As we say good-bye to one of the great film critics of our generation, we can learn several important estate planning lessons from Mr. Roger Ebert. First and foremost, at certain times in our lives we receive warnings about our own mortality. It is important a person take heed of these warnings. For Mr. Ebert, one warning came from the death of his former TV co-host Gene Siskel. Siskel died at the relatively young age of 53 from a brain tumor. Sometimes though it takes a personal health scare to get people thinking about estate planning. That happened to Mr. Ebert in 2000 when he was diagnosed with cancer. However, sometimes a personal health crisis can signal that it is too late to begin estate planning. For example, if a person becomes incapacitated as the result of an accident, this would provide them with no opportunity to set his or her affairs in order. This would obviously not be the case with a slow moving illness like cancer. Regardless, it is important to remember that one should have their affairs in order before it is necessary. That is one of the wise and fundamental principles of estate planning.
Second, it is important for a person to consider their legacy and succession planning. Mr. Ebert was able to continue his work, even after cancer took his ability to speak in 2006, and he was able to choose his successors. For his efforts and his legacy, Mr. Ebert gets a two thumbs up.
See Evan Guthrie Law Firm, Estate Planning: Lessons Learned From Roger Ebert, JDSupra, Apr. 4, 2013.
Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.
