Millions of Americans are affected by chronic conditions each year. In February 2018, the CDC reported the leading causes of death in the U.S. which included: heart disease, cancer, accidents, and stroke.
Why is this information important to you? As a Raleigh estate planning attorney, I see many of my clients that are facing situations where their families didn’t plan for death. We all think we have plenty of time, but there are so many situations that could creep up on us.
4 of the most common causes of death in the US are:
- Heart Disease: Heart disease remains the leading cause of death accounting for 25% of total deaths. An estimated 610,000 people die from heart disease each year.
- Cancer: Cancer is responsible for nearly 600,000 deaths each year. This is one of the biggest reasons that individuals begin thinking about wills and trusts.
- Accidents: Approximately 161,000 deaths in the U.S. each year are due to unintentional injuries.
- Stroke: Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke which accounts for about 142,000 deaths annually.
All of this can sound incredibly scary and I promise, I’m not trying to scare anyone. Death can be a hard subject to talk about, especially for those left behind to deal with the aftermath.
Be sure to plan ahead and prepare for the unknown by having an estate plan in place. Contact Thornton Law Firm to get your plan started!