
By Peter Reiss
Estate Planning and Document Signing – Alternatives to Traditional Methods During Coronoavirus
Because of the extremely dangerous nature of COVID-19, especially for older and other at-risk populations, trust and estate attorneys have seen a dramatic demand from clients to provide or change legal instruments related to end-of-life planning such as Wills, Trusts, Living Wills and Health Care Powers of Attorney. Many are (reasonably) frightened by the prospect of not being able to rely on trusted others to handle their affairs and see to their medical care in the event they become incapacitated. Others are reviewing existing documents and realizing that they need to change them.
Social distancing considerations and stay at home orders have made it more difficult for attorneys to meet with clients in person. As a result, it has become necessary to change the way we communicate and arrange the execution of Wills and other essential estate planning documents.
We realize how important it is to assist our clients during this crisis. We use audio-visual communication as an alternative to personal contact to both have client meetings and to supervise the execution of Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney and Living Wills in accordance with statutory guidelines and best practices.
Although our physical offices are closed, we remain hard at work and will continue to respond to your mail, email, telephone calls and voice mail messages. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you believe we may be able to assist you.
This article is not legal advice and is provided for informational purposes only. Actual legal advice can only be provided after consultation by an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.