The Passing of Natasha Richardson and Jade Goody – Why we care so much . . .

Natasha Richardson’s untimely death from a skiing accident at the age of 45 captured the attention of the world. She left behind her husband and two sons, ages 13 and 14. Jade Goody, a young mother in England, died of cervical cancer last weekend leaving behind her two young sons, ages 4 and 5. Ms. Richardson’s passing was unexpected, and her family had little or no time to prepare for her death. Ms. Goody knew she was going to die and talked to her sons about it telling them she would be the brightest star in the night sky.

As parents, we do so much to protect our children from harm, but too few of us plan for the future of our children should harm come to us. It is not an easy subject to think about, but there is comfort of knowing that you can take steps to ease a transition for your children should the unexpected occur. Estate planning is a fundamental part of this process. You may designate the person or people you would like to care for your children by preparing a nomination of guardian form. A trust and will can ensure the avoidance of probate and ensure that your estate will not have to incur the fees associated with probate.

For assistance with preparing your estate plan, contact estate planning attorney Kristen Walton at Walton Law Firm LLP for a free consultation.