• Home
  • About Attorney J. Kevin Tharpe
  • Finding The Information You Need
  • Video Center
  • Radio Podcast
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Articles
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Attorney J. Kevin Tharpe
  • Finding The Information You Need
  • Video Center
  • Radio Podcast
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Articles
  • Contact
  • X Close
Contact
J. Kevin Tharpe, P.C. - elder Law
866-253-6994
~|icon_phone~|elegant-themes~|solid
866-253-6994

Email Us  Map & Directions

We’re with you every step of the way…

~|arrow_carrot-right_alt~|elegant-themes~|solid

Estate Planning

~|arrow_carrot-right_alt~|elegant-themes~|solid

Elder Law

~|arrow_carrot-right_alt~|elegant-themes~|solid

Special Needs Planning

4 Reasons to Make Estate Planning Your New Year’s Resolution

On behalf of J. Kevin Tharpe, P.C. | Jan 15, 2021 | Estate Planning

Featured Image | Estate Planning

What do you want to change in 2021? According to YouGov, the most popular New Year’s resolutions are a commitment to exercising more, saving money, eating better, and losing weight.

While these are all positive commitments, 2020 has also taught us that the unexpected can happen at any time. We can’t predict the future, but preparing in advance can mean the difference between thriving and merely coping.

Enter estate planning. In this blog, we’ll share four important reasons why putting together an estate plan should be on your list of New Year’s resolutions for 2021.

  1. You Never Know What Can Happen
    When 2020 started, no one could reasonably have predicted how the pandemic would change our lives everywhere. When you have an estate plan in place, you benefit from strategies for income replacement as well as peace of mind knowing that your loved ones are secure financially if something happens to you.
    Examples of these estate planning strategies include:

      • Living Trust
      • Powers of Attorney
      • Health Care Directive/ Living Will
  2. You Control What Happens to Your Assets
    Having the above documents alone is not enough. The title of assets should be coordinated with legal documents. The title is how your assets are owned or who is the beneficiary. If you pass away without having the title of your assets and your legal documents coordinated together, the probate laws of will indicate what happens to your assets. The results may not be what you expect or even want. By working with an estate planning lawyer to help you coordinate the title of your assets with your legal documents, you can specify who receives your property and even under what terms without having to go through probate.
  3. You Can Specify Your Wishes if You get sick.
    If you are incapacitated due to illness or injury, you may not be able to manage your assets or communicate your wishes to your healthcare provider. With a revocable living trust and an advance directive for healthcare, you can state what your wishes are, including medical treatments you do and do not want and life-sustaining measures. Your designated Trustees/agents will ensure that your family and medical team honors your wishes until you regain capacity. (If that doesn’t happen, an advance directive can also appoint a guardian to manage your affairs going forward.)
  4. Your Estate Details Can Stay Private
    In today’s digital world, few things stay private, including your estate details. When your will is probated, its contents become public record. By setting up a revocable living trust and funding it with your assets, you can bypass probate and distribute your property to beneficiaries without the details becoming publicly available afterward.

Start the New Year With a New Estate Plan

Although the idea of estate planning can seem overwhelming, Attorney J. Kevin Tharpe, P.C. is committed to making the process as easy as possible. He has years of experience helping clients from all walks of life identify the right plan for their needs and develop it as their circumstances change. If you have any questions or would like to start your estate plan now, call 866-253-6994.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Categories

  • Asset Protection (1)
  • Elder Law (50)
  • Estate Planning (115)
  • Guardianships & Conservatorships (32)
  • Long-Term Care Planning (105)
  • Special Needs Trusts (19)
  • Trusts (79)

Archives

  • February 2021 (7)
  • January 2021 (14)
  • December 2020 (6)
  • November 2020 (8)
  • October 2020 (8)
  • September 2020 (12)
  • August 2020 (11)
  • July 2020 (9)
  • June 2020 (7)
  • May 2020 (27)
  • April 2020 (8)
  • March 2020 (11)
  • February 2020 (3)
  • January 2020 (1)
  • December 2019 (2)
  • November 2019 (9)
  • October 2019 (3)
  • August 2019 (6)
  • July 2019 (7)
  • June 2019 (8)
  • May 2019 (6)
  • April 2019 (6)
  • March 2019 (7)
  • February 2019 (6)
  • January 2019 (8)
  • December 2018 (7)
  • November 2018 (6)
  • October 2018 (8)
  • September 2018 (6)
  • August 2018 (6)
  • July 2018 (7)
  • June 2018 (9)
  • May 2018 (8)
  • April 2018 (7)
  • March 2018 (9)
  • February 2018 (8)
  • January 2018 (6)
  • December 2017 (7)
  • November 2017 (6)
  • October 2017 (10)
  • September 2017 (6)
  • August 2017 (8)
  • July 2017 (5)
  • June 2017 (3)
  • May 2017 (2)
  • April 2017 (2)
  • March 2017 (1)
  • February 2017 (2)
  • January 2017 (3)
  • December 2016 (2)
  • November 2016 (2)
  • October 2016 (4)
  • September 2016 (5)
  • August 2016 (3)
  • July 2016 (4)
  • June 2016 (5)
  • May 2016 (2)
  • April 2016 (4)
  • March 2016 (4)
  • February 2016 (4)
  • January 2016 (2)
  • December 2015 (1)
  • November 2015 (1)
  • October 2015 (2)
  • September 2015 (2)

Recent Posts

  • The 3 kinds of special needs trusts
  • How can I ensure I choose the best Georgia nursing home?
  • I have a special needs child: how do I split my estate?
  • What do you know about filling in Medicare gaps?
  • Ensuring your loved one with special needs retains SSI

Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed

FindLaw Network

Contact Us To Find Out How We Can Help You And Your Family

Call 866-253-6994 or fill out the form below to set up a consult with J. Kevin Tharpe, P.C. to
talk about your wishes and ways he can help you accomplish your goals.

Email Our Lawyers

We have offices in Gainesville and Young Harris for your convenience.

  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
REVIEW US
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
REVIEW US
Logo

Gainesville Office

J. Kevin Tharpe, P.C.
405 Broad Street SE
Gainesville, GA 30501

Toll Free: 866-253-6994
Fax: 770-531-5511

Gainesville Law Office Map
Gainesville Office

Young Harris Office

J. Kevin Tharpe, P.C.
1352 Main Street, Suite 1
Young Harris, GA 30582

Toll Free: 866-253-6994
Fax: 770-531-5511

Young Harris Law Office Map
Young Harris Office

© 2021 J. Kevin Tharpe, P.C.. All Rights Reserved.

Disclaimer | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Business Development Solutions by FindLaw, part of Thomson Reuters