Forget everything you thought you knew about estate planning. That nagging belief that it's only for the wealthy with beach houses and trust funds? It's completely wrong. As attorneys Jordan McIntyre and Haley Matson explain, everyone has an estate worth protecting, whether you're retired on a fixed income or just starting your family journey.

What most people don't realize is that estate planning isn't primarily about protecting your stuff—it's about protecting your people. When you create an estate plan, you're ensuring your children have designated guardians, your assets go to the right beneficiaries, and your loved ones aren't forced to make impossible decisions about your care during emotionally difficult times. Without these protections, the state makes these critical decisions for you, following rigid laws that rarely align with personal wishes.

The consequences of not planning can be devastating. When someone dies without proper documents in place, everything goes through probate—a public, court-supervised process where creditors have 90 days to make claims against your estate. This is exactly how families lose homes and cherished property to medical debt and other creditors. And for seniors considering Medicaid for nursing home coverage, comprehensive planning becomes even more crucial to protect assets from reclamation after death. As our attorneys emphasize, planning doesn't mean you're expecting the worst; it simply means you're taking control before crisis hits.

Don't fall for the myth that you need to be wealthy or elderly to benefit from estate planning. In fact, creating these documents earlier is always easier and more effective. Life changes like marriage, divorce, births, or deaths often necessitate updates to existing plans, so establishing a foundation early makes future modifications simpler. Ready to protect what truly matters? Visit McIntyre Elder Law for a free consultation in Shelby, Charlotte, or Hendersonville, or call 1-888-999-6600 to start securing your family's future today.