Special congratulations to all “new moms” who recently celebrated the birth of their first child and to “experienced moms” who recently expanded their family with the birth of a new child! Whether you are a “brand new mom” or an “experienced mom,” now is the time to think about preparing estate plan documents to protect your new or growing family.

Movies like “Knives Out” perpetuate the notion that upon a person’s death, the family must gather for a “reading of the will” to discover who will inherit the deceased family member’s worldly possessions. Contrary to this dramatic movie script depiction, most estates are administered without arranging a family gathering for a “reading of the will.” Additionally, if the decedent had a trust, it is the trust, and not the will, which governs how the decedent’s assets will be distributed after his or her death. Often, clients come into our office for an estate planning consultation and initially say, “I need a will.” However, after we discuss the differences between a will and a trust, many clients opt to prepare a trust instead.