It’s never too early to plan for the future, especially considering that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. You might have a stable job and source of income today, but next year, something can happen that can potentially change your life. That’s why you must prepare for the uncertainties while you still can.
One of the biggest achievements in adulthood is to be financially free. This only means that you aren’t up to the neck in debt and that you have a firm grasp on your finances instead of it being the other way around. When you have financial freedom, you can make decisions without being hindered by your money or the lack thereof.
However, you must understand that financial freedom is not a one-time achievement; if anything, it’s a state that you must maintain throughout your life. You can only say that you’re financially free if you don’t have to worry about your finances for this year, the next year, or even 10 years from now.
But there’s no definite way to tell what will happen next. Your life could be planned down to the last detail, and something can still go wrong. Life can throw curveballs your way, and if you aren’t prepared to face them, then your whole world will be turned upside down. Luckily, there are ways to plan for it.
You might not be able to decide what can happen at every point in your life, but you can make policies to tackle them once you do. This way, you won’t have to cross the bridge when you get there because you’ve already solved the problem. Here are three of the best ways to prepare yourself for the future:
Estate Planning
Human life is fleeting. A person can be the epitome of health and be in their best shape only to get involved in a dangerous freak accident. Or another can let themselves go and accumulate serious health conditions that continue to be unaddressed. The point is that there’s no telling when someone will pass.
If you’ve managed to accumulate a substantial amount of wealth and assets while you’re still alive, then you might need to consider estate planning to take care of your finances. Doing so can save your family from the emotional and financial distress that may come with your untimely passing.
Through estate planning, you can distribute your wealth according to whom you want to receive them if you’re no longer there to do it yourself. This gives you the chance to sort through any family discrepancies so that your family won’t have to fight over your wealth once you’re gone.
Elder Law
No one wants to grow old and lose their capacity to make decisions for themselves, but that’s simply out of your hands. When you reach a certain age and develop a medical condition that affects your decision-making, your direct guardian or court-assigned caregiver might have to make your decisions for you.
But you can address these topics for old age even if you’re still young and able. For instance, you can meet with an elder law attorney to discuss how you can receive your medical benefits or long-term care when you can no longer perform your day-to-day routines without assistance.
Unlike estate planning, where you decide what happens to your assets after you’re gone, elder law focuses on managing your finances while you’re still alive. This will provide you with enough funding to afford home care or enter a nursing facility in your old age, so you won’t have to worry about where to get money for these necessities.
However, you should remember that estate and elder law planning go together. Without a practical elder law plan in place, you might not have enough assets to leave behind for your family. Handling these documents while you’re still building your estate can make it easier to achieve financial freedom.
Life Insurance
Arguably, the best way to prepare for the uncertainties of life is to ensure that you’re protected come hell or high water. Having a feasible plan in your old age and knowing how to distribute your assets when you’re gone are both admirable, but that’s only if you’re still alive when that time comes.
It’s impossible to tell what will happen next. You can be casually walking down the street one minute and find yourself strapped to a gurney in the emergency room the next because you got caught in a car accident. Or you could lose your job and not have an emergency fund to cushion the blow.
But if you have life insurance coverage, you will be able to file an insurance claim to help you deal with sudden medical expenses or job loss. Plus, your family may receive a death benefit from your insurance agency to help keep them afloat if you’re no longer there to support them financially.
If you’re lucky, you might not even have to use any of these plans. But being prepared for the worst is still better than not being prepared at all because at least then, you won’t have to live in fear of the future. This way, you can live your best life without money being at the center of everything.
