Cumming Georgia Estate Planning Law Blog

Few people wish to consider their own demise, but younger people have an especially strong aversion to thinking about death. That's understandable, considering that young people in Georgia are focused on getting their careers off the ground, finding a partner and shaping their adult lives. Without proper estate planning, however, those life plans can become derailed swiftly. Millennials need wills and other estate planning documents, even if they don't always recognize that need. 

In regard to wills, passing away without one gives the state a great deal of power over how one's assets are to be distributed. Many younger people assume that their assets will simply pass on to their parents, and that assumption is usually correct. However, without a will the parents are forced to go through probate, at a time they are already living through any parent's worst nightmare. Creating even a basic estate plan could take a lot of the burden off loved ones if an unexpected loss should occur. 

Dementia is a serious brain disorder that is shockingly common. Approximately 5.7 million Americans suffer from the disease, reports the Alzheimer's Association, and projections indicate that number will rise to 14 million by 2050. 

Roughly one out of every three senior citizens in the United States will die with some form of dementia. That means many children, like you, will need to deal with parents slowly succumbing to the illness. Whether you have your parents living at home with you or in an assisted care facility, there are many steps to take to provide parents with the care they need during this trying time. 

Losing a spouse is one of the most difficult things that many Georgia residents will ever have to go through. The days and weeks that follow such a loss can be overwhelming, with a multitude of important decisions to make and items to check off the to-do list. One task that is often overlooked during this tumultuous time is the need to review the wills and other estate planning documents of both the decedent and the surviving spouse. 

In many cases, spouses create an estate plan that passes wealth and decision-making responsibilities to each other. That often serves the family well, and allows each spouse to rest assured that their husband or wife will follow through on their wishes in the event of a death. However, once the first spouse passes on, the surviving spouse must turn his or her attention toward creating new estate planning documents that grant those rights and responsibilities to someone else. 

For many Georgia residents, a spouse and children are simply not part of their daily lives. Regardless of whether that fact is through circumstance or choice, the reality is that living the single life can pose a challenge once an individual moves into retirement and beyond. Older Georgia residents without close family ties have a unique set of care planning needs and must take steps to look after their own futures. 

Most people will have some sort of familial support as they age. This might be a healthy spouse, adult children, or even close nieces or nephews. Those connections can make it easier to adjust to the transitions of aging. Moving, finding help after a medical issue, managing medications, addressing home maintenance needs and more are all easier with a trusted helping hand.