I begin this post with a confession. Not that I'm ever not honest with the people who happen upon this blog, which by this time is a nearly eight-year collection of confessions...
... but I tend to be very selective about the personal information I choose to share. And this is a topic I've purposely avoided talking about, because -- oh, I don't know. It's kind of embarrassing.
But lately, I have been obsessed with trying bring more money into the house. I've been actively seeking full time work. And in between the big black hole of nothingness that is applying for jobs via Craigslist, I have accepted every opportunity that comes my way to write for pay. CBS wants me to write about a bucolic little theater in Topanga Canyon? Done. AskPatty wants to know if I can put together a little something about the opening of CarsLand at Disney's California Adventure? Of course -- even though I wasn't one of the bloggers fortunate enough to get an invite. (And that post has not gone live as of this writing).
So when my friend Yvonne Condes of MomsLA asked me if I would be interested in writing a sponsored post for one of their clients, I said "yes" -- without even looking at who that sponsor was. And when I learned that the sponsor is an attorney specializing in Estate Planning, I freaked out a little.
Actually, I freaked out a lot.
Planning for my death is a topic I don't want to think about. Few people do. And that's a problem.
I'm really fortunate that I'm in good health. But the fact that I've had no illnesses that would force me to buckle down and make a plan means that I've managed to put it off and put it off and put it off. And we're just lucky that we haven't needed it -- yet.
When our daughter was little, my husband and I decided that if anything ever happened to us, we would want my sister and brother-in-law to raise her, but I don't think we ever put it in writing. (Does this count?)
One thing I never considered is that your choice can change as your child gets older -- and, as noted in the video below, so can your plan.
Anyway: I was so freaked out over the subject matter that I put off writing this post until the very last minute. I realize how irrational and silly that is -- especially after viewing the video embedded below. Sona Tatiyants, Los Angeles Estate Planning Attorney, discusses the topic in a calm, no-nonsense, non-threatening manner:
I'm not getting any younger, and my recent flurry of clumsy has made me realize that I am not indestructible. I've really done my family a disservice by neglecting to create a plan. This is something I'll have to rectify very soon.
This post is part of a sponsored campaign for Sona Tatiyants, Los Angeles Estate Planning Attorney, and MomsLA.com.
DISCLAIMER: The contents of this video are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Tatiyants Law, MomsLA and (Donna Schwartz Mills) make no warranty about the accuracy or reliability of the information in this video or any linked sites.
Transmission of communication is not intended to create and receipt does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Any reliance on the information in this video is at your own risk."
