People in Florida generally understand how important it is to plan ahead financially — for example, by planning for retirement. However, it is also critical to engage in estate planning in the event that one passes away unexpectedly. Taking things a step further, it is a wise move to plan how to store estate planning documents and information in case they are needed during a major emergency.
For instance, in addition to creating documents like wills and powers of attorney, it is generally a good idea to create copies of these documents as backups. Other documents that may be beneficial to copy include trusts and health care proxies. Deeds as well as titles to essential assets, like boats and cars, may also be beneficial to make copies.
Furthermore, it is a wise move to store information such as passwords and account numbers in a secure place. For instance, some people choose to store these data using an online storage system or a password vault — both cloud-based technologies. Others decide to keep this information on pieces of paper that they keep in their purses or wallets so that it is always on them. Of course, ideally, it is best to store accounts and their respective passwords in separate locations for security reasons.
Estate planning in Florida can understandably be challenging even for those who might not necessarily have a wealth of assets. However, an attorney can help with this process. The attorney’s ultimate goal is to help the client to protect his or her best interests long term — and those of his or her loved ones — through well-thought-out estate planning.
