Do Your Loved Ones Know Where Your Estate Documents Are?

Once you’ve created a living trust or a will, this is only the first stage in the estate planning process. You need to be sure that the documents are located in a safe place so that they could be accessed by any other key parties, such as the executor of your estate or a family member who needs to be able to find this material quickly.

It is a good idea to consult with your estate planning attorney not just about the creation of these tools but how they will be regularly updated and how the important people in your life can find them. It is strongly recommended that you do not keep your original documents in a safe deposit box.

This is usually because your financial institution will seal the box until an executor can prove that they have the legal right to retrieve it. This can be especially problematic if your will is located in the safety deposit box and your executor is not able to get into the box to get the very document that proves their right.

This can also cause problems with them being able to go to court and to file necessary paperwork to open your estate. Make sure that you have a consultation with a knowledgeable estate planning lawyer about the creation of your documents and the safe places to store them. One of the best options is to leave your original documents with your lawyer and provide other copies to trusted people like your executor. If you have not created a will yet, now is the time to consider your opportunities by consulting with an experienced attorney in NH.