ABC’s “The Middle” chronicles the hilariously onerous antics of the Hecks, a family with modest means. They work multiple jobs, they wash dishes in the shower, and their laundry machine only works when the duct tape is good and tight.
In a recent episode, the family’s three kids got into an argument over their parents’ will — a fading napkin that ultimately fell into a bowl of cereal and withered away.
Even in “Middle” America, the show reminds us, a will is important — important enough to write on something other than a napkin.
The episode dovetailed nicely with an article we came across about the importance of having an estate planning checklist.
The article points out that the two most common reasons that people don’t have an effective state plan are:
- (1) Apprehension about the subject of death
(2) The myth that estate plans are only for the wealthy.
The truth, though, is that everyone’s assets matter. The Hecks might not have a lot in “The Middle,” but they know their three children still need to be carefully provided for in the event of unexpected tragedy.
A checklist provides an ordered approach to estate planning. There’s a lot more to it than just a simple will. A successful estate plan will cover everything from healthcare to custody, power of attorney, and beyond.
At the very least, your plan should probably include a little more than you can fit on a napkin.
If your estate plan presently looks a little more like the Heck’s than you’d like to admit, now’s the time to put your affairs in order. If you’d like some help with that, feel free to give us a call, we’re here for you — top to bottom and “Middle” too.
