Do you ever feel like it’s all too much? Every Thursday, I share one action, habit, or project you may want to undertake in order to improve your health, happiness, and sense of well-being.

PROJECT OF THE WEEK

Are Your Estate Documents Finalized & Up To Date?

When I was launched Happy Spaces in 2016, I imagined a career filled with organizing beautiful clothing closets, color-coded bookcases, and gourmet kitchens. What I quickly came to realize was that paper was where my clients struggled the most.

By setting up individualized paperwork systems that were easy to maintain, they were able to take care of their priorities and spend more time on what mattered most.

In setting up these systems, I was amazed at how many clients had not completed their Estate Documents. As someone who likes to plan ahead, having an Estate Plan has always been important to me. My feeling is that the more you plan for the unexpected, the less likely it is to happen, but if it does, at least you have a path to follow.

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Benjamin Franklin

I also know that while we all plan to live long healthy lives, tragedy happens; my mother died when I was four, which was completely unexpected.

Working as a Professional Organizer, I have had the privilege of supporting families through the difficult time following the loss of a loved one. I have learned that this process is never easy, but can be so much more challenging if their estate was not in order and their wishes were not clear.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and many of us planning to spend time with family, now might be a good time to (re)visit our estate plans.

NOTE: I am NOT a lawyer and this is not legal advice. From my experience, below are some thoughts that you may find helpful.

Getting Started

Isn’t an estate lawyer expensive?

While it is true that hiring an estate lawyer costs money, I would challenge you to think of it as a long-term investment. Think back to all the times you have invested in your health and your future - that Peloton you purchased in 2020 or the meal kits you have shipped to your house weekly. It's likely those investments are similar in cost to hiring an estate lawyer.

However, if you don't have the funds to hire an estate lawyer, there are other options. It's not all or nothing.

There are online tools that can help, such as Legal Zoom and Suze Orman's Will & Trust Kit.

Lastly, you might want to look into the benefits that your company offers. Many companies offer employee wellness programs and many of them include connecting you with an Estate Lawyer, often discounted or free as a benefit to employment, to complete your basic Estate Documents.

What estate documents do I need?

There are two types of documents and they both are equally important.

The first set of documents will support you and your family if something were to happen while you are alive and you needed help making medical and financial decisions.

Health Care Proxy / Health Care Power of Attorney - this document allows you to designate who you want to make health care decisions for you and to provide guidance for those decisions.
Living Will - this document outlines your wishes for end-of-life medical care.
Financial Power of Attorney - this document allows you to designate who you want to make financial decisions for you.

The second set of documents will support you and your family if you were to pass away.

Will - this document defines who you want to be in charge of your estate, as well as your wishes for how your assets will be dispersed.
Guardianship for Minors - it is critical that you designate who you wish to be the guardian for your children, should something happen.
Trust - there are many types of trusts. One you may want to consider is a Living Revocable Trust. By creating this trust, your family can avoid probate, both simplifying the process and avoiding extra legal fees.

Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks

How will my family know what to do if something happens to me?

I recommend creating a "Family Manual" as a guide to your life and what's important to you. Go to happyspacesbysarah.com/services for my recommendations on what to include in your manual.

In my opinion, having an estate plan is the best present you can give those you love. Let them know what's important to you; don't make them have to guess.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

We understand how challenging and scary it can be to start something new. If you feel excited about implementing this strategy, but worry that it’s just too much to start on your own, the It’s All in the Planning Started Pak was designed for you!

get started

A Note from Happy Spaces

The goal is to add value to your life. If you think this project will add value:

Estimate how long you think it will take. I would recommend doubling the time you estimate.
Look at your calendar over the next week and pick a date and time to get started.
Make an appointment on your calendar for the estimated time.
If you estimate that completing this project will take longer than one hour, I recommend doing it over multiple days. This will support you in getting started!
Prior to starting this project, take a few minutes to make a step-by-step list of EVERY action you need to take to complete this project.
It's not all or nothing. You can choose to implement only the parts of this project that add value to your life.
An Accountability Partner can be a great support in following through on your goals and commitments.

We understand how challenging it can be to implement new habits and systems. For additional support please go to HappySpacesBySarah.com.

Creating a life you don't need a vacation from! ®

Sincerely,

Sarah Weingarten

Meet Sarah

Growing up as the oldest of nine siblings in Upstate New York, I learned to use organization to create sanity among the chaos. Today, I work together with individuals, families, and small businesses to create habits, systems, and spaces that support their needs, goals, and dreams. Clients often refer to our work together as "life-changing" and "better than decades of therapy". What I love most about my work is the lasting impact it has on real people's lives. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the many success stories of clients I have worked with.

Are Your Estate Documents Up To Date?