Getting Your ‘Affairs in Order’.

When I was a teenager, I helped support at-home hospice for my grandmother.  In my twenties, I worked at Heath House which served as a hospice for people living with AIDS, and then into my thirties, I was President of the board for Sarah House. Today, I work with our local hospice organization to notarize hundreds of people a year with their advanced healthcare directives with their valuable workshops for seniors and others that are interested in making sure their healthcare wishes are heard.

I’ve heard a lot about people “getting their affairs in order” over the years, much of which needs to be notarized.  If you or a loved one is advancing in age and even if not, there are a couple of things to think about and take action on now to make things easier in your later years.

First, make sure to always have some form of identification.  It’s an important part of the notarization process and is always a good thing to have.  Often, we hear folks say “I don’t drive anymore! I don’t need a license”.  If that’s the case, it’s still important to have an ID.  The DMV issues senior identification cards for this reason.  It makes sure that you have a way of identifying yourself should you need a notarization.  We have ways as notary publics to do our work without it, but it makes your and our lives much easier.  Today, it’s even easier as DMV allows you to get one online.

Next, make sure to have a last will and testament signed and witnessed.  If you have one already, it’s a good idea to review it every couple of years.  If you have any kind of assets at all, it’s also a good idea to create a trust as well.  This will include other documents like a power of attorney and an advanced health care directive should you be incapacitated. A trust makes sure your family doesn’t have to go into probate upon your passing…this avoids a great many issues and saves everyone time and money.

If you need help with getting your affairs in order, our sibling company Santa Barbara Legal Docs can help you draft and notarize these important documents. 

Wherever you get them done, you’ll need many of them notarized and we are here to help.  We have trust package discounts that make it much more cost effective to have us visit you at your home, senior living facility, or the hospital.  When you are ready, contact us for more information on how we can help you.