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ACTEC Advises Families on Essential Legal Documents
Washington, DC: April 6, 2020:The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) today released "Getting Your Affairs in Order: Essential Legal Documents" an ACTEC Family Estate Planning Guide video providing relevant information about legal documents Americans should have in place for emergencies like COVID-19.
ACTEC Fellow Bernard Krooks discusses essential legal documents such as a Durable Power of Attorney, which will survive one’s incapacity once signed. Krooks explains standard documents like a will, which can control the outcome of assets at death while stressing the importance of an AdvanceHealthcare Directive – a Healthcare Proxy, a Living Will – that will outline medical decisions if one is incapacitated.
"With the recent coronavirus pandemic, many are wondering what, if anything, could have been done in order to be better prepared," said Krooks. "While we cannot control the next catastrophe or occurrence in our lives, we can be better prepared to ensure our loved ones are in a position to take care of us, our finances and our medical decisions in the event of such emergency situations."
The ACTEC Family Estate Planning Guide offers educational presentations that provide families insight into the fundamentals of wills and trusts to encourage planning. Recordings provide the most relevant information from ACTEC Fellows who lend their expertise and help explain to families the basics of wills, estate planning and guardianship.
About the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC): Established in 1949, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) is a national, nonprofit association of approximately 2,500 lawyers and law professors from throughout the United States and abroad.ACTEC members (Fellows) are peer-elected on the basis of professional reputation and expertise in the preparation of wills and trusts, estate planning, probate, trust administration and related practice areas. The College’s mission includes the improvement and reform of probate, trust and tax laws and procedures and professional practice standards. ACTEC frequently offers technical comments with regard to legislation and regulations but does not take positions on matters of policy or political objectives.