Carluccio, Leone, Dimon, Doyle & Sacks, LLC

Communicate: Let those named in your documents know you have prepared and signed your documents. It is also important that those individuals know where you have put your documents so they can locate the documents in the event they need to access them. A common mistake people make is to go home and throw the documents in a file. Then, years later, when an emergency arises and you need assistance no one knows where the documents are or who has the authority to make decisions. This leads to confusion and stress. Don’t keep your estate plan a secret. Share the knowledge: This step is probably the hardest for most people. Oftentimes, parents can be reluctant to share information about their finances with their children. At the very least, they need to know where they can find an accurate list of all of your accounts and investments, as well as a list of all internet passwords. Review your medical directive with your agent and share your thoughts is also known as a health care proxy directive, a durable power of attorney for health care or an advance directive. An regarding medical care so they are familiar with your wishes. individual appoints a trusted person to be his or her representative in the Out with the old: Shred all documentation that is no event the creator of the document can no longer make medical decisions for longer needed. This will save your loved ones the time and him- or herself. energy of trying to determine the status of accounts and is a legal document in which an individual states his or assets that have long been redeemed or closed. her wishes regarding medical treatment and end of life care. An individual’ s Update: Finally, you need to keep your plan current. preferences for medical treatment and end of life care are often included in What may have been an excellent estate plan several years ago may no longer fit your needs. Lives change, family relationships change, finances change: all of which often necessitate changes to your documents. If you need assistance with your estate planning documents or if you have any questions related to your estate planning, please contact the Law Offices of Carluccio, Leone, Dimon, Doyle, and Sacks, we’ll be happy to help.

Certified Elder Law Attorney, Annemarie Schreiber answered questions and offered informaton on the Caregivers First TV show, hosted by Lynette Whiteman, Executive Director of Caregiver Volunteers Of Central Jersey. The episode aired last December 12th on local TV stations (visit www.scannj.com for listings). It is also be posted on www.CLDDS.com.

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* As a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the ABA approved National Elder Law Foundation, Annemarie Schreiber is one of only 400 or so attorneys in the entire United States who is a qualified CELA. She is certified by the ABA approved Natonal Elder Law Foundation and has years of experience offering clients in Ocean and Monmouth counties the legal counsel they need to plan ahead for their future or the future of their loved ones work through difficult situations.