Protection and Peace of Mind during the COVID-19 Pandemic: No Better Time to Get your Estate Plan Done!
Jackie R. Luthringshausen • April 16, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has made us all realize the importance of protecting ourselves, our families, and our finances. These unsettling times make having an estate plan in place more important than ever. As an essential business, Lavelle Law remains open and able to assist you with your legal needs, and there is no better time to prepare an estate plan.
Having essential estate planning documents in place offers valuable structure and protection for your family and finances during these challenging times. Powers of attorney for health care and property allow your agent to assist you with your health care decisions and financial matters, should you become incapacitated. Wills and trusts provide a plan for your assets, and long-term financial protection for your loved ones. Additionally, having a trust in place allows a successor trustee to step in and manage business interests (and other assets held in the trust) if you become incapacitated, thereby protecting your business from any interruption in day-to-day operations during your absence.
Because following social distancing protocol is essential during the COVID-19 crisis, Lavelle Law has procedures in place to help clients prepare and execute their estate plan documents safely and remotely. To get started, we offer clients a free one-hour estate planning consultation, which can be accomplished via a simple phone call, or via two-way audio-video communication on a phone or computer. Our estate planning team will walk you through the simple procedures for communicating with us via audio-video technology, if you choose to communicate that way. After the consultation, we will draft your estate plan documents, and send the drafts to you to review via email (hard copies will also be mailed) as quickly as possible. You can ask questions about, or request changes to, your estate plan drafts via phone call, email, or two-way audio-video communication technology.
Once your estate plan documents are finalized, Lavelle Law is fully equipped to provide several options for the safe execution of your estate plan, without the need for in-person meetings. On March 26, 2020, the Governor of Illinois enacted COVID-19 Executive Order No. 12, which allows for remote execution, witnessing, and notarization of estate plan documents via two-way audio-video communication technology, provided that the audio-video communication is recorded and saved for a period of at least three years, and the witnesses and notary adhere to certain protocol detailed in the Executive Order. To see a copy of COVID-19 Executive Order No. 12 and the required protocol, click here.
For our clients who are unable to access audio-video communication technology, or simply prefer in-person meetings, we are also offering “drive-up” estate plan signings, which allow the client to sign his/her estate plan documents in the safety of his/her own car, using his/her own pen, while the witnesses and notary stand outside the car and follow appropriate social distancing guidelines.
The current times are certainly distressing and worrisome for all of us. Give yourself some peace of mind by preparing essential estate plan documents to protect yourself, your family, and your finances. There is no better time to get your estate plan done, and Lavelle Law is here to help you accomplish this process safely.
**For our Healthcare Heroes and First Responders, Lavelle Law is currently offering a 20% discount on your legal fees for all new estate planning services…to show our appreciation for the tremendous service and care you are providing during this difficult time. Thank you for all you do!
To get starting preparing your estate plan, or for more information about essential estate plan documents, please contact estate planning attorney Jackie Luthringshausen at jluthringshausen@lavellelaw.com
or 847-705-7555. Stay safe and well!
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