been injured in a car accident and are brain dead. What medical actions should be taken? When should the plug be pulled, if it should be pulled at all? Should alternative medicines be used, or religious procedures conducted? Without a will declaring an individual to make these choices, decision-making power may be assigned to a family member that doesn’t see eye-to-eye with you on these touchy subjects.
3. Make Decisions for Your Children—and Pets
If you have children, it’s time for you to seriously think about estate planning in Fairfax County, Virginia. Making arrangements for their living and finances in case of your death or serious injury should be one of your top priorities as a parent. Without legally-binding guidelines drafted by you and a trusted lawyer, your children may not end up with the care, residence, or financial assistance you would have wanted. If you don’t have children, your will can stipulate exactly how you would like to handle the care of your pets.
Dua Law Firm: Estate Planning Lawyers in Fairfax County
If you are reading this, you have decision-making power—don’t let it go to waste. Begin estate planning now. The Dua Law Firm’s Estate Planning lawyers in Fairfax County have the proper experience and expertise to ensure that you are getting exactly what you want and need out of your will and testament. Call the Dua Law Firm today or request an appointment online to get started. We will be happy to speak with you.