While many of the 41,155 people who have died to date in the U.S. from COVID19 since early March were elderly, many of them were not. How many of those dearly departed souls were prepared to take leave of this life, I cannot say. But, I’m willing to guess that many of them did not have wills, estate plans or any legal plans in place. As a result, once this pandemic dies down and the surviving loved ones are able to start sorting things out, they are more than likely going to be faced with a legal mess to untangle.
It Will End But No One Knows When
While life as we know it is disrupted, we don’t know exactly when we will be able to move about without being aware of social distancing again. Until that time, caution is key. Even though you may be getting “cabin fever” or going “stir crazy” it’s better than the alternative. And while everyone is proposing all kinds of activities from learning how to play musical instruments or to speak a new language, I’d be more inclined to suggest taking steps to get legal plans filed.
Minor Children
Having legal plans in place if you have minor children is integral. If you should get the virus and not recover do you know who will tend to your minor children’s needs? If you are a single parent, who will take care of your minor children? These are important decisions that must be made and it’s best to make them while you are healthy and of sound mind.
Elderly Parents
This is also a time to focus on your elderly parents and loved ones. It’s a good time to suggest a review of their legal plans and to find out if they have designated a Financial Power of Attorney or a Health Care Power of Attorney. Many people who believe they don’t have much stuff or money, think they don’t need any legal plans. But most people have more things of value than they know. This is a time when unscrupulous family members could come out of the woodwork and start to take advantage of elderly relatives. It’s important to have legal plans in place to protect yourself or your elderly loved ones.
Health Care Workers And Grocery Store Workers
Are you a healthcare professional? You may be just starting out in your career and haven’t had a chance to think about your own mortality. But, the pandemic has changed that for so many healthcare workers. There has been an upsurge in online wills, however, you must understand that online wills may not provide the legal directives you need. It’s best to make a quick call to a reputable estate and asset protection attorney and/or an elder care attorney.
And what about those brave supermarket employees. The managers, the cashiers, the shelf stockers, everyone who works in a grocery store is putting their lives at risk during this pandemic. If you know someone who works in a supermarket and is over 18, you might want to check with them and encourage them to get some legal plans in place. As mentioned above, this is especially important for anyone who has minor children.
Don’t Take Chances
None of us knows if we will become a statistic during this global pandemic. While there is so little in our control right now, it may provide a sense of relief and security knowing that your loved ones’ needs are legally defined in the event anything should happen. We are helping clients get their legal plans drawn up via digital meetings. Give us a call and let us help you establish at least a small sense of peace.