Of the three essential elements to any estate plan, namely, the legal, the financial, and the human factor, the latter can be the most difficult. This challenge was the subject of a recent article in Financial Planning appropriately titled "The Human Factor."

Generally speaking, the human factor in any estate plan is the sum total of your personal, interpersonal, and family relationships and problems. Planning for these matters means taking everything you know and everyone you love into consideration. While the details will vary according to your own unique circumstances, the Financial Planning article provides some practical guidance.

For example, have you considered the needs of yourself or your spouse (if married), should old age catch up with you physically or mentally? What about the potential of a likely heir having spendthrift tendencies or a substance addiction? Have you given thought to heirlooms and other items of tangible personal property that could trigger family feuds in the absence of clear inheritance direction?

Is that all? Hardly. It does, however, help to get you (and me) thinking about the "human factor" when it comes to our estate planning.

At Idaho Estate Planning, we can help you find the resources you need to put your estate plan together. We have the experience and expertise to help you maintain your options and protect yourself as well as your loved ones now and into the future. Remember, good planning is no accident.