On Memorial Day, we come together to celebrate and honor the sacrifices made by veterans in defending our country. It is a day of reflection and gratitude for the service rendered. As we commemorate this occasion, it is also an opportune time to consider estate planning, offering veterans and their families peace of mind and preparation for the unexpected.
Recognizing the Sacrifices
In addition to acknowledging the sacrifices made by veterans, it is important to value their wishes for both their lives and beyond. How do you want to be remembered after you pass away? Estate planning provides an avenue to record your requests and ensure that your loved ones will be taken care of after your death.
Veterans’ Benefits
As a veteran, you have access to special estate planning benefits that are tailored to your unique circumstances:
- Pension: The veterans’ pension is a needs-based benefit designed to provide financial support to veterans with low income and limited resources. It offers assistance to permanently and totally disabled veterans, veterans over the age of 65, and surviving spouses of deceased veterans. The pension program provides a monthly payment to help cover basic living expenses and ensure a certain level of financial stability.
- Disability Compensation: Veterans who have sustained injuries or illnesses as a result of their military service are eligible for disability compensation. This benefit provides financial assistance to compensate for the impact these disabilities have on their daily lives.
- Healthcare Programs: Veterans have access to a comprehensive healthcare system provided by the Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA healthcare program offers preventive care, primary care, specialized care, mental health services, and prescription medications.
- Estate planning allows you to maximize these benefits by including specific instructions for your long-term care and family benefits, ensuring that your wishes are implemented even if you are unable to do so yourself.
Legacy Planning
Estate planning provides a secure space for legacy planning, allowing you to preserve military heirlooms, journals, and personal experiences. You can document and digitize this information, ensuring that it is available for future generations, including your grandchildren and those who come after you.
Consider utilizing your estate plan to establish a memorial or charitable foundation that aligns with your values. By creating trusts and foundations dedicated to military causes, you can ensure that your life continues to positively impact others.
Specialized Healthcare Directives
Healthcare directives play a significant role in estate planning. Have you designated someone to speak on your behalf if you become incapacitated? Healthcare directives allow you to appoint a healthcare power of attorney and provide detailed instructions about life-saving measures you do or do not wish to undergo. Your estate plan serves as a legal document that enforces your end-of-life wishes.
Supporting Military Families
Within your estate plan, you can create trusts and appoint guardianship to support your family in the event that you are no longer able to provide for them. Additionally, you can designate funds to be gifted for educational milestones or other achievements of surviving family members.
At Shoup Legal, we take special consideration when doing estate planning for veterans and their families. Our dedicated team is here to provide answers to your questions and assist you in honoring veterans through comprehensive estate planning. Contact us at (951) 445-4114 or email us at [email protected] to learn more about our services and how we can help you plan today for peace of mind tomorrow.