Peace of Mind Is the Best Packing Essential: Plan Your Estate Before You Travel
Peace of Mind Is the Best Packing Essential: Plan Your Estate Before You Travel
By: Allison Gloss
Have you ever been flying with your spouse through severe turbulence and thought, “we really should have updated our estate plan before we left on vacation!”?
As summer approaches, many individuals and families are looking forward to travel. Whether that means a long-awaited international trip, a relaxing beach vacation, or simply getting away from the Arizona heat, there is one important step worth considering: making sure your estate plan is in place. Taking care of this now can provide meaningful peace of mind while you are away.
If estate planning has been sitting on your to-do list, timing matters more than many people realize. A comprehensive estate plan is not something that can be completed overnight. From the initial consultation through drafting, review, revisions, and proper execution, the process typically takes five to six weeks. If your goal is to have everything in place before you travel, it is important to start sooner rather than later. Waiting until the last minute can lead to unnecessary stress or, in some cases, incomplete or rushed decisions.
Starting early also allows you to approach the process thoughtfully and intentionally. An estate plan is more than just a collection of documents. It is a framework that outlines who will step in to manage your financial affairs, make medical decisions on your behalf, and carry out your wishes if you are unable to do so. It also determines how your assets will be distributed and how your loved ones will be provided for. These are significant decisions that deserve careful consideration, not hurried choices made days before a trip.
Beyond creating the plan itself, it is equally important to think about how your documents will be stored and accessed. While it is natural to want to keep such important paperwork secure, overly restrictive storage can create real challenges when the documents are needed. For example, placing your estate planning documents in a safe deposit box may limit access during evenings, weekends, or emergencies. Similarly, storing them in a location that no one else knows about can cause delays at critical moments.
A better approach is to keep your estate planning documents in an out-of-sight but accessible location, such as a tucked away bookshelf or an unlocked filing cabinet. Just ensure that a trusted individual knows where to access them. Our office maintains digital copies of documents for our clients. We can also help you set up a secure online storage site that would allow your agents to access your documents from anywhere in the world (ask us about the Digital Legacy Vault!).
Another often overlooked step is communicating with the individuals you have named in your plan. Your power of attorney, health care agent, trustee, and personal representative all play important roles, and it is essential that they are aware of their responsibilities and willing to serve. A brief conversation can go a long way. It allows you to confirm their willingness, provide general guidance about your wishes, and ensure they know how to access your documents if needed. This simple step can help prevent confusion and reduce stress during an already difficult time.
For those who travel frequently or split their time between multiple states, such as many Arizona snowbirds, it is also worth considering how your estate planning documents will function across state lines. Laws can vary, and ensuring that your documents are valid and effective wherever you may be is an important part of comprehensive planning. Discussing these considerations with an attorney can help you avoid potential complications.
Ultimately, preparing your estate plan before you travel is about giving yourself and your loved ones clarity and confidence. Knowing that your affairs are in order—before you get on the plane—allows you to fully enjoy your vacation without lingering concerns about “what if” scenarios. When your plan is in place, you can endure that airplane turbulence, settle into that beach chair, or explore a new city with confidence, knowing that you have taken an important step to safeguard your future.
If you are planning to travel this summer and have not yet completed your estate plan, now is the time to start. Call The Law Office of Libby Banks today for your free initial consultation at 602-375-6752.