Clower Law has received many calls, especially at the beginning of this COVID-19 crisis. People were very concerned that their estate plan wasn’t in place or needed to be updated and I could not be more proud of my clients for considering their estate plan during this crisis. I think that the COVID-19 pandemic just reminded people of all of the things on their To-Do list that had remained untouched for months, or years. This pandemic has created many estate planning issues, but the basic issue is: do you have an estate plan? If you do not have an estate plan, it is likely that your heirs will have to go to probate court to determine how to distribute your assets. If court is involved, your assets may not necessarily be divided amongst the individuals to whom you wish to receive your assets. Probate court will also cause your heirs to incur additional legal fees and take precious time to handle your estate, which could have been avoided with careful planning.
Clower Law shut down completely during a shelter in place order. Fortunately, thanks to technology and forgiving and patient clients, Clower Law was able to get through the shelter in place by virtual meetings. As we are slowly starting to re-open, please know that Clower Law is taking precautions to keep clients safe. Unfortunately, our state does not allow for any type of online notarization or witnessing, which are almost always required to complete your estate plan. As such, Clower Law is limiting the number of clients allowed in to the office, clients are only allowed into the conference room and the conference room gets a cleaning after every clients visits. Additionally, when you come in to sign your documents, you will notice that the notary and the attorney will be wearing masks. If you have any additional requests, please let me know and I will do the best I can to accommodate you. I have missed meeting my clients in person and I want everyone to stay safe! Thank you all for bearing with me in new procedures and very strange times. I don’t know what the future holds, but you can bet that I’m rooting for in person meetings, handshakes and hugs to come back soon!
When Do I Need to Involve a Settlement Planner and What Is a Settlement Planner?