#1 estate planning mistake

So, you did everything you were supposed to; set up trusts and did all the rest. There was just one small mistake. You forgot to tell anyone where your will and all those other documents are. If you don’t let anyone know where your will is, it will be as if it doesn’t exist and the state will do what it wants with your property and assets.

Mark Bradstreet, C.P.A. with Bradstreet and Co. tells Cincinnatti’s Journal-News that

“To not let anyone know where your will and documents are – if you don’t do that, then for all intents and purposes, you never had a will,” said Bradstreet. “If you die without one, the state uses their own rules to effectively come up with a will for you.”

Bradstreet recommends writing a letter to hand-out to trusted family members that include,

“where your will is at, who has got it, who is your attorney, safe deposit keys – a lot of people will go ahead and list out their different assets, and their different account numbers.”

These days there are many online ways to create a will yourself, but Bradstreet recommends working with an attorney who will help you make sure your wishes are carried out.