"Practical" Estate Planning Tips- 1

Many people fulfill their obligation to protect their loved ones by signing a Last Will and Testament. While a Will is an excellent document for your family, it does not work if it cannot be found! I have met several people who were certain a loved one had a Will, but they could never locate any copy. I even received a phone call from a woman who was calling large law firms in Birmingham to see if her father was a client. He had always told her that he had a Will, but she could find no evidence of it after his death.

I can understand the desire to keep the contents of a Will private. However, please ask yourself if your family will be able to locate your Will after you are gone. At the very least, provide them with the name and number of your attorney, accountant and/or financial planner. You may also want to leave a writing providing the locations of various important documents. You can find a personal record book tool that might be helpful at www.jackcarneylaw.com/resources.aspx.