Covid-19 or the Coronavirus is causing many to panic (and rightfully so). So many Americans want to be prepared for the unforeseen more so now than ever – stocking up on food, supplies, revisiting their finances and looking into estate planning.
At a minimum, it seems as though the incapacity documents are top of mind for most Americans: the durable power of attorney, designation of healthcare surrogate, living will and HIPAA authorization. This is actually a great start for everyone (at all times and at all ages). Taking the time to choose someone to manage financial affairs or make important healthcare decisions for you should be a goal for everyone. If you have minor children, you may want to consider creating a Will or if you’d like to add restrictions on when your beneficiary may inherit their share or protect their share from creditors then you may want to consider a living trust.
Virtual Estate Planning – Delray Beach, Florida
For the most part, the estate planning process can be handled virtually. Your initial consultation can be done telephonically or by a virtual meeting. The drafting of your documents can be done remotely by your attorney and then the drafts can be emailed to you for a review. Our firm is taking an additional hour on the phone to go over the documents in greater detail with each new client to ensure they receive the same level of attention and care as they would have had they been in our physical office. Yet, what about the signing of the documents?
Until July 1st 2020, virtual signings of estate planning documents are not allowed in Florida. Until then, the physical presences of witnesses are a must. For most of our clients we are tentatively scheduling their signings for April and monitoring the news closely. For clients who need their documents executed sooner we have come up with a new procedure to minimize human contact, reduce exposure to germs and ensure safe distances during the signing process (please contact us to discuss this option further).
Call us today to schedule your estate planning consultation. We are waiving our initial consultation fee for the months of March & April. (954) 999-9683.
Palm Beach Estate Planning Attorney | Broward Estate Planning Attorney
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