As many as three million grandparents are raising grandchildren in the United States; over 99,000 households in Maryland are headed by grandparents. More than often, grandmothers are assisting with raising their grandchildren or providing major financial and emotional support. These grandmothers have a vested interest in ensuring that their hard-earned accumulated wealth is not squandered or lost to unscrupulous predators. They want to make sure that what they leave goes to whom they want, when they want, with little cost. In this month as we celebrate the woman we acknowledge the contributions of grandmothers, mothers, sisters, aunts, and all women in estate planning and the effects that planning has on the welfare and continuity of the family unit.

Women are often the initiator for estate planning. They are most concerned with maintaining family relationships, planning for children and family members with issues; becoming caregivers; or being alone and not having someone they trust to care for them. Some of the concerns that we help women address and plan for can be expressed as:

1.Concerns About Family Relationships

• Avoiding Family Fights – Maintaining Unity
• Assuring a Smooth Transition
• Maintaining Family Relationships When They are Gone
• Assuring their hard-earned assets benefit their grandchildren

2.Caregiving Concerns

• Caring for Parents, and assuring they have the tools to do so
• Caring for an aging spouse
• Raising grandchildren
• helping an elderly relative other than a parent

3.Specific Family Issues

• Special Needs Children or family members
• Family members with drug or addiction issues
• Whether to disinherit a child who is estranged
• Protecting assets from a spendthrift or young heir

Single women who have no children may also be concerned with not having someone to trust with their financial or medical affairs and may wonder:

“Who will take care of me?”

• and who will take care of all the people I am taking care of?

The simple answer to all of these concerns is to create a comprehensive estate plan. Considering all of these issues and addressing them will ultimately provide the peace of mind that all women crave and deserve. How best to address these concerns is the province of an experienced estate planning attorney.

Let AMD Law firm help you control and distribute your assets in the manner you wish.