A most unusual gift – peace of mind

I am inspired to write this article today after a meeting I had this past week.  I met with an individual to complete their estate planning documents (will, living will, powers of attorney for assets and health care) and as we were finishing up and thanking them for coming in they said the most wonderful thing- “This was my birthday present!”

When I asked what they meant, they explained that the costs associated with getting the documents prepared had been the birthday present of a close friend.  I was struck by what an unusual gift this was.  Certainly paying for the costs is a gift in and of itself, but the peace of mind that the individual can now have having their estate done is a gift as well.

We all worry about buying gifts- whether they are the right size, right color, or right for the persons’ tastes.  But here is a gift that fits, and will continue to provide the best gift of all – peace of mind.

Document Review – A new annual tradition

In estate planning- wills, trusts, living wills, etc. – we as attorneys often find that it is the most difficult to get our clients to start the discussion about estate planning.  Once we have had the opportunity to sit down to discuss the process and execute the documents it becomes  cathartic; that is, there is a sense of relief that their estate is in order.  Most individuals I find want to have wills in place to protect their estate and to help their families through the probate process.  They want to have their affairs in order.

Now, I am going to propose a new tradition to those that have prepared their estate- an annual review of your estate documents.  I am going to suggest that it be April 15th.  No, I am not trying to associate your estate planning, which should be a painless endeavour with the pains of tax preparation!  What I am suggesting is that since you have your file cabinet open, and are filing your taxes away for safekeeping, you should pull out your will to see that it still protects your estate.

Many changes may have happened during the past year that you may cause you to need to or want to change  your will – sale of your residence or vacation home, sale of specific items that were bequeathed to an individual, birth, adoption, or death of a family member, and the divorce of your spouse.  All of these thing may have an effect on your estate and your intentions when you originally wrote the estate plan.  You may want to read through your documents to make sure that the specific bequests still make sense.  Has a family member had a life-changing event that no longer makes the specific bequest the best idea either from a emotional intent or tax consequence point of view?

Often, minor changes to a will can be completed through the use of a codicil.  If you find that a change needs to be made, please visit with your attorney as to the best course of action.  If multiple changes should be made, perhaps a new will is in order.  Even though a new will may be advised, the process will be much simpler than the first time because you and your attorney have had the preliminary discussions about estate planning.  Now, you are just correcting your estate.

People create wills for a variety of reasons.  One of the biggest is to protect those that they care for.  An annual review of those documents is the best way to make sure that your intentions are fulfilled in the most complete way.  Mark your calendars now!

Loan Modifications

What is a loan modification? 

A loan modification is an adjustment to your existing loan in order to make it a more affordable loan- the goal is allow you to stay in your home and not lose your home to foreclosure.  It is important to understand that loan modifications are not for everyone and they are not guaranteed.  There are many different programs offered through banks and through the government through the American Recovery Act.

Since the enactment of the American Recovery Act, there have been several different versions, and consequently many different requirements and limitations on loan modifications.  It is important to keep up to date on the changes.  The best way to do that is to either visit with your credit counselor or your attorney.

Your attorney or counselor will be able to assist you with your application process.  There are numerous forms that will need to be filled out and some will feel quite intrusive.  Please keep in mind that you are providing the information (annual income, loss of employment, current value of home, etc.) so that your lender will be able to calculate a new monthly payment on your loan.  Your lender may be able to write down the principal on your home in light of your loss of income and a depreciation in your home’s value as compared to the amount you owe.

Be patient- the application process will take time.  It may take six months or more to finish the process.  Once your loan modification is approved, you will be placed on a temporary payment plan.  YOU MUST comply with the new terms for the required number of months in order to move into a new permanent payment structure.  If you miss a payment during this time, you will lose the ability to have a loan modification.

If you are in a position that making payments is becoming a challenge, I would encourage you to visit with your attorney or counselor now and find out what options may be available to you.  I know that it is difficult to talk about financial problems and most individuals would like to pretend that things will get better, but I encourage you to get guidance in preparation of changes in finances now rather than later.