Listen to Lawrence…Virtual Meetings and Crucial Documents
LISTEN TO LAWRENCE
Dear clients and friends,
Here are three questions of yours:
QUESTION ONE:
If I go forward with remote witnessing and notarizing now, will I have to redo my documents after the crisis is over?
ANSWER:
As you know, we can now formally notarize and witness all your estate planning documents virtually. Some people are thrilled we can do this but are concerned that this new method may face challenges, simply because it is new and untested. We are not concerned because we understand how this new law works, although the process is somewhat cumbersome. The bottom line is that you will NOT have to redo your documents later.
However, our policy is that any client who wants to re-execute their documents in our office after the crisis is over, will be able to do so at no charge. We are guided by the principle that it’s not just documents that you want, it is peace of mind!
QUESTION TWO:
I have never done any work with your firm but want to now, is the virtual meeting only for your current clients or is it also for new clients?
ANSWER:
We are doing virtual meetings with our old clients as well as our new. We hope to see you on FaceTime or Zoom soon.
QUESTION THREE:
Right now, if I don’t have anything in place, how will my medical and/or financial decisions be made if I become incapacitated? What would be the most essential documents to have in place right now?
ANSWER:
You will need a health care proxy and power of attorney! Without them, no one will have authority to make your medical and/or financial decisions. Not even your spouse has this authority. In such a case, we may be forced to go to court and bring a guardianship petition to gain such authority. We bring these guardianship proceedings all the time, but they take time and, as with any court proceeding, they are not inexpensive. The bottom line is that having a health care proxy and power of attorney is a relatively cost effective way of solving this problem.
I hope this helps.
Please pass this information to your family and friends and continue to keep your questions coming! If you are thinking about it, others are probably thinking about it too, so my answers will no doubt help you and many others. Let’s stay connected.
LISTEN TO LAWRENCE!
BE SAFE!