Snowbirds are traditionally known as those people who take flight every winter heading south to a warmer climate. However, in today’s mobile society, more and more retired people reside in more than one state during the year for reasons other than the weather. After all, who can resist those grandchildren?!
If you fall into the “snowbird” category, it is important for you to think about whether your estate plan is going to work for you as you planned. When it comes to planning for a dual residence client, it is important to address issues and develop a plan that will work effectively in both states.
Most people are aware of how critical it is to have up-to-date advance medical directives, a durable power of attorney, the designation of a health care advocate, and a living will. However, what you may not know is that each state has its own set of laws and rules, which may mean that your documents won’t work as you had intended in another state. Even if the documents meet the technical requirements of the other state, a hospital or doctor may not choose to honor the documents, which may mean your decisions regarding end-of-life or disability care may not be honored.
If you are a dual resident, it is important to talk with an experienced estate planning attorney so that they can provide specific direction regarding individual state requirements. If your will or trust was created before you owned property in another state, give our Cary law office a call today at (919)443-3035 to go over your plan to make sure that it will work just as you intended.