Since my children were little, I have always tried to instill in them that it’s important not to procrastinate with anything they are involved with. Now, as they are in junior high and high school and the workload and extracurricular activities are mounting, I know they appreciate those early values they learned when they were little. All too often, I meet with folks who know that they should start or revise their estate plan, but never get around to it. Unfortunately, this was the case when I was recently appointed by the court to represent an elderly man (named “Fred”) in a guardianship and conservatorship case.
During my initial visit with Fred, it didn’t take long for me to realize that he needed some assistance with daily living activities and financial related issues. Fortunately, his distant relatives came forward to be appointed as his co-guardians/co-conservators. In subsequent visits, Fred explained to me that he wanted his estate to go equally between four family members. Fred’s physicians declared him incompetent to handle his own affairs, both medically and financially. The court appointed the relatives as co-guardians/co-conservators to help Fred. However, during my visits with Fred, I knew through convoluted conversations, he wanted certain relatives to get his “stuff.” Fred had prepared a Will years earlier and the beneficiaries named were not the same ones he had described to me. Unfortunately, since Fred never updated his Will and he was now declared incompetent, he will not be able to change his Will.
Time is finite. Life happens. Changes occur. We should not put off important planning for a later date. If you haven’t started your estate plan, take the first step by calling one of our experienced estate planning attorneys today. And, if you have taken that step you should make an appointment to review your plan to make sure it is up to date with your personal decisions and the law.
Contact our office today to learn what you should know. Don’t procrastinate on your estate plan – your family will thank you for it later.
- Four Things You Need to Know About Arizona Probate - October 22, 2026
- How Can You Streamline Your Estate Without Losing the Step-Up in Basis? - October 15, 2026
- Are Handwritten Wills Legal in Arizona? - October 8, 2026
Flagstaff
