At Reardon Law Firm, we know how hard our San Diego first responders work to keep our communities safe.
Working in a job that has a high risk of injury or even death means you have to be extra careful to plan for any contingency. Having a plan in place for your family is all the more necessary for people working in these professions.
That’s why our firm provides compassionate, customized estate plans for modern families with discounts for the first responders in our community.
Working in a job that has a high risk of injury or even death means you have to be extra careful to plan for any contingency. Having a plan in place for your family is all the more necessary for people working in these professions.
That’s why our firm provides compassionate, customized estate plans for modern families with discounts for the first responders in our community.
These jobs include:
For San Diego workers in these professions, there are several important issues to consider in terms of keeping your family and your assets protected while you work a job with such serious risks:
A financial power of attorney is a document that allows you to choose someone to manage your finances when you are unable to.
With a financial power of attorney, then, you can choose someone who will be able to pay your mortgage, pay your bills, and take care of your debts and other financial decisions during an illness or after you’ve passed away.
This document allows you to name someone who can make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you ever become incapacitated.
The term “incapacitated” in this case refers to someone who is still alive, but unable to manage their assets (i.e., in a coma or another type of critical medical condition).
A healthcare directive also allows you to discuss any potential end life choices, including what your preferences are in terms of burials, funerals, etc.
This aspect is critical for all first responders who are also parents of minor children, and Jennifer Reardon has a personal story that goes hand in hand with this piece of estate planning.
Jennifer’s appendix ruptured suddenly in late 2019, forcing her into emergency surgery and hospitalization. While she did have an estate plan in place, it had never been notarized or finalized. With most of her family in the Midwest, Jennifer had to scramble to find someone to take care of her two young sons while she was in the hospital.
Through this experience, Jennifer learned on a personal level the importance of an estate plan not just for when someone dies, but for when they become incapacitated, as well — and the importance of including guardians to take care of your children in those cases.
According to California law, even if someone has a will in place when they pass away, the processing of their assets will go through probate court, which can take up to 18 months and cost up to $40,000 in fees. (Plus, it puts all your personal affairs on public record.)
The easiest way to avoid probate is by creating what’s called a revocable living trust, which is a type of trust that you can modify, amend, and even revoke any time throughout your life. This trust allows you to choose:
That’s why we work with you to create customized estate plans that will make sure you and your family are prepared for anything.
Plus, we offer estate planning discounts to honor your work and the care you take to ensure the safety of our community:
Our San Diego firm has seen the mess that can happen when a plan isn’t put into place — or a plan that isn’t well-thought-out or comprehensive falls through. We want to work with you to ensure that your plan is perfect because we know the sacrifices you make for our community on a daily basis. Contact us today to get started.
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