Nobody wants to think about a day when they aren’t able to manage their own estate. This doesn’t necessarily mean death but also other instances such as being disabled due to an accident or mental issues. This is why it is so important to begin auditing your estate plan. Auditing will provide you with better clarity regarding who is going to benefit from your estate once you are gone. In North Dakota and around the country, these are called the laws of intestacy. Read on why you may not want to simply rely on these laws to protect your estate.
The objectives
One of the reasons why so many people should take the time to audit and plan out their estate is because they want more control over what happens to it in the event that they pass away or are incapacitated and need someone to take control. When drafting your documents, you can add certain objects that would overturn the laws of intestacy. To help you determine a few of the objectives that you may need for your own estate, a lawyer may explain some of the most important. These would include an objective that will financially protect your spouse and any children you may have. Another major objective to add on includes a savings plan for estate and gift taxes.
Check and double check
It cannot be stressed enough to always check and double-check your estate planning documents after you’re done crafting them with your personal attorney. This will help ensure that your documents and any objectives you create match those of the law within your state. If the difference is large, then you must ask yourself and your attorney why that is the case.
In the event that revisions need to be made, you are then required to present a variety of documents to the courts to ensure that everything is taken into account. You may want to consult with an attorney who is experienced in this sector of the law.