Westmont Magazine It's That Time of Year Again
It’s summer and time for a well-deserved vacation and an opportunity to relax and unwind from all the pressures of work and everyday life—a season to “re-charge the batteries” of body, mind, and spirit.
Getting away takes planning so you can leave all the worries behind. Here’s my checklist for a worry-free vacation:
Confirm reservations;
Get your car checked;
Stop newspaper delivery;
Have friends care for pets;
Give out your itinerary (in case of an emergency).
You can probably think of other details before you can say, “I’m ready to go!”
But are you really ready? How about the bigger picture—for yourself and your family. Do you have a valid will? Is it up to date?
Planning a vacation can be a stressful time, but it also provides an opportunity to make decisions about the future.
If you have never had a will, this is a good time to go through the process*— before you take off in your car or get on a plane.
If you have drawn up a will, you may want to review it and bring it up to date. You should inform your attorney about any of the following events so your documents will adequately reflect your wishes:
• a marriage or divorce
• the birth or adoption of a child
• the death of a spouse or child
• the marriage of a child
• the birth of a grandchild
• a move to a different state (or country)
• an increase in estate assets (or decrease)
• the approach of retirement
• a decision to make a bequest to Westmont (or other charities)
Now, with all of these details taken care of you should be ready to enjoy a worry-free vacation!
* Our booklet “A Guide to Planning Your Will” has helped many people and is available at no charge. Just call (805) 565-6034 and request a copy. We will respond quickly so you can have your will prepared before you take off on vacation.