Actress Edie McClurg, famous for her role as Grace, the assistant principal in the 1986 comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, is currently in a situation that is demonstrative of why it’s always a good idea get estate planning services while you still can live on your own without the help of others. According to the Daily Mail, the 67-year old actress currently has dementia and is reliant on the help of others for making decisions and managing her affairs. Due to her condition, she is vulnerable to undue influence. Court documents indicate that her family and friends are concerned about a 72-year-old male friend who has been living with McClurg for a number of years, who allegedly has discussed marrying her and has been verbally abusive towards her to try and get her to alter her estate plan.
In response to the situation, court documents indicate that her family and friends have requested the court appoint McClurg’s cousin to the role of her estate conservator. They believe that she is not capable of understanding the relationship.
It’s not uncommon, unfortunately, for people with dementia or other conditions, to be taken advantage of by others. This may be the case in McClurg’s situation, however. As she battles dementia, her family is forced into a situation to try and obtain a court intervention to help manage her affairs. Had McClurg created a living will, conservatorship, or another type of advanced directive earlier, this situation may have been avoided, and the estate would not be in apparent peril. If you would like to prevent yourself and your family and friends from this situation and are in or around Williamsburg, contact Zaremba Center Estate Planning & Elder Law for an estate plan that works.
Why Get an Estate Plan?
There are other reasons to get estate planning than just because of the chances of being taken advantage of. More common reasons include:
- To provide for your family
- To minimize expenses
- To make difficult decisions now, so your family doesn’t have to worry about them later
- To plan with tax laws in mind
- To make retirement simpler
- And many more reasons
Get Incapacity Planning in Williamsburg
Part of a comprehensive estate plan is a plan for what happens if you become incapacitated in any way. One of the best reasons to get estate planning is to indicate your individual wishes early on, before issues such as dementia make you vulnerable and not in control. By creating an estate plan, you and your family can rest easy, knowing that both you and your estate are protected, your wishes are being carried out, and there are legal protections already in place to prevent risks. If you are in Williamsburg, contact Zaremba Center Estate Planning & Elder Law today to learn more and get started on your own estate plan, if you haven’t got one already.