Many who lost everything in the fire also lost the physical copies of their will and trust. These are critical documents that many did not store offsite or digitally in the cloud. As the situation stabilizes, obtaining a copy from your estate attorney as soon as possible becomes essential.
Unfortunately, if your estate plan was created long ago, the attorney may have retired, making them difficult to locate, or–worse yet–they may have passed away. In such a case, it would be best to hire a new estate attorney. Recreating your estate plan and putting your wishes in writing is important.
Alternatively, writing a handwritten will as soon as possible can give you some control in determining the disposition of your assets. However, in order to avoid probate and have your estate disposed of as you wish with the least complication, contacting an estate attorney to have new documents drafted would be a wise step.
If there’s one lesson from this year, it’s the importance of being prepared for the unexpected.