It’s an unfortunate fact of life – not every parent is going to be survived by all of their children. In recent weeks, Carrie Fisher passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack, leaving her mother, Debbie Reynolds, to survive her. Debbie passed away the next day. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one and the “natural order” in life is sometimes cast aside. It’s not uncommon for unexpected accidents or illnesses to claim a child (young or old), leaving the parent(s) to settle the estate.
Planning is For Everyone, Young or Old
What is worse than a parent losing a child? A parent losing a child who had no direction on how to settle their affairs. Getting your affairs in order ahead of time allows your family to grieve properly instead of being interrupted with the administrative burdens of an unplanned estate settlement. Young or old, it doesn’t matter. Getting your estate in order is a gift to your loved ones.
Paul Yokabitus is the CEO and Managing Partner of Cary Estate Planning, a Cary, NC, estate planning law firm. With years of experience in estate and elder law, he has zealously represented clients in various legal matters, including estate planning, guardianship, Medicaid planning, estate administration, and other cases.
Paul received his Juris Doctor from the Campbell University School of Law and is a North Carolina Bar Association member. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including being named among the “Best Attorney in Cary” in 2016 and 2017 by Cary News and Rising Star in 2020-2023 by Super Lawyers.