What do you really want?

By Beth Newcomb

When you’ve concentrated in the legal aspects of estate management since the mid ‘70s, you’re bound to keep clients for the long haul.

“I’ve had the children of people I’ve done wills for 40 years ago come to me when their mom or dad passes away because mine is the name on the document,” smiles John J. Urban.

“In some cases, families use the same attorney for generations. Nowadays, however, many of the children of my clients have moved away and have their own attorneys, so they rely on the information contained in the estate documents to know who to turn to.”

And that’s the point John wants to underscore this month. Just as the seasons change, so do the details of your life. Your wishes may have changed, the location of your documents may have changed and other things that used to be no longer are.

“The holidays are an ideal time to have a fresh conversation with your family about your wishes,” John says. “The kids or any close friends or family members are probably all together, so it’s a perfect opportunity to make sure everyone is on the same page.”

John says you should explain where your documents are stored, who is in charge if something should happen to you, where your insurance policies are located and where you bank. It also makes sense to compose a list of account numbers and keep them with your documents.

“You should also be clear about what your living will contains, who your power of attorney is and who your attorney is,” he notes.

John would like to take this opportunity to thank his clients for their business, and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

He has decided to take more time away from the office in 2018 and dip his toes in the waters of semi-retirement. In the coming months, he’ll introduce Jay and Linda Nabors, the team that will be carrying his practice into the future and handling day-to-day operations.

To reach attorney John J. Urban, call 440-846-0000, ext. 227. His offices are located at 11221 Pearl Road, in Strongsville. Visit the website at JJUrbanLaw.com.