Your Children Should Know

Your Children Need To Know paying your bills or makEstate planning lawyers ing expenditures on your always encourage you to behalf, they should know establish estate planning what funds to tap into first, documents. We do it beand which to hold onto. cause we know first-hand Tell them if you’ve stashed that those documents can valuables anywhere; you’ll safeguard you, your famsleep better knowing that ily and your nest egg. if anything happens to you, But in my practice, the the gold necklace you encouragement does not Joseph S. Karp, stashed inside the sofa end when the ink is dry and C.E.L.A. won’t end up at Goodwill my clients walk out the along with the sofa. door. I strongly encourage clients to Health care is another hot-button share their plans with their loved ones, issue you must address with your with anyone who will be instrumenchildren. No matter how expertly crafttal in carrying out their wishes. Yes, ed, no health care document can ever those documents are the letter of the cover every scenario, so it’s imporlaw. But the spirit of the law and the tant to spell out your values and nitty-gritty details—well, those are preferences. Case in point concerns another thing. Your agents, trustees a friend of mine who I will call “Lynn.” and personal representatives need Lynn’s widowed mother lived across to know the entire picture. the country from Lynn, close to Lynn’s Listen to Joe Karp with sister. After several years in assisted Anita Finley on Saturday, living and ultimately a nursing home, June 6 from 7:30-8:00 AM the mother became terminally ill and on WSBR 740AM and on the was hospitalized. Mother’s health care Internet at www.wsbrradio.com. power-of-attorney appointed Lynn and her sister as decision-makers. Mother had a Living Will rejecting Naturally, many clients resist. life-extending procedures if she was They’ve spent a lifetime taking care in a terminal state. But Lynn’s sister, of themselves and nurturing their who was at the hospital every day, felt children, so even a short discussion that the Living Will did not preclude on how they want their children to a feeding tube. Lynn understood the take care of them can be uncomfortLiving Will to mean her mother would able. And the adult kids are complinot have wanted one. A long-distance cit in avoiding the discussion. Many battle ensued. Mom died after a few of my clients have heard comments weeks, but it’s only now, bitter argulike, Oh mom, we don’t need to hear ments and years later, that the siblings about your accounts, you’re going to are talking again. Perhaps if Lynn’s live forever! or You’re in great shape, mother had had an earlier heart-todon’t worry about that stuff! or We heart with both her daughters about drove a thousand miles with the grandthese q ua lity o f l i f e i s s u es , t h e kids to spend Thanksgiving with you, conflict could have been eliminated and you want to talk about where to or minimized. find your brokerage statements if you have a stroke? Let’s switch the topic, Joseph S. Karp is a nationally certified shall we? and Florida Bar-certified elder law attorney Remember the time your kids were (C.E.L.A.) specializing in the practice of Trusts, little and you just had to make them Estates and Elder Law. His offices are locatlisten to you? Well, now is another of ed at 2500 Quantum Lakes Drive, Boynton those times. Your children need to Beach; 2875 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; and 1100 SW St. Lucie W. Blvd., Port know, if they are ever called upon to St. Lucie. Call him at 561-752-4550 (Boynstep into your shoes, what your assets ton); 561-625-1100 (Palm Beach Gardens); are, where they are, and how to get to or 772-343-8411 (Port St. Lucie). Toll-free them and where the key to the safe from anywhere: 800-893-9911. E-mail: KLF@ deposit box is. If they have to start Karplaw.com or website www.karplaw.com

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