Even after all these years as estate lawyers in the Raleigh area, we’re still surprised that so many people avoid estate planning. We understand the hesitation, but honestly, most of the reasons can be more harmful in the long run.

Here are four reasons why people avoid estate planning:

  1. Reminds them of death: Yes, estate plans are plans people make that will go into action after the person dies, but let’s be honest: everyone is going to die. An estate plan gives a person more control over that time in their life and makes a difficult situation easier for those left behind.
  2. Not enough assets for it to matter: If someone has any assets, then they have enough assets to warrant an estate plan. We would even argue that those with fewer assets need a plan more than others do because it could make a difference in how the family is able to continue. Also, estate plans often include medical expectations in case the person isn’t able to make those choices for themselves. Perhaps most importantly for families with minor children, an estate plan can allow parents to decide who will take care of their children if they die before the children reach the age of eighteen.  It’s not just about asset distribution.
  3. Privacy concerns: Some people don’t like the idea of a legal document with everything they own being detailed and legally filed, and they really don’t like the idea of people knowing the full extent of their estate. Still, it’ll be found out eventually, or even worse, everything they’ve worked for to build their estate will be hidden and lost.
  4. Feels materialistic: People who don’t care about ‘stuff’ often avoid creating a will. Since most people see an estate plan as simply asset distribution, we can see why they don’t really want to bother with the process. However, it’s not really about the stuff. It’s about making sure they are providing for their family adequately.

There’s really no need to avoid estate planning any longer. A competent estate lawyer can help work through any hesitations. To get started on an estate plan, contact Thornton Law firm.