As an estate planning lawyer, I’ve seen my fair share of goodbyes when people lose someone they love. It’s an emotional role to serve in, but also a great privilege as I get to witness so many great love stories between spouses up until the end.
But I’m going to tell you about the first time I experienced what the final act of love looks like of a great love story before I began practicing estate planning.
When I was a new attorney, we had a partner at my law firm who was married with two young children. I remember going to lunch with her one day when she got a call from her husband, and she lit up. She told me how we were away on a work trip, and he was just calling to say hi. I could see their relationship was very special.
Sadly, her husband passed away around that time in an accident. Needless to say, we were all heartbroken for her and her two young children. I remember at the funeral hearing how meticulous the husband was in making sure his wife and children were not only taken care of during their lifetime but also in death. The husband had everything in order for his wife and children, including a full estate plan, life insurance, and instructions. This was conveyed to us so we knew just how much he loved his family and had prepared for them just in case anything were to ever happen to him.
I learned at that moment what a comfort it is knowing that someone you loved took time to plan for you and make sure you’d be well taken care of if they were no longer there. To me, that husband’s act of ensuring his wife and children would be completely taken care of when he was gone was the final act of their great love story. It brought everyone comfort knowing their family was all set up.
If you need help taking care of your family and formalizing your wishes for them, we warmly invite you to talk with your Newport Beach estate planning attorneys at the Meier Law Firm by calling us at (949) 718-0420 or scheduling a planning session with us. Talking with us is a great first step for planning for those you love.