Philosophy of Death and Dominoes.
You may have heard that dying is not the end, but only the beginning. This may be more than just a philosophical notion. Like a domino affect, your passing may trigger a host of issues that must be addressed in a timely fashion. Who will address these issues for you? Will your estate be handled in the proper manner? Will your wishes be carried out to your specifications? Without the proper estate planning, there’s no way to be sure.

Laundry List for the Grieving.
There are many things to be considered after your death:
• Who will oversee your burial and funeral arrangements?
• Who will notify your various financial institutions of your passing?
• How will your debts and taxes be managed?
• Will your assets be transferred to your beneficiaries as you intended?

Unwanted Inheritance.
Don’t leave the burdensome, time consuming, and often costly task of sorting through the logistics of your death to those you love. This is surely not the inheritance you wish to leave your loved ones. In their time of grieving, those closest to you may not be willing or capable of handling the many details of managing your estate and memorial instructions.

Post-Death Forecast.
Taking into consideration the special needs, dreams and circumstances of their clients, a good estate planning attorney can forecast possible hazards and pitfalls that may arise at death, and create a plan to avoid or minimize their affects. For instance, various trusts may be put into place to save the client the arduous and expensive task of going through the probate process, as well as saving them a substantial amount in estate taxes by creating building block trusts and/or preserving their death tax exemption.

Peace of Mind
Charles de Lint said, "If you're not ready to die, then how can you live?"

Proper estate planning begets peace of mind. Why worry that your loved ones may suffer emotional and financial set backs after you pass when you don’t have to? If you plan ahead, you can spare them this added grief, and ensure that your estate is protected and distributed as you see fit.