Did you move back to your home state during the pandemic after having lived away during college and afterwards? It may have been a move that you did not really plan for. If you have decided to stay, however, you should consider taking control now. Whether you are single and starting life anew, or you moved closer to family for help with your kids, it can be important to ensure you have a solid estate plan in place in your new home state. Let us discuss three reasons why.
1. You Should Have Estate Planning Documents Anyway. If you moved to a new state and you only had minimal estate planning in place, now may be the perfect time to execute documents in your new home state. Many young, single adults do not have formal estate plans. Those who are newly married or became parents during the pandemic often do not have them either, even if you have been meaning to get around to it. Now may be the perfect time. Consulting with a qualified estate planning attorney in your new state can help ensure you have everything you need in place.
2. You Should Consider a New Health Care Surrogate. If you did have an estate plan where you used to live, it is likely that you named a health care surrogate who lived in that state. Most states only allow you to choose a state resident for this purpose. If you had chosen a local friend, but you are now back living near family, you may want to update your choice of health care surrogate to someone you trust who lives near your new home.
3. You Should Name a Guardian for Minor Children. If you became a parent during the pandemic, you may not have had the chance to name guardians for your child yet. When you update your estate planning documents for your new state, you can choose someone for the task. If you already had kids, but you have moved to a new state, the people you had chosen previously may no longer be suited to the role if your intent was to keep your kids in your new location should you pass away. If you update your estate planning documents now that you have moved, you can consider who might be the best choice for keeping your kids in their new home and update your guardianship arrangements if that is necessary.
Do you have questions? Please contact our law practice to learn more. We are here for you. Elder and Estate Planning Attorneys PA is a law office small enough to provide personal service but large enough to provide service in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties.